Genesis 23:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites.

NIV: So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.

NASB: So the field and the cave that was in it were deeded over to Abraham for a burial site by the sons of Heth.

CSB: The field with its cave passed from the Hethites to Abraham as burial property.

NLT: So the field and the cave were transferred from the Hittites to Abraham for use as a permanent burial place.

KJV: And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burial place by the sons of Heth.

NKJV: So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.

This verse restates one more time the final legal result of Abraham's deal with Ephron. The Hittites signed off on the transaction. The field and cave were fully "made over" to Abraham for a burying place. They were his property. Abraham's purpose in buying this land was to establish a family tomb, for himself and his descendants, in the Promised Land which God had given them.

Not only was Sarah buried in this cave, Abraham, their son Isaac, his wife Rebekah, their son Jacob, and his wife Leah, would be buried here, as well. With this burial cave and field, the people of God had begun their occupation of the promised land of Canaan.

Genesis 23:1–20 begins with the death of Abraham's wife Sarah at 127 years of age. That makes Abraham 137 years old and Isaac around 37. Abraham mourns for his wife and then approaches the Hittites settled in the region of Hebron about purchasing a permanent family burial place near Mamre. Once that transaction is completed, Abraham buries Sarah in the tomb where he himself and their son and one grandson will later be buried.

At the age of 127 years old, Abraham's wife Sarah dies. Now living in the region of Hebron, near Mamre, Abraham approaches the local people, the Hittites, about purchasing a specific cave he wants to use as a permanent family burial place. Abraham asks for a cave owned by Ephron the Hittite. After an odd negotiation, Abraham agrees to buy the cave and a field attached to it for 400 shekels of silver. Finally, Abraham buries Sarah in this cave at Machpelah in the land of Canaan. The permanent occupation of the land of Canaan by God's people has begun.

In the previous chapters, Isaac was born, Ishmael was sent away, and Abraham prepared to offer Isaac as an offering to God. Genesis 23 jumps forward a couple of decades to the death of Sarah at 127 years old. Abraham mourns for her and then purchases a cave near Mamre as a permanent family burial place in the land of Canaan. In the following chapter, Abraham will set about finding Isaac a wife.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 7/27/2024 6:29:21 AM