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<< Genesis XXIII:  Buying a Burial Place >>

sarahsburial7_500_626 SOME twenty years passed by, and Abraham was living again in Hebron where he had made his home by the oaks of Mamre. Here Sarah died when she was a hundred and twenty-seven years old, and Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah for a family burial-place.

Hebron is not on a hill-top, like so many towns in that country, still, it is a mountain town, high above the sea. The valleys and hill-sides about Hebron are very rich and fruitful; and it was a very old city, and perhaps the most important city of the land, in the days of Abraham. The children of Heth, or Hittites, whom Abraham found living in Hebron were kind to him. The Hittites lived mostly to the north of Canaan, but were also scattered through many towns ol' the land. They belonged to an ancient people who kept some simple goodness from long ago.

Abraham bought the burial-place of Ephron the Hittite, in the gate of the town. There was perhaps a wall about the city, with a large guarded gate-way, with chambers at the sides. Kings and judges used to sit in the gate to hear and settle disputes among the people. And bargains were made in the gate; for in days when writing was not common as it is now, instead of writing and sealing a paper, business was done publicly in the hearing of all the people, so that they might all be witnesses and make sure that an agreement was faithfully carried out.

The bargain was made between Abraham and Ephron in the real Eastern way. If one wants to buy something from another, the owner may very politely give everything as a present, but it is expected that the buyer, with equal politeness, will insist on paying its value. So Ephron gave Abraham the field and cave, but Abraham paid him silver for it,—a generous price.

Gold and silver were not coined in those days. The shekel became afterwards the name of a coin, but in Abraham's time it was only a certain weight of silver. He weighed it out in the presence of the people, that every one might know that the payment was made. At the same time it was understoodby everybody  what he was buying;   the field field and the cave and the trees in the field and in its borders were made sure unto him. This is also like the Eastern people, to mention every thing and part of a thing in a bargain, so that there can be no deception or mistake.

The field and cave were before Mamre or Hebron, which means to the east of the town. The present town is built all about the cave, and the cave itself is covered by a mosque with high walls and towers. You see this building in every picture of Hebron. The Mohammedans guard it very strictly and let very few people see anything of the cave; but there is every reason to believe that it is truly the old cave which Abraham bought, where the body of Sarah was buried, and afterwards, as we shall learn, the bodies of Abraham himself, of Isaac and Rebekah, and of Jacob and Leah. Now listen to the story.

And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that In  should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, 23:9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a burying place amongst you. And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead. And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.

And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the and, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there. And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead. And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the sons of Heth.---Genesis XXIII.


Author: William L. Worcester 1904

Spiritual Correspondences

      Bride/wife >> Spiritual Church

      Death of Sarah >> Languishing of spiritual life in the church

      Abraham's mourning >> Lord's mourning for the church

      Buying the cave from children of Heth and burial of Sarah >> Raising up by the Lord of a New Church among gentiles

      The kindly neighbors willing to sell or give him the cave >> Gentile people who received the Lord and became of his Church

      Abraham bowing before the people >> Lord's joy in this reception

      Children of Heth (remnants of an ancient people who preserved goodness of an external kind) >>  External goodness

      Ephron offers to give cave but Abraham insists on paying >> It seems to us that we can become heavenly of ourselves but it is only by the Lord's power and gift

      Burial >> Resurrection

      Abraham's care in providing a burial place for Sarah >> Lord's care in providing heavenly homes for his children

Spiritual Meaning

 GENESIS XXIII

 1. And the lives of Sarah were a hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of the lives of Sarah.
 
  "The lives of Sarah were," signifies the times and states of the church as to the truths Divine that preceded; "a hundred years and twenty years and seven years," signifies their fullness; "the years of the lives of Sarah," signifies while any truth Divine remained on earth.
 
 2. And Sarah died in Kiriath-arba, the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
 
 "Sarah died," signifies night as to the truths of faith; "in Kiriath-arba, the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan," signifies in the church; "and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her," signifies the Lord's state of grief.
 
 3. And Abraham rose up from upon the faces of his dead, and spoke unto the sons of Heth, saying.
 
 "Abraham rose up," signifies elevation; "from upon the faces of his dead," signifies in that night; "and spoke unto the sons of Heth, saying," signifies those with whom there was to be a new spiritual church.
 
 4. I am a sojourner and a dweller with you; give me a possession of a sepulcher with you, and I will bury my dead from before me.
 
 "I am a sojourner and a dweller with you," signifies their first state, that although the Lord was unknown to them, still He could be with them; "give me a possession of a sepulcher with you" signifies that they might be regenerated; "and I will bury my dead from before me," signifies that thus He would come forth and rise again from the night which is with them.
 
 5, 6. And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, Hear us, my lord, thou art a prince of God in the midst of us; in the choice of our sepulchers bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulcher from burying thy dead.
 
 "The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him," signifies a reciprocal state with those who are of the new church; "Hear us," signifies reception; "my lord, thou art a prince of God in the midst of us," signifies the Lord as to the good and truth Divine with them; "in the choice of our sepulchers," signifies good pleasure as to regeneration; "bury thy dead," signifies that so they would come forth from night and be raised up into life; "none of us shall withhold his sepulcher from thee," signifies that they were all prepared to receive regeneration; "from burying thy dead," signifies so that they might come forth from night and be raised up.
 
 7, 8. And Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth. And he spoke with them, saying, If it is with your soul that I should bury my dead from before me, hear me, and intercede for me with Ephron the son of Zohar.

 "Abraham rose up, and bowed himself," signifies the Lord's joy on account of the kind reception; "to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth," signifies by those who were to be of the new spiritual church; "and he spoke with them, saying," signifies thought and perception concerning them; "if it is with your soul," signifies if from the affection of truth from the heart; "that I should bury my dead from before me," signifies that they desired to come forth from night and rise again; "hear me," signifies that they should comply; "and intercede for me with Ephron the son of Zohar," signifies those with whom the truth and good of faith could be received. 
 
 9. That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; in full silver let him give it to me, in the midst of you, for a possession of a sepulcher.
 
 "That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath," signifies the obscurity of faith they have; "which is in the end of his field," signifies where there is little of the church; "in full silver" signifies redemption by means of truth; "let him give it to me, in the midst of you, for a possession of a sepulcher" signifies possession thus, through regeneration.
 
 10. And Ephron was sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the ears of the sons of Heth, of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying.
 
 "Ephron was sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth," signifies those by whom the good and truth of faith could primarily be received; "and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham," signifies their state of reception; "in the ears of the sons of Heth," signifies obedience; "of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying," signifies as to the doctrinal things through which there is faith.
 
 11. Nay, my lord, hear me; the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein I give it thee; to the eyes of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
 
"Nay, my lord, hear me," signifies that first state, described before; "the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein I give it thee," signifies preparation by themselves as to the things that are of the church and of faith; "in the eyes of the sons of my people give I it thee," signifies according to the understanding of all; "bury thy dead," signifies that they may come forth from night and be raised up.
 
 12, 13. And Abraham bowed himself before the people of the land. And he spoke unto Ephron in the ears of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me; I will give the silver of the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
 
 "Abraham bowed himself before the people of the land," signifies the Lord's joy on account of the good will of those who were of the new spiritual church; "and he spoke unto Ephron" signifies influx with those who were able to receive; "in the ears of the people of the land," signifies even unto obedience as to the truths of the church; "but if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me," signifies more interior influx; "I will give the silver of the field; take it of me," signifies redemption as to the truths of the church which are from the Lord; "and I will bury my dead," signifies that thus they would come forth from night and be vivified.
 
 14, 15. And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, My lord, hear me; land of four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and thee? Bury therefore thy dead.
 
 "Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him," signifies a state of reception; "My lord, hear me," signifies the first state of reception; "land of four hundred shekels of silver," signifies the price of redemption by means of truth; "what is that between me and thee?" signifies that he gave his assent, but still desired it to be from himself; "bury therefore thy dead," signifies here as before, emerging from night, and a consequent resuscitation.
 
 16. And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron, and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had spoken of in the ears of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver current with the merchant.
 
 "Abraham hearkened unto Ephron" signifies confirmation for obeying; "and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver," signifies redemption; "which he had spoken of in the ears of the sons of Heth," signifies according to the capacity of those who are of the new church; "four hundred shekels of silver," signifies the price of redemption; "current with the merchant," signifies adapted to their state.
 
 17, 18. And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave that was therein, and every tree that was in the field, that was in all the border thereof round about, were made sure unto Abraham for an acquisition to the eyes of the sons of Heth, of all that went in at the gate of his city.
 
 "The field of Ephron," signifies that which belonged to the church; "which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre," signifies the quality and amount of regeneration; "the field and the cave that was therein," signifies as to the good and truth of faith; "and every tree that was in the field," signifies interior knowledges of the church; "that was in all the border thereof round about," signifies exterior knowledges; "were made sure unto Abraham for an acquisition," signifies that they were ascribed to the Lord alone; "to the eyes of the sons of Heth," signifies according to their understanding; "of all that went in at the gate of his city," signifies as to all doctrinal things.
 
 19. And after this Abraham buried Sarah his wife, in the cave of the field of Machpelah, upon the faces of Mamre, the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
 
 "After this," signifies that it was so; "Abraham buried Sarah his wife," signifies that they received from the Lord truth conjoined with good; "in the cave of the field of Machpelah, upon the faces of Mamre," signifies that thus they were regenerated so far as they could be; "the same is Hebron," signifies that this was a new church; "in the land of Canaan," signifies which in the Lord's kingdom is one.
 
 20. And the field and the cave that is therein were made sure unto Abraham, for a possession of a sepulcher, from the sons of Heth.
 
 "The field and the cave that is therein," signifies the church and its faith; "were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a sepulcher" signifies that it was from the Lord alone, through regeneration; "from the sons of Heth," signifies that it was of the Gentiles. [AC 2903-2986]

Author: Emanuel Swedenborg

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