Keraia
Genesis 23

Genesis 23:3

The Death and Burial of Sarah · Genesis 23:1–20
Read Genesis 23

Translations

Modern
Then Abraham got up from beside his dead wife and said to the Hittites,
Traditional
And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,
Literal
And Abraham rose up from before his dead one, and he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
Latin
Cumque surrexisset ab officio funeris, locutus est ad filios Heth, dicens:

Original

Hebrew
English
Then Abraham got up from beside his dead wife and said to the Hittites,

Notes

Genesis 23:3–4

  • Abraham negotiated with local Hittite elders to buy land for a burial site. These Hittites had moved south to Canaan from the large Hittite empire in what is now Turkey (compare 10:15).

  • Abraham was a foreigner and an outsider among them. But he trusted God's promise that he would eventually own the land.

Genesis 23:1–20

She died: Abraham bought a piece of land for Sarah's burial. This was the first sign of a permanent change, as people usually buried their dead in their ancestral homeland (compare 49:29–50:13). By burying Sarah, Abraham separated himself from his ancestral home (where his relatives still lived, 22:20–24). His future would be in Canaan, where his descendants would fulfill the promise.

Theme notes and profiles

Abraham Hittites Sarah Symbolic Numbers

People

Abraham: Patriarch, chosen by God to father His people Heth: Son of Canaan and ancestor of the Hittites

Glossary

Abraham Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Burial, Burial Customs Ebla Tablets Genesis, Book of Hittites Isaac Machpelah Patriarchs, Period of the Sarah

Topics

Abraham: He Purchases a Place for Her Burial, and Buries Her in a Cave Burial: Design of Heth: Son of Canaan, and Ancestor of the Hittites Hittites: Called The: Sons of Heth Hittites: Dwelt in Hebron Land: Bought and Sold Land: Conveyance of, by Written Deeds and Other Forms