Translations
Original
Notes
sir. You are God's chosen one (or prince; Hebrew my lord, you are a lifted up one of God): Either Abraham was well-respected by these people, or they were politely asking for his generosity.
Bury your dead in the finest: They were ready to fulfill his request, especially if it meant they could legally bind him to themselves (23:11).
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.
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 Heth: Son of Canaan, and Ancestor of the Hittites Hittites: Called The: Children of Heth Land: Bought and Sold Land: Conveyance of, by Written Deeds and Other Forms