Gen. 23:3-203And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, 4I 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. 5And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, 6Hear 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. 7And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. 8And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, 9That 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 buryingplace amongst you. 10And 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, 11Nay, 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. 12And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. 13And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, 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. 14And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, 15My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead. 16And 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. 17And 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 18Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. 19And 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. 20And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth. (Genesis 23:3‑20)
THE second outstanding subject of this chapter is the behavior of the child of God before the people of this world. It is a most important subject for one who would be a true testimony to the honor of God.
“And Abraham stood up from bore his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying place with you... for as much money as it is worth.” vv. 3, 4, 9. God had already promised this entire land to Abram’s seed for an inheritance and, in a sense, he might have laid claim to it without payment. Yet he well knew that the children of Heth would not understand such a claim and therefore set out to purchase it according to the custom of the land.
However, the people thought well of Abraham and the owner of the field which he selected pressed him: “Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee.” v. 11. This surely sounded very appealing and generous, but Abraham persisted until a price was named by the owner. “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..., and the cave which was therein, and all the trees... were made sure unto Abraham.” vv. 16-18.
It would seem that Abraham wished to secure this parcel of land for himself and his descendants because of faith in God’s promise that at a later day the land would be inhabited by the nation that was to follow him. The purchase of this ground became an ever-present token of that coming possession. Had he been able to look forward to following years he would no doubt have been happy to see Caleb, another faithful man of God select this spot for a dwelling place and to have also seen David proclaimed king of Judah here. It became a cherished place of communion to God’s people while they walked faithfully in His ways.
Why was the field not accepted as a gift? Once before when Abraham had been confronted with the King of Sodom’s offer to give him the spoils of war, after Lot was set free from the enemy, his reply had been: “I will not take from a thread even to a shoe-latchet, and... I will not take anything that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich.” Gen. 14:2323That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: (Genesis 14:23). Now, at Hebron, he again refused a gift, although requiring the land.
Abraham, in both instances, wisely considered the consequences of an unequal yoke in accepting the gifts of the ungodly. He knew in principle and practice the wisdom of the warning that was later given God’s people: “Thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.” Ex. 23:88And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous. (Exodus 23:8).
In his relationship with the world the believer is instructed to “walk honestly toward them that are without.” 1 Thess. 4:1212That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. (1 Thessalonians 4:12); “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.” 2 Cor. 8:2121Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. (2 Corinthians 8:21). May it be every believer’s testimony, in each transaction with the world, to pay full measure—“current money with the merchant"—and avoid its gifts, that the name of the Lord may not be dishonored.
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