1.
And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.
2.
And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3.
And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,
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.
5.
And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,
6.
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.
7.
And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
8.
And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
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 buryingplace amongst you.
10.
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,
11.
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.
12.
And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.
13.
And 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.
14.
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,
15.
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.
16.
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.
17.
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
18.
Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.
19.
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.
‘TILL DEATH DO THEM PART’
‘Abraham buried Sarah his wife.’
Genesis 23:19
From this simple and touching story of death in the home we may learn how we should behave in times of bereavement. The true attitude at such times is threefold:—
I. Sorrowing love.—The expression of love in sorrow is as natural as it is inevitable and beautiful. A consciousness of loss cannot fail to produce sorrow, and no one is to be blamed for feeling and expressing a sense of bereavement. It would be utterly unnatural if death were to come without eliciting sorrow.
II. Faithful service.—At the same time in order that the soul may not be swallowed up with over-much sorrow there comes to us all at such occasions the call to and opportunity for definite service. The memory of a loved one is best treasured by doing what that loved one would wish were she here. Service always prevents sorrow from becoming dissipated in idle regrets and mere remembrance.
III. Blessed hope.—Abraham laid Sarah’s body to rest ‘in sure and certain hope’ of a joyful resurrection ( Hebrews 11:14). It was this above all things that upheld and strengthened him as he bade farewell to the wife who had shared his joys and sorrows for so many years. The expectation and anticipation of reunion in Christ on the Day of Resurrection is still the real hope, the blessed comfort, and the strong inspiration of the people of God. It enables them to look upon death without fear and to look forward without dread: ‘In the midst of death they are in life’ through Him Who is the Resurrection and the Life.
Rev. W. H. Griffith-Thomas, d.d.
Illustration
‘The graves of the great ancestors of any people are always the sacred treasures of coming generations. Mecca, where the dust of Mohammed sleeps, is the goal to which every good Moslem turns with longing thoughts; and even the combatants in the Far East agreed to respect the ancient tombs of the Chinese Imperial Family. In striking contrast to this universal sentiment, how remarkable it is that Christians gather at the mouth of an empty grave, and hear the angels saying: “He is not here, He is risen; come see the place where He lay.” Our affections are set, not on Calvary or the Garden Tomb, but on Heaven. Our minds and thoughts thither ascend and there continually dwell, where the risen Lord is seated at the right hand of God.’
20.
And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.