The History of Abraham, Part Eight

(Genesis 22:20-23:20)
Subsequent to these events, Abraham was informed that his brother Nachor and Melcha had become the parents of several children.  They were Huz, the oldest, his brother Buz, and Kemuel, the father of Aram, also Chesed, Hazo, Pilldash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel, who was the father of Rebecca -- such were the eight children Melcha bore to Abraham's brother Nachor.  And by a concubine named Reumah, Nachor was also father to Tebah, Gaham, Thahash, and Maachah.

Sarah lived to be a 127 years old and died in the town of Arbee, later known as Hebron, in Canaan.  Abraham came there to weep and mourn for his late wife.  During the funeral ceremonies, he rose and addressed the Hethite authorities "I am a stranger and an alien residing in your land, but I would like to acquire the right to some property so that I can give my deceased wife a proper burial here."

The Hethites responded to Abraham "Listen, sir, you are regarded as a prince among us, a man of God; you may have access to our choicest burial grounds.  Indeed, no one will prevent you from properly burying your dead anywhere you wish."

Abraham expressed his appreciation to the citizens of the country and especially to the Hethite authorities.  Conferring with them, he requested  "If it is acceptable to you for me to bury my dead here, would you please put in a word for me with Ephron, the son of  Zohar, that he may let me have the double cave of Machpelah, which he owns and which is at the end of his field.  I wish to purchase it for whatever it is worth and use it as a sepulcher."

Ephron, who was a native Hethite, replied to Abraham in the company of the Hethite authorities and in hearing of all those who had come to the city's marketplace.   "No, sir, that's not necessary. Hear me -- I will give you the field, as well as the cave that lies in it.  With my people as witnesses I offer it to you gratis for the purpose of burying your dead there."

Abraham made his respects to the people, and spoke to Ephron in their presence.  "If you are willing to let me have it, please hear me out.  I insist on giving you money for it; accept my payment, so I can bury my dead there."

Ephron answered "The land you want is worth about 400 shekels of silver [10 pounds], but what is that between you and me? --- Bury your dead!"

Abraham accepted the terms, and in the presence of the Hethite authorities he weighed out the amount Ephron had requested -- 400 shekels of silver, as it was customarily measured by merchants of the time.  With the Hethite authorities and the people of the town as witnesses, Abraham was given legal claim to the field of Ephron in Machpelah facing Mamre, the double cave that it contained, and the trees that marked its boundary.  And in the presence of the Hethite authorities, Abraham took possession of the field and of the double cave, where he then interred his wife Sarah.

Notes
1.  It is interesting that Abraham's brother Nachor, while having a large number of children by his legal wife, also fathers, by his concubine, children important enough to be named.  One wonders what Jehovah, at this point,  thinks about adultery and out-of-wedlock births.  One awaits the first Biblical condemnation of such behavior.

2.  The purchase of a tomb, which the text makes much of, does not sound like a big deal, but this would be the first property that Abraham, a nomad, would hold legal title to, and the cave would become important as a burial place for his family.

3.  Ephron is described in most translations as a Hittite.  This must be incorrect or an anachronism.  The Hittites were one of the great people of the ancient Middle East, and centuries after Abraham they commanded an empire from Anatolia, (although that empire did not include any of Abraham's stomping grounds).  While there are conflicting views on the subject, it seems most likely that the Biblical Hittites and the Historical Hittites are not the same people, since in time, place, and importance, they are at variance.  The former are probably the same as the Hethites, who were either a tribe of Canaanites, or a separate people who lived among the Canaanites.  The confusion is owing entirely to similarity of names, perhaps like someone a couple thousand years from now mixing up Austrians and Australians.  To avoid misinterpretation I have made a practice of referring to "Hittites" as Hethites.

4.  Abraham is insistent upon paying for the burial ground, the field and cave, and refuses to accept it as a gift.  This is quite a turn around for someone who accepted considerable unearned bounty from the Egyptian pharaoh and King Abimelech.  But this is a piece of property, not disposable goods, and it is important for him to establish sure title to the land that would be used by his family for generations to come.  The Hebrew/Semitic custom of burial has persisted into modern times.  While cremation, which was practiced by most ancient peoples, the Greeks, Persians, Romans, and so forth, has become increasingly popular, it is still eschewed by most espousing religions based on Biblical traditions.