Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 1 · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
1, The age and death of Sarah, for whom Abraham mourneth; 3, and purchaseth of the sonnes of Cheth a place for her buriall: 10, which Ephron would have given him, 13, but Abraham would not receive without giving the full price. 17, So the field and cave in Macpelah, becommeth Abrahams possession; and there he burieth Sarah.
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ANd the life of Sarah was a hundred yeeres, and twenty yeeres, and seven yeeres: these were the yeeres of the life of Sarah. And Sarah dyed in Kirjath-Arba, the same is Chebron, in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourne for Sarah, and to weepe for her. And Abraham stood-up, from before his dead: and spake unto the sonnes of Cheth, saying. I am a stranger and a sojourner, with you: give mee a possession of a burying-place, with you; that I may bury my dead, out of my sight. And the sonnes of Cheth, answered Abraham, saying to him; heare us, my Lord; thou art a Prince of God, amongst us, in the choise of our buriall-places, bury thou thy dead: a man of us, shall not with-hold from thee his burying place, from burying thy dead. And Abraham stood-up, and bowed-downe himselfe to the people of the land, to the sonnes of Cheth. And he spake with them, saying: if it be your mind, to bury my dead, out of my sight; heare me, and intreat for me, to Ephron the sonne of Zohar. And let him give mee the cave of Macpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field: for full money, let him give it me, amongst you, for a possession of a burying-place. And Ephron was sitting, amongst the sonnes of Cheth: and Ephron the Chethite answered Abraham, in the eares of the sonnes of Cheth; of all that went in at the gates of his citie, saying; Nay my Lord heare me, the field I give thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee: in the eies of the sonnes of my people, give I it thee, bury thy dead. And Abraham bowed-down himselfe, before the people of the land. And he spake unto Ephron, in the eares of the people of the land, saying; But if thou (wilt give it) I pray thee heare mee: I will give the money of the field, take it of me, and I will bury my dead there. And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him; my Lord heare me; the land (is worth) foure hundred shekels of silver, betweene mee and thee, what is that? and bury thy dead. And Abraham hearkned unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron, the silver which he had spoken of, in the eares of the sons of Cheth: foure hundred shekels of silver, currant with the merchant. And the field of Ephron, which was in Macpelah, which was before Mamree, was made-sure: the field, and the cave which was therein, and everie tree which was in the field, which was in all the border thereof, round about. VntoUnto Abraham for a purchase, in the eies of the sons of Cheth; with all that went-in at the gates of his citie. And afterward, Abraham buried Sarahs his wife, in the cave of the field of Macpelah, before Mamree, the same is Chebron, in the land of Canaan. And the field, and the caue which was therein, was made sure to Abraham, for a possession of a burying place: by the sons of Cheth.
Annotations.
foreign Here beginneth the 5 section of the Law called Chajjee Sarah, that is, The life of Sarah. See Gen. 6. 9.
Vers. 1. the life] in Hebrew lives: see Gen. 2. 7. This speciall honor hath Sarah our mother, above all women in the Scripture, that the number of her yeeres is recorded of God. Eve was the mother of all living, Gen. 3. 20. and Sarah is mother of al the faithfull, 1 Pet. 3. 6. She lived a pilgrim with Abraham her husband 62 yeeres, and before her departure from Charran, 65. in all 127 yeeres.
Vers. 2. Kirjath Arba] that is, the citie of Arba. as the Greeke translateth it: called also Chebron: see Gen. 13. 18. came] or, went-in, namely into Sarahs tent, wherein she dwelt and dyed: for Abraham had many tents, (as had Lot, Gen. 13. 5.) and one speciall for Sarah, Gen. 24. 67. and 18. 6. to weepe] Sarah also is the first, for whose death, mourning and weeping is mentioned, another note of honour, as appeareth by Gen 50. 9. 10. 11. Ier. 22. 18. 2 Sam. 1. 17. &c. But sorrow for the dead, must be moderate in Gods people, as having hope of the resurrection, 2 Thes. 4. 13. 14. and weepe, in the Hebrew hath one little letter, extraordinary, noted also in the margine of the Hebrew bibles, whereby as the Iewes thinke is signified, that Abrahams mourning was not excessive, but with moderation. The Hebrew Doctors say that afterwards in Israel, a man was bound by the law (in Lev. 21. 2. 3.) to mourne for his mother, and for his father, his son and his daughter; and his brother and his sister by the fathers side. And by the Rabbines, a man was to mourne for his wife that he had maried, and so the woman for her husband: to mourne also for brother and sister by the mothers side. Maimony in Misneh, tom. 4. treat. of Mourning. ch. 2. S. 1.
Vers. 3. from before] or, from the face of his dead: where in likelihood, he had sitten a while on the earth, as was the manner of mourners to doe: Iob 2. 12. 13. Esa. 47. 1. sons of Cheth] that is, the Chethites, or Hittites, the people which came of Cheth the son of Canaan, Gen. 10. 15.
Vers. 4. asojourner] or forreiner: properly it signifieth one that dwelleth in a strange country, and hath no possession of his owne there. And as Abraham, so David acknowledgeth this of himselfe & his people, with God: 1 Chr. 29. 15. Psal. 39. 13. and the law taught them so much, Leviticus 25. 23. and the Gospell teacheth us the same for our estate on earth, 1 Peter 2. 11. and commendeth to us the faith of these fathers, that did so professe themselves, to be strangers and forreiners in the land: thereby declaring plainely that they sought a better country, even an heavenly, where God hath prepared for them a citie: Hebr. 11. 13. 14. 16. a burying place] or, grave, sepulcher, in Hebrew Keber, from which the Germaine grab; and our English grave are derived. Abraham having sojourned 60. yeeres in these lands, never purchased foot of inheritance, Act. 7. 5.) till now for his dead; not for any, (though it is likely sundry had dyed in his house within this time,) but for Sarah his wife. As the former shewed his faith, abiding there as in a strange Countrey, Heb. 11. 9. so this purchase of a grave, sheweth the like, not onelyonly for the generall resurrection of the dead, but for the speciall possession of this promised land: for which cause, Iaakob also would be brought out of Egypt to bee buried here, Gen. 47. 29. 30. and Ioseph by like faith, gave commandement of his bones, Gen. 50. 24. 25. Heb. 11. 22. For a Sepulchre of ones owne, was a signe of right, and firme possession, Esay 25. 16. out of my sight] or, from before me: so verse 8. Death, so defaceth all earthly things, that the most lovely, are by it made loathsome: for Sarah had beene the desire of his eyes, Ezek. 24. 16. but now hee cannot suffer her in his sight. And the living doe burie their dead, that according to the sentence of God, man may returne to his earth and dust, Gen. 3. 19. and be sowne as seed in the ground till the resurrection, 1 Cor. 15. 35. 36. &c. where they rest in their graves, as in their beds, till their change come, Esa. 57. 2. Iob 14. 14.
Vers. 6. a Prince of God] that is, a mighty prince, an holy ruler: preferred and advanced of God. So Abimelech acknowledged that God was with him; Gen. 21. 22. Things that excell, are said to be of God: as Mountaines of God, Psal. 36. 7. Cedars of God, Psal. 80. 11. wrastlings of God, Gen. 30. 5. and many the like. The Greeke here translateth, a King of God, the Chaldee, a prince before the Lord. A like speech is used of the Priests, called Princes of God, 1 Chron. 24. 5. the choise] that is, the best, the fayrest: as the Chaldee explaineth it; because men use to chose the best things. And choise is put for chosen: as glory of grace, and riches of grace, Ephes. 1. 6. 7. for glorious and rich grace: the promise of the spirit, Gal. 3. 14. for the promised spirit; and many the like. with-hold] or closeup, forbid, either by word or deed.
Vers 7. bowed downe] did obeysance, in signe of reverence, and thankfulnesse: so verse 12. Sometime they that bowed, would say they did so, as professing their thankfulnesse, 2 Sam. 16. 4.
Vers. 8. your mind,] or, your will: Hebrew with your soule; which word is often used for the mind or will of any: Psal. 27. 12. and 41. 3. and 105. 22. The Greeke translateth, if ye have in your soule: the Chaldee, if it bee the pleasure of your soule. to bury] that is, that I should bury: an usuall phrase, where the person is not expressed, but easily understood: see Gen. 6. 19. and 19. 20. and 47. 29.
Vers. 9. of Macpelah] which is by interpretation, the cave of doublenesse, as the Chaldee hath, and so the Greeke also translateth it, the double cave: but it appeareth by verse 17. 19. to be the name of the place. full money] Hebrew, full silver, that is, for as much money as it is worth: silver is named for all money, and full, for full weight, as appeareth verse 16. A like speech is used in used in 1 Chron. 21. 24. for full silver; which another Prophet saith, for the price, that is, the worth of it, 2 Sam. 24. 24.
Vers. 10. sitting] there present among them: or dwelling, as the word often signifieth. in the eares] that is, in the audience, or hearing: as the Greeke explaineth it. So vers. 13. and 16. went in] meaning the citizens; who are described by going in, as in Gen. 34. 24. by going out: which two are often joyned together, to goe in and out, for to converse, trade, &c. see Ier. 17. 19. 20. 25. & 22. 4.
Vers. 11. in the eies,] that is, in the fight, or presence: or before: as the Greeke translateth it: so verse 18. sonnes of my people] which the Greeke turneth, my citizens; an usuall east country phrase: so in Luke 19. 14. his citizens, is turned in the Syriake, the sons of his citie. Bargains passed thus publikely in the city gates, for more testimony and assurance, as was used also in other cases, Ruth. 4. 1. 4. 9. 11.
Ver. 13. if thou] that is, wilt give it, or if thou be he, whom I speak of: as the Greeke translateth, seeing thou art with me: (that is, present.) Such imperfect speeches are often used, where other fit words are to be understood, as the scripture it selfe sometime manifesteth: as behold the oxen, 2 Sam. 24. 22. which an other Prophet relating saith, behold I give the oxen, 1 Chron. 21. 23. See also before, Gen. 11. 4. and 13. 9. and after here in the 15. ver. money] Hebrew silver, that is, the price of the field.
Vers. 15. shekels:] or, (as we may call them) shillings: the Greeke translateth them didrachmes: wch word is used Mat. 17. 24. what the shekel weighed, see noted on Gen. 20. 16.
V. 16. currant] or, passing to: and so allowed of Merchants, as the Greek turneth it: which the Chaldee amplifieth thus, that was taken for merchandise in every Countrey.
Vers. 17. was made sure] the Hebrew is stood up: that is, was made stable, sure and confirmed, as the Greek translateth it in the last verse of this chapter. And this purchase thus assured to Abraham was a propheticall signe, that his posterity should have the inheritance of that land: even as Ieremies buying of his uncles field before witnesses, was a signe of the Iewes returne into the possession of this land; Ier. 32. 7. 9. 10. 15. 43. 44.
Vers. 19. in the cave] or de…: thus carefully bought, and described where it lay, for a monument to posterity. In this cave also Abraham himselfe was buried with his wife, at his death, Gen. 25. 9. Likewise Isaak his sonne, with Rebekah his wife, and Iaakob with Leah his wife: Gen. 49. 31. and 50. 13. The Patriarchs hereby testifying their faith in the promises of God, for the inheritance of this land, and of life eternall figured hereby, as before is observed on v. 4. Herewith may bee compared the purchase of the potters field bought with the price of Christs blood to bury strangers in: Mat. 27.