Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary

on the Whole Bible

Back to Biblesnet.com Home Page

---

[Table of Contents] [Previous] [Next]

Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)

---

G E N E S I S

CHAP. XXIII.

---

     

Here is, I. Abraham a mourner for the death of Sarah,

ver. 1, 2.

II. Abraham a purchaser of a burying-place for Sarah.

1. The purchase humbly proposed by Abraham,

ver. 3, 4.

2. Fairly treated

of, and agreed to, with a great deal of mutual civility and respect,

ver. 5-16.

3. The purchase-money paid,

ver. 16.

4. The premises

conveyed and secured to Abraham,

ver. 17, 18, 20.

5. Sarah’s funeral,

ver. 19.

The Death of Sarah.	B. C. 1857.

     

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.

     

We have here,

1. Sarah’s age,

v. 1.

Almost forty years before, she had called

herself old,

ch. xviii. 12.

Old people will

die never the sooner, but may die the better,

for reckoning themselves old.

2. Her death,

v. 2.

The longest liver must die at last.

Abraham and Sarah had lived comfortably

together many years; but death parts those

whom nothing else could part. The special

friends and favourites of Heaven are not exempted

from the stroke of death. She died

in the land of Canaan, where she had been

above sixty years a sojourner.

3. Abraham’s

mourning for her; and he was a true

mourner. He did not only perform the

ceremonies of mourning according to the

custom of those time, as the mourners that

go about the streets, but he did sincerely

lament the great loss he had of a good wife,

and gave proof of the constancy of his affection

to her to the last. Two words are used:

he came both to mourn and to weep. His

sorrow was not counterfeit, but real. He

came to her tent, and sat down by the

corpse, there to pay the tribute of his tears,

that his eye might affect his heart, and that

he might pay the greater respect to the memory

of her that was gone. Note, It is not

only lawful, but it is a duty, to lament the

death of our near relations, both in compliance

with the providence of God, who thus

calls to weeping and mourning, and in

honour to those to whom honour is due.

Tears are a tribute due to our deceased

friends. When a body is sown, it must

be watered. But we must not sorrow as

those that have no hope; for we have a good

hope through grace both concerning them

and concerning ourselves.

The Cave of Machpelah.	B. C. 1857.

     

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.

     

Here is,

I. The humble request which

Abraham made to his neighbours, the Hittites,

for a burying-place among them,

v. 3, 4.

It was strange he had this to do now;

but we are to impute it rather to God’s providence

than to his improvidence, as appears

Acts vi. 5,

where it is said, God gave

him no inheritance in Canaan. It were well

if all those who take care to provide burying-places

for their bodies after death were as

careful to provide a resting-place for their

souls. Observe here,

1. The convenient

diversion which this affair gave, for the present,

to Abraham’s grief: He stood up from

before his dead. Those that find themselves

in danger of over-grieving for their dead relations,

and are entering into that temptation,

must take heed of poring upon their

loss and sitting alone and melancholy.

There must be a time of standing up from

before their dead, and ceasing to mourn.

For, thanks be to God, our happiness is not

bound up in the life of any creature. Care

of the funeral may, as here, be improved to

divert grief for the death at first, when it is

most in danger of tyrannizing. Weeping

must not hinder sowing.

2. The argument

he used with the children of Heth, which

was this: “I am a stranger and a sojourner

with you, therefore I am unprovided, and

must become a humble suitor to you for a

burying-place.” This was one occasion

which Abraham took to confess that he was

a stranger and a pilgrim upon earth; he was

not ashamed to own it thus publicly,

Heb. xi. 13.

Note, The death of our relations

should effectually remind us that we are not

at home in this world. When they are gone,

say, “We are going.”

3. His uneasiness

till this affair was settled, intimated in that

word, that I may bury my dead out of my

sight. Note, Death will make those unpleasant

to our sight who while they lived

were the desire of our eyes. The countenance

that was fresh and lively becomes pale

and ghastly, and fit to be removed into the

land of darkness. While she was in his

sight, it renewed his grief, which he would

prevent.

     

II. The generous offer which the children

of Heth made to him,

v. 5, 6.

They compliment

him,

1. With a title of respect:

Thou art a prince of God among us, so the

word is; not only great, but good. He

called himself a stranger and a sojourner;

they call him a great prince; for those that

humble themselves shall be exalted. God

had promised to make Abraham’s name

great.

2. With a tender of the best of their

burying-places. Note, Even the light of

nature teaches us to be civil and respectful

towards all, though they be strangers and

sojourners. The noble generosity of these

Canaanites shames and condemns the closeness,

and selfishness, and ill-humour, of

many that call themselves Israelites. Observe,

These Canaanites would be glad to

mingle their dust with Abraham’s and to

have their last end like his.

     

III. The particular proposal which Abraham

made to them,

v. 7-9.

He returns

them his thanks for their kind offer with all

possible decency and respect; though a great

man, an old man, and now a mourner, yet

he stands up, and bows himself humbly before

them,

v. 7.

Note, Religion teaches

good manners; and those abuse it that place

it in rudeness and clownishness. He then

pitches upon the place he thinks most convenient,

namely, the cave of Machpelah,

which probably lay near him, and had not

yet been used for a burying-place. The

present owner was Ephron. Abraham cannot

pretend to any interest in him, but he

desires that they would improve theirs with

him to get the purchase of that cave, and

the field in which it was. Note, A moderate

desire to obtain that which is convenient for

us, by fair and honest means, is not such a

coveting of that which is our neighbour’s as

is forbidden in the tenth commandment.

     

IV. The present which Ephron made to

Abraham of his field: The field give I thee,
v. 10, 11.

Abraham thought he must be entreated

to sell it; but, upon the first mention

of it, without entreaty, Ephron freely gives

it. Some men have more generosity than

they are thought to have. Abraham, no

doubt, had taken all occasions to oblige his

neighbours, and do them any service that

lay in his power; and now they return his

kindness: for he that watereth shall be watered

also himself. Note, If those that profess

religion adorn their profession by eminent

civility and serviceableness to all, they

shall find it will rebound to their own comfort

and advantage, as well as to the glory

of God.

     

V. Abraham’s modest and sincere refusal

of Ephron’s kind offer,

v. 12, 13.

Abundance

of thanks he returns him for it

(v. 12),

makes his obeisance to him before the people

of the land, that they might respect

Ephron the more for the respect they saw

Abraham give him

(1 Sam. xv. 30),

but resolves

to give him money for the field, even

the full value of it. It was not in pride that

Abraham refused the gift, or because he

scorned to be beholden to Ephron; but,

1. In justice. Abraham was rich in silver and

gold

(ch. xiii. 2)

and was able to pay for the

field, and therefore would not take advantage

of Ephron’s generosity. Note, Honesty, as

well as honour, forbids us to sponge upon

our neighbours and to impose upon those

that are free. Job reflected upon it with

comfort, when he was poor, that he had not

eaten the fruits of his land without money,
Job xxxi. 39.

2. In prudence. He would

pay for it lest Ephron, when this good humour

was over, should upbraid him with it,

and say, I have made Abraham rich

(ch. xiv. 23),

or lest the next heir should question

Abraham’s title (because that grant was made

without any consideration), and claim back

the field. Thus David afterwards refused

Araunah’s offer,

2 Sam. xxiv. 24.

We know

not what affronts we may hereafter receive

from those that are now most kind and generous.

     

VI. The price of the land fixed by Ephron

but not insisted on: The land is worth four

hundred shekels of silver (about fifty pounds

of our money), but what is that between me

and thee?
v. 14, 15.

He would rather oblige

his friend than have so much money in his

pocket. Herein Ephron discovers,

1. A

great contempt of worldly wealth. “What

is that between me and thee? It is a small

matter, not worth speaking of.” Many a

one would have said, “It is a deal of money;

it will go far in a child’s portion.” But

Ephron says, “What is that?” Note, It is

an excellent thing for people to have low and

mean thoughts of all the wealth of this world;

it is that which is not, and in the abundance

of which a man’s life does not consist,

Luke xii. 15.

2. Great courtesy, and obligingness

to his friend and neighbour. Ephron was

not jealous of Abraham as a resident foreigner,

nor envious at him as a man likely to

thrive and grow rich. He bore him no ill-will

for his singularity in religion, but was

much kinder to him than most people now-a-days

are to their own brothers: What is

that between me and thee? Note, No little

thing should occasion demurs and differences

between true friends. When we are tempted

to be hot in resenting affronts, high in demanding

our rights, or hard in denying a

kindness, we should answer the temptation

with this question: “What is that between

me and my friend?”

Sarah’s Funeral.	B. C. 1857.

     

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.

  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.

     

We have here the conclusion of the treaty

between Abraham and Ephron about the

burying-place. The bargain was publicly

made before all the neighbours, in the presence

and audience of the sons of Heth,
v. 16, 17.

Note, Prudence, as well as justice, directs us

to be fair, and open, and above-board, in our

dealings. Fraudulent contracts hate the

light, and choose to be clandestine; but those

that design honestly in their bargains care

not who are witnesses to them. Our law

countenances sales made in market-overt,

and by deed enrolled. Observe,

1. Abraham,

without fraud, covin, or further delay, pays

the money,

v. 16.

He pays it readily, without

hesitation,–pays it in full, without diminution,–and

pays it by weight, current

money with the merchant, without deceit.

See how anciently money was used for the

help of commerce; and see how honestly

money should be paid where it is due. Observe,

Though all the land of Canaan was

Abraham’s by promise, yet, the time of his

possessing not having come, what he had

now occasion for he bought and paid for.

Note, Dominion is not founded in grace. The

saints’ title to an eternal inheritance does not

entitle them to the possessions of this world,

nor justify them in doing wrong.

2. Ephron

honestly and fairly makes him a good title to

the land,

v. 17, 18, 20.

The field, with all

its appurtenances, is conveyed to Abraham

and his heirs for ever, in open court, not by

writing (it does not appear that writing was

then used), but by such a public solemn declaration

before witnesses as was sufficient to

pass it. Note, As that which is bought must

be honestly paid for, so that which is sold

must be honestly delivered and secured.

3. Abraham, thereupon, takes possession, and

buries Sarah in the cave or vault (whether

framed by nature or art is not certain) which

was in the purchased field. It is probable

that Abraham had buried servants out of his

family since he came to Canaan, but the graves

of the common people

(2 Kings xxiii. 6)

might

suffice for them; now that Sarah was dead a

peculiar place must be found for her remains.

It is worth noting,

(1.) That a burying-place

was the first spot of ground Abraham possessed

in Canaan. Note, When we are entering

into the world it is good to think of our

going out of it; for, as soon as we are born,

we begin to die.

(2.) That it was the only

piece of land he ever possessed, though the

country was all his own in reversion. Those

that have least of this earth find a grave in it.

Abraham provided, not cities, as Cain and

Nimrod, but a sepulchre,

[1.] To be a constant

memorandum of death to himself and

his posterity, that he and they might learn

to die daily. This sepulchre is said to be

at the end of the field

(v. 9);

for, whatever our

possessions are, there is a sepulchre at the end

of them.

[2.] To be a token of his belief

and expectation of the resurrection; for why

should such care be taken of the body if it

be thrown away for ever, and must not rise

again? Abraham, in this, said plainly that

he sought a better country, that is, a heavenly.

Abraham is content to be still flitting,

while he lives, but secures a place where,

when he dies his flesh may rest in hope.

---

[Table of Contents] [Previous] [Next]

Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (1706)

---

Back to Bibles Net . Com – Online Christian Library Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary – Free Download Contact Us

---