And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: [these were] the years of the life of Sarah. Ver. 1. _And Sarah was a hundred, &c._] It is observed by divines, that God thought not fit to tell us of the length of the life of any woman in Scripture, but Sarah, to humble that sex, that becau... [ Continue Reading ]
And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same [is] Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. Ver. 2. _And Sarah died._] The Jews would persuade us that the devil represented to her the offering of Isaac, whereat she took sick and died. This is but a mere conc... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,_ Ver. 3. _And Abraham stood up from before his dead._] So she is called eight several times in this chapter; to note that death makes not any such divorce between godly couples and friends, but that there remains s... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 4. _That I may bury my dead out of my sight._] She that had been "the desire of his eyes," Eze 24:16 the sweet companion of his life, is by death so defaced,... [ Continue Reading ]
And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, Ver. 5. _And the children of Heth answered Abraham._] "With good words and comfortable". _as _ Zec 1:13 "Be pitiful, be courteous". 1Pe 3:8... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 6. _Thou art a prince of God amongst us._] That is, excellent or prosperous, as Genesis 21:22; and it was... [ Continue Reading ]
And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, [even] to the children of Heth. Ver. 7. _Abraham stood up and bowed himself, &c._] It is very comely in Christians to salute willingly; and in words and gestures to show civil respect even to wicked men. Abraham's behaviour to these... [ Continue Reading ]
_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,_ Ver. 8. _If it be your mind that I should bury my dead._] Alexander the Great lay unburied thirty days together. His conquests above ground pur... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 9. _For a possession of a burying place._] It is remarkable that the first purchase of possession m... [ Continue Reading ]
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, Ver. 10. _And Ephron dwelt._] Or, was sitting, sc., as a city counsellor.... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 11. _The field give I thee, &c._] A brave speech of a bountiful spirit, to a stranger especially; and in that respect beyond tha... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land._ Ver. 12. _Abraham bowed down himself._] Civil courtesy is a Christian duty. Religion teacheth not a severe austerity of carriage, or rusticity; but humanity and a genuine _affection._... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 13. _I will give thee money._] Full money, as he had said, Gen 23:7 or as much m... [ Continue Reading ]
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, Gen 23:15 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. Ver. 14, 15. _What is that between me and thee?_] Who both are great friends, and well underlaid. See a... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 16. _In the audience of the sons of Heth._] Whom he takes to witness, and so provideth for his... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Ver. 17. _Which was in Machpelah._] Where was a double cave, one within an... [ Continue Reading ]
Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. Ver. 18. _Unto Abraham for a possession._] Thus Abraham, as a purchaser, had some land in Canaan; but not as possessed of it by God's gift, which is St Stephen's sense. Act 7:5... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 19. _And Abraham buried Sarah his wife._] The last office of love to bring the deceased saints honourably to their "long home," Ecc 12:5 to lay them in... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ver. 20. _Were made sure_] sc., by witnesses, without writings: but now it is hard to be sure of anything; there is so much robbery and rapine amongst the sons of men... [ Continue Reading ]