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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Genesis 23:20

were made sure This verse repeats and summarizes the transaction which for all subsequent ages symbolized to the Israelites their ancestral connexion with, and sacred rights in, the land of Canaan.

a buryingplace Besides Sarah there were buried in the cave of Machpelah, Abraham (Genesis 25:9), Isaac (Genesis 35:27; Genesis 35:29), Rebekah and Leah (Genesis 49:31), Jacob (Genesis 50:13).

The cave, which is traditionally identified with the burying-place of Abraham, is still regarded with immense veneration by the Mahommedans. A large mosque has been erected over it. In 1869 the Prussian Crown Prince Frederick, and in 1881 the late King Edward VII, who was then Prince of Wales, received permission to visit the cave. But, as a rule, Christians are not allowed to view it.

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See also Genesis 23:20 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 23:20. _AND THE FIELD, C. WERE MADE SURE_] ויקם _vaiyakom_, were _established, caused to stand_ the whole transaction having been regulated according to all the forms of law then in use....

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - The Death of Sarah 2. ארבע קרית _qı̂ryat_-_'arba‛_, “Qirjath-arba‘, city of Arba.” ארבע _'arba‛_, “Arba‘, four.” 8. עפרון _‛__eprôn_, “‘Ephron, of the dust, or resembling a calf.”...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 23 THE DEATH OF SARAH _ 1. Sarah dies (Genesis 23:1)_ 2. The grave obtained (Genesis 23:3) 3. The burial of Sarah (Genesis 23:19) We call the attention to the typical meaning of the death

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 23. ABRAHAM PURCHASES THE CAVE OF MACHPELAH AS A BURYING-PLACE OF SARAH. This chapter belongs to P, as is shown by its legal precision and the wordiness of its style, by numerous characteristi...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    MADE SURE. This was all strictly in conformity with the commercial enactments of the Code of Khammurabi. See App-15. BURYINGPLACE. All that Abraham possessed; hut in the faith and hope of resurrectio...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PART THIRTY-FIVE THE STORY OF ABRAHAM: HIS PROVISIONS FOR POSTERITY Genesis 23:1 to Genesis 25:18 1. _Provision of a Burial Place_ (Genesis 23:1-20) 1 And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DEATH OF SARAH AND PURCHASE OF THE BURYINGPLACE OF MACHPELAH BY ABRAHAM This section is from the Priestly source and dwells on the legal transaction....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    God had promised that Abraham and his *descendants would own the whole country. At this time, Abraham owned one field and one well. (See Genesis 21:33 and the comment.) CANAAN ~ the country where the...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 23 ABRAHAM BUYS A FIELD V1 Sarah lived for 127 years. That was the number of years of her life. V2 Sarah died in Kiriath-arba in the country that...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WERE MADE SURE UNTO ABRAHAM. — For the difficulties connected with St. Stephen’s apparent confusion of this transaction with that recorded in Genesis 33:19, see Note on Acts 7:16....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יָּ֨קָם הַ שָּׂדֶ֜ה וְ הַ מְּעָרָ֧ה

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    PURCHASE OF MACHPELAH Genesis 23:1 IT may be supposed to be a needless observation that our life is greatly influenced by the fact that it speedily and certainly ends in death. But it might be intere...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    ABRAHAM BUYS A BURIAL PLACE Genesis 23:1 Death is an ever-constant monitor that this world is not our home. We rise up from before our dead to confess that we are only strangers and sojourners on the...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    We now see Abraham in the midst of personal sorrow, which reveals his character in a remarkable way. Sarah, who had ever been to him a princess, was now taken from his side, which meant the loss of th...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    SARAH'S DEATH Sarah died in Kirjath Arba, which was known to the Jews as Hebron, at the age of one hundred twenty-seven (Genesis 23:1-2). Peter considers her to be the mother of all faithful women who...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And the field, and the cave that [is] therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace (f) by the sons of Heth. (f) That is, all the people confirmed the sale....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    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. I DETAIN the Reader but with two reflections on this Chapter. May the H...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have had hitherto God's account of that which He had made; then the trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine mercy in Christ the Lord. We have had in fine the judgment of...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 22, 23, AND 24. But on this introduction of the heir, he necessarily becomes the main subject; and chapter 22 opens with it: "It came to pass after these thin...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE FIELD, AND THE CAVE THAT IS THEREIN, WAS MADE SURE TO ABRAHAM FOR A POSSESSION OF A BURYINGPLACE, BY THE SONS OF HETH. Who were witnesses of the transaction between Abraham and Ephron; and thi...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    _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: bu...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _A burying-place_ It is worth noting, 1st, That a burying-place was the _first_ spot of ground Abraham was possessed of in Canaan. 2d, That it was the only piece of land he was ever possessed of, thou...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The age and death of Sarah. 3 The purchase of Machpelah, 19 where Sarah was buried. 1 AND Sarah was an hundred and seuen and twenty yeeres olde: these were the yeeres of the life of Sarah. 2 And...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Burial of Sarah...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying-place by the sons of Heth. By burying his wife in Canaan, in the Land of Promise, Abraham confess...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    ELEVENTH SECTION _The sorrows and joys of Abraham’s domestic life. The account and genealogy of those at home. Sarah’s death. Her burial-place at Hebron; the seed of the future inheritance of Canaan....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF SARAH The time arrives for Sarah's death at the age of 127 years. This illustrates another lesson as regards the aftermath of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. Sarah is typical...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    14-20 Prudence, as well as justice, directs us to be fair and open in our dealings; cheating bargains will not bear the light. Abraham, without fraud or delay, pays the money. He pays it at once in f...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    No text from Poole on this verse....

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    This little section of inspiration furnishes much sweet and profitable instruction to the soul. In it the Holy Spirit sets before us a beautiful exhibition of the mode in which the man of faith should...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 23:20 field H7704 cave H4631 deeded H6965 (H8799) Abraham H85 sons H1121 Heth H2845 property H272 place...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘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. And the field and the cave that is in it were made sure to...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Death of Sarah. Burial in cave of Machpelah. CHARACTERS: Sarah, Abraham, sons of Heth, Ephron. CONCLUSION: Although the man of faith knows that in the resurrection glory he shall be heir to...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 23:4. _A burying-place._ Abraham believed in a future state; therefore he, as well as the other patriarchs, buried his dead. Joseph, actuated by this belief, gave commandment for his bones to...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Abraham buried Sarah his wife_ ABRAHAM BURYING HIS DEAD I. CONSIDER HIM AS A MAN. II. CONSIDER HIM AS A MAN OF BUSINESS. 1. His independence (Genesis 23:4; Genesis 23:6). 2. His exactness ...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 23:20 Abraham’s purchase of the FIELD and CAVE meant that his descendants would always own this land. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Rebekah, and Leah would later be buried in this cav...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 23:1 Upon the death of Sarah, Abraham buys a cave in Hebron as a burial place. By acquiring this land, Abraham confirms that his descendants are to be associated with the land...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 23:3. Stood up from before his dead.] “Abraham must be thought of as ‘weeping over the face’ of Sarah (2 Kings 13:14), and he rise sup _from the face of his dead._” (_Alford.)...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 23:1 AND SARAH WAS AN HUNDRED AND SEVEN AND TWENTY YEARS OLD (literally, and _the lives of Sarah were an hundred and twenty and seven years_);_ _so that Isaac must have been thirty...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And so Sarah was a hundred and twenty-seven years old. And she died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah (Genesis 23:1-2), Now evidently Abrah...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    were. Ruth 4:7 2 Samuel 24:24 Jeremiah 32:10 Jeremiah 32:11 for a. Ge

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    A burying place — 'Tis worth noting, That a burying — place was the first spot of ground Abraham was possessed of in Canaan. That it was the only piece of land he was ever possessed of, tho' it was al...

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