GRIFFIN COMMENTS—GEN 23 (Gen 23:1) And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah. Sarah served as a type of the church (Gal_4:22-23), as the mother of a miracle son [like Mary], the son of promise (Gen_3:15), as a woman of faith (Heb_11:11), and is the only woman in the Bible who had her age, death, and burial recorded. She is one of the few people in the Bible who had a name change by God Himself.
WHAT LESSONS WOULD SUCH A MAN AS ABRAHAM LEARN IN THIS HOUSE OF MOURNING? I. THAT IN VIEW OF THE AWFUL FACT OF DEATH THE LITTLENESS OF HUMAN LIFE IS SEEN. II. TO REALIZE THE FACT OF HIS OWN MORTALITY. "I may be the next to go." III. TO FEEL THAT THERE IS A LIFE BEYOND. IV. THE SACREDNESS OF SORROW FOR THE DEAD. (T. H. Leale) (Gen 23:2) 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. Abraham was rich and had a lot of herds that needed constant grazing land so he was probably traveling a lot from place to place in this part of Canaan, thus we find here that when Sarah died in Hebron Abraham came to mourn for her. That is, he left the camping place wherever that was, and came to the place where she died to mourn. WEEPING (Gen_23:2) 1.
THE TEARS OF ABRAHAM'S SORROW (Gen_23:2)
In his sorrow Abraham revealed something of the dignity of soul that characterizes a strong man of God. Besides wailing and otherwise loudly manifesting his grief, he broke forth into weeping. The Hebrew words for mourn and weep carry both ideas.
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2.
THE TEARS OF JOSIAH'S REPENTANCE (2Ch_34:27)
Because thine heart was tender—“Because thy heart was melted, and thou hast humbled thyself in the sight of the WORD of the Lord, when thou didst hear his words, against this place,” etc. 3.
THE TEARS OF THE SINNER'S LOVE (Luk_7:38)
This woman came in and took her place behind the Lord Jesus. In those days they didn’t sit on chairs at the table; they reclined on couches. So Jesus was reclining on a couch, with His feet sticking out in back, leaning on His arm, as He talked across the table to His host. As she stood by the feet of the Lord Jesus, weeping, because her sins had been forgiven, she began to wet His feet with tears and wipe His feet with the hairs of her head. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the costly ointment. 4.
JOSEPH'S TEARS OF SYMPATHY (Gen_42:24; Gen_43:30)
True kinship lies in a common experience, especially when it is an experience where two people have really come through things together. It has been said that two people really become friends when they are able to say to each other, "Do you remember?" and then to go on and talk about the things they have come through together. Someone once met an old Black woman. An acquaintance of hers had died. "You will be sorry," he said, "that Mrs. So-and-so is dead." "Yes," she said but without showing any great grief. "I saw you just last week," he said, "laughing and talking with each other. You must have been great friends." "Yes," she said, "I was friendly with her. I used to laugh with her; but to be real friends folk have got to weep together." That is profoundly true. The basis of true kinship lies in a common experience, and Christians have the common experience of being forgiven sinners. 5.
ISRAEL'S TEARS OF COMPLAINT (Num_11:4)
After the remarkable evidences of God’s love in chapters 9-10, it is amazing that we read of the people complaining. Yet such is human nature—we fail to appreciate what God has done for us. The people complained and God sent fire to chasten them (11:1-3)
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The same people who complained, begged Moses for help, and he was gracious enough to pray for them. Taberah means “burning.” It is a serious thing to complain against God. “If only we had meat to eat” Num_11:4-35. The people found a new cause of complaint: a monotonous diet! Numbers says “every family” was “wailing” at the door of its tent. For a year now God had provided manna, a miraculous, perfectly balanced food that provided all the body requires for good health. Rather than be grateful, the people shouted their dissatisfaction. God gave them what they wanted—meat to eat—but with it came a plague that killed thousands. In 1Ti_6:8, the Apostle Paul portrays the attitude we believers are to adopt on our pilgrimage. “If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” The person who truly trusts God is content with what He provides. A preoccupation with material things, whether diet or riches, is a subtle but real expression of unbelief. What about the quail? Even in the early years of this century, great flocks of quail migrated across the Sinai peninsula. About 2 million of the low-flying birds were caught in the nets of Arabs living there. So the biblical story of low-flying quail has a modern corollary. Most important in Numbers, however, is the outcome. With the meat that Israel craved came a plague that killed thousands. For most of us, the abundance we sometimes crave would be spiritually disastrous. How much wiser to thank God for what we have than express unbelief by craving what we lack. Moses too cried out. He felt crushed by the weight of leading an unresponsive people. God answered Moses by sharing His Spirit with 70 elders in Israel. Not all discontent is ungodly. When our concerns are spiritual, or our needs are real, we should never hesitate to bring them to the LORD. 6.
PETER'S TEARS OF REGRET (Luk_22:62)
What happened to Peter after that we do not know, for the gospel story draws a kindly veil over the agony of his shame. But before we condemn him, we must remember very clearly that few of us would ever have had the courage to be in that courtyard at all. And there is one last thing to be said—It was love which gave Peter that courage; it was love which riveted him there in spite of the fact that he had been GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 23—PAGE 3
recognized three times; it was love which made him remember the words of Jesus; it was love which sent him out into the night to weep —and it is love which covers a multitude of sins. The lasting impression of this whole story is not of Peter's cowardice, but of Peter's love. 7.
JESUS’ TEARS OF COMPASSION (Joh_11:35)
THE HOUSE OF MOURNING Joh_11:17-19 So, when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, less than two miles away. Many of the Jews had gone to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. In order to visualize this scene we must first see what a Jewish house of mourning was like. Normally in Palestine, because of the climate, burial followed death as quickly as possible. There was a time when a funeral was an exceedingly costly thing. The finest spices and ointments were used to anoint the body; the body itself was clothed in the most magnificent robes; all kinds of valuables were buried in the tomb along with the body. By midway through the first century all this had become a ruinous expenditure. Naturally no one wished on such an occasion to be outdone by his neighbor, and the wrappings and robes with which the body was covered, and the treasures left in the tomb, became ever more expensive. The matter had become almost an intolerable burden, which no one liked to alter—until the advent of a famous Rabbi called Gamaliel the Second. He gave orders that he was to be buried in the simplest possible linen robe, and so broke the extravagance of funeral customs. To this day at Jewish funerals a cup is drunk to Rabbi Gamaliel who rescued the Jews from their own ostentatious extravagance. From his time on the body was wrapped in a simple linen dress, which was sometimes called by the very beautiful name of the traveling-dress. As many as possible attended a funeral. Everyone who could was supposed, in courtesy and respect, to join the procession on its way. One curious custom was that the woman walked first, for it was held
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that since woman by her first sin brought death into the world, she ought to lead the mourners to the tomb. At the tomb memorial speeches were sometimes made. Everyone was expected to express the deepest sympathy, and, on leaving the tomb, the others stood in two long lines while the principal mourners passed between them. But there was this very wise rule—the mourners were not to be tormented by idle and uninvited talk. They were to be left, at that moment, alone with their sorrow. In the house of mourning there were set customs. So long as the body was in the house it was forbidden to eat meat or to drink wine, to wear phylacteries or to engage in any kind of study. No food was to be prepared in the house, and such food as was eaten must not be eaten in the presence of the dead. As soon as the body was carried out all furniture was reversed, and the mourners sat on the ground or on low stools. On the return from the tomb a meal was served, which had been prepared by the friends of the family. It consisted of bread, hardboiled eggs and lentils; the round eggs and lentils symbolized life, which was always rolling to death. Deep mourning lasted for seven days, of which the first three were days of weeping. During these seven days it was forbidden to anoint oneself, to put on shoes, to engage in any kind of study or business, and even to wash. The week of deep mourning was followed by thirty days of lighter mourning. So when Jesus found a crowd in the house at Bethany, he found what anyone would expect to find in a Jewish house of mourning. It was a sacred duty to come to express loving sympathy with the sorrowing friends and relations of one who had died. The Talmud says that whoever visits the sick shall deliver his soul from Gehenna; and Maimonides, the great medieval Jewish scholar, declared that to visit the sick takes precedence of all other good works. Visits of sympathy to the sick, and to the sorrowing, were an essential part of Jewish religion. A certain Rabbi expounded the text in Deu_13:4 "You shall walk after the Lord your God." He said that text commands us to imitate the things that God is depicted as doing in scripture. God clothed the naked (Gen_3:21); God visited the sick (Gen_18:1).
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God comforted the mourners (Gen_25:11); God buried the dead (Deu_34:6). In all these things we must imitate the actions of God. Respect for the dead and sympathy for the mourner were an essential part of Jewish duty. As the mourners left the tomb, they turned and said: "Depart in peace," and they never mentioned the name of the one who had died without invoking a blessing on it. There is something very lovely in the way in which the Jews stressed the duty of showing sympathy to the mourner. It would be to a household crowded with sympathizers that Jesus came that day. (Gen 23:3) And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, It was a custom of the times to sit down next to the body of a person who had died, and remain there in mourning for them. Abraham did that and then we find here that he “stood up from before the dead.” That is the time of mourning was over so he stood up having completed the custom and was now ready to go find a burial plot for her. (Gen 23:4) 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. Abraham now went to the people of the area to see if he could find a burial place for Sarah. He knew the area well already, so very likely had already looked over the fields to find the best place possible. He now went to them to start negotiations. He was obviously a stranger in the earth. There was something about him that spoke of "the sojourner," and such should it be with every Christian. (Gen 23:5) And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, The children of Heth were his friends, but when it came to business, they would follow the customs that they follow with anyone, friend or stranger. These sons of heth were the ancestors of the Hittites who occupied Canaan when the Israelites arrived and were part of the nations to be driven out before Israel could settle there.
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(Gen 23:6) 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. That sounds very nice. It sounds like an offer of a burial plot free to Abraham. I recall when our group stopped at a vegetable and fruit market just outside of Jericho, as our group walked into the store the owner started handing out watermelon to all who walked in. These were Americans and I knew what they were thinking. He is giving us free melon. But I knew their customs so refused to accept any. When we got ready to leave they asked a high price for the melon. Most complained, but that was the custom. They offer but you are not expected to accept. (Gen 23:7) And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. Abraham wanted to continue the negotiations, and he knew the rules, so he stood up as a servant of the people. Servants stand, superiors sit. We learn from this passage that property in land had been established at this time. Much of the country, however, must have been a common, or unappropriated pasture ground. (The Preacher's Monthly.) (Gen 23:8) 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, He had already found what he wanted and knew where it was so now was the time to approach the owner himself. Thus far he had only mentioned his needs to the entire group of elders of the family gathered here. He was quite different from many in those days who merely buried their dead wherever they found themselves at the time. In fact Jacob buried Rachel as he journeyed back toward his homeland.
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(Gen 23:9) 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. Abraham began by making his first proposal. He described what he wanted and agreed to pay the price required. The Targum of Jonathan renders it, "the double cave", and so do the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions; and, according to Aben Ezra and Ben Melech, it was so called because there was a cave within a cave in it; and, as Jarchi thinks, because it was a house and chamber over it. (Gill) (Gen 23:10) 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, [Ephron] was there and had heard all this from the beginning. He was part of the group probably having married into the family. He answered for himself and was probably unknown to Abraham before that time. The gate of the city was where the judges sat and where legal transactions ordinarily took place.
Note that Ephron refers to "my people," and that the city is called "his city" (Gen_23:10-11). Ephron must be understood as one of the city fathers. (Coffman) (Gen 23:11) 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. This sounds like a generous act, but you must understand the customs of the times. When you asked for an article you wanted to buy, the seller was supposed to pretend to give it to you. But don’t dare take it, else you will find consequences of the person who knows this was just part of showing hospitality in business. No negotiation was to be made among them unless both are satisfied in the end. After that there was to be no more bickering.
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(Gen 23:12) And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. Abraham was following, step by step the attitude of eastern negotiations. He next bowed to show his submission to the people. Abundance of thanks he returns him for it (Gen_23:12), 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 (1Sa_15:30), but resolves to give him money for the field, even the full value of it. (Matthew Henry) (Gen 23:13) 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. Abraham refused to accept the land as a gift, which was wise, for had he done so, he may have found it burnt from time to time, or something else done to it that showed the displeasure of the man who offered it free. After all he did not mean it. It was part of their hospitable ways in negotiations so that all appeared on friendly terms. (Gen 23:14) And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, They were supposed to answer each other with proposals and a counter proposal until something was reached that was agreeable to both. Such is still the Eastern custom of bargaining over something. Both parties were expected to be completely satisfied with the transaction when it was all finished and they part from one another. (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. Ephron knew that Abraham was in a desperate situation. He knew that he was a rich man, so he placed an exorbitant price on the field. But he acted like that amount of money was nothing for either of them. He also left it open for more bargaining if Abraham so wished. It must be kept in mind that all of this is normal procedure.
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(Gen 23:16) 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. But Abraham did not bargain further, for he knew that he was asking for the best place in the area, and though he could have gotten another place for less money, this was what he really wanted and he was then willing to pay this much for it. It has proven through the years to have been a wise investment for there could not be found a better burial plot. (Gen 23:17) 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 Once the negotiations were over, everything was guaranteed that this was what was meant by the sale, for when they walked away there was to be no more bargaining. So he checked out the field to see for sure both of them knew it included the fields, the trees, the cave, etc. This was one of the problems Americans have had when in Israel purchasing items. Often an owner will bring Americans into his shop and there will be the usual bickering until a final price is reached and the Americans start to take away their goods, but with hopes of getting it even lower, he will propose something else. Then the owner drives them from his store and will not sell to them at any price because they broke the rule. They said they were satisfied and were not so the Jew considers it a person that cannot be bargained with and drives them from his presence. (Gen 23:18) Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city. This was done before many witnesses so that if there was a question later they have these witnesses to call and declare what they remember about the sale. Another good thing here was the fact that Abraham had become acquainted with these people some time earlier and made friends with them. In fact they appear to be the best friends he had in Canaan.
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(Gen 23:19) 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. Abraham now knew that the field was his and he could bury Sarah. There would never be any more questions as to this property. It was the only property Abraham ever had in this land of promise. Stephen said that Abraham received none of his inheritance, though it was promised him, no “not so much as to put his foot on.” Well, he did own a small portion, but it was a burial plot and not a place to be walking on. (Gen 23:20) 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. This cave is very adequate and deep in the ground. The only six who are buried there are Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah. Jacob buried Rachel, his favorite wife near Bethlehem and decided to be buried with Leah. He did not love her but apparently realized the spiritual significance of her position. Many actions of Jacob were because of his spiritual discernment.
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