Genesis 23 — Church Fathers

Chapter 22

Chapter 24

Exodus

Chapter 23

1 And Sara lived an hundred twenty seven years.

2 And she died in the city of Arbee which is Hebron, in the land of Chanaan: And Abraham came to mourn and weep for her.

3 And after that he was risen up from the funeral obsequies, he spake to the children of Heth, saying:

4 I am a stranger and pilgrim among you: give me the right of a sepulchre with you, that I may bury my dead.

5 The children of Heth answered, saying:

6 My lord hear us, thou art a prince of God among us: in our principal sepulchres bury thou thy dead: and no man can let thee but that in his own monument thou mayest bury thy dead.

7 Abraham rose up and adored the people of the land, to wit the children of Heth;

8 and he said to them: If it please your soul that I bury my dead, hear me, and be intercessors for me to Ephron the son of Seor:

9 that he give me the double cave, which he hath in the uttermost part of his field: for money to the worth therefore let him deliver it to me before you for possession of a sepulchre.

10 And Ephron dwelt in the midst of the children of Heth. And Ephron made answer to Abraham in the hearing of all that went in at the gate of the city, saying:

11 No, it shall not be so, my lord, but thou rather hearken to that which I do say: The field I deliver to thee, and the cave that is therein, in the presence of the children of my people, bury thy dead.

12 Abraham adored before the people of the land.

13 And he spoke to Ephron, his people standing round about: I beseech thee to hear me: I will give money for the field: take it, and so I will bury my dead in it.

14 And Ephron answered:

15 My lord hear me. The ground which thou desirest is worth four hundred sicles of silver: this is the price between me and thee: but how much is this? Bury thy dead.

16 Which when Abraham had heard, he weighed the money that Ephron had asked, in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred sicles of silver of common current money.

Genesis 23:17-20

ABRAHAM BURIES SARAH

3 entries

17 And the field that before time was Ephron's, wherein was the double cave, looking towards Mambre, as well it, as the cave, and all the trees thereof in all the limits thereof round about,

18 was made sure to Abraham for a possession, in the sight of the children of Heth, and of all that went in at the gate of his city.

19 And so Abraham buried Sara his wife in the double cave of the field, that looked towards Mambre, this is Hebron in the land of Chanaan. 1 note

20 And the field was made sure to Abraham, and the cave that was in it, for a possession to bury in, of the Children of Heth. 2 notes

3 entries

Genesis 23:17-20 3 entries

ABRAHAM BURIES SARAH

The BURIAL OF SARAH.

Prudentius (c. 348-c. 410) verse 19

This is the lodging place of the Lord, where an

Covered the pastoral roof of the ancient seer;

Sarah laughed at the joy of bearing a child in

And at the faith her venerable husband could

Abraham purchased a field wherein he might

Inasmuch as justice and faith on the earth

This is the cave for which he expended a great

To prepare a fit resting place for his wife’s holy SCENES

From Sacred History 4-5

IMITATE THE MAN WHO LIVED BEFORE THE LAW.

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407) verse 20

With this in mind, dearly beloved, let us who live in the age of grace imitate the man who lived before the law, not burn with desire for more and heap up for ourselves to a greater and more intense degree the fire that cannot be extinguished and the flame that is intolerable. We will hear, in fact, if we persist in such awful deeds of injustice and avarice, the words spoken to that notorious rich man, Fool, this night they are looking for your soul from you; but as for what you have put aside, whom will it belong to?^[1] I mean, what is the reason, dearly beloved, that you are anxious to amass so many things that you will shortly leave here, due as you are to be snatched away from the scene, not only powerless to gain any advantage from them but even saddled with the burden of sins on your own shoulders, at this stage too late for worthwhile repentance? While the goods you have amassed with avarice oftentimes finish even in the hands of enemies, you yourself will be required to give an account of them. So what folly would it be to labor for others’ benefit and pay the price for them yourself?

Homilies on Genesis 48.5

PAY ATTENTION TO DOING GOOD.

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407) verse 20

Even if in the past, however, we have to this degree managed our affairs with indifference, now at least let us plan for what is needful and not simply be anxious to bedeck ourselves with the trappings of wealth, but rather pay much attention to doing good. After all, our being will not come to an end with this present life, nor shall we be always in exile; instead, before long we shall reach our true homeland. So let us do everything in the hope of not being found wanting there. I mean, what good is it to leave behind great wealth in foreign parts while wanting for bare necessities in our true country? Consequently let us strive, dearly beloved, while there is still time, to transfer there what we own in this foreign country. Although in fact the distance may be great, nevertheless the transfer is quite easy. You see, there are those ready to make the transfer, to travel there safely and deposit in a secure treasury whatever we are able to send ahead by means of them. I mean, the hands of the poor lay up in the treasuries of heaven what is given them by us. Since then the ease and security are so great, why do we delay and not rather with all haste act on this so that we will have those things at our disposal in the place where we most have need of them?

Homilies on Genesis 48.6