Genesis 23
Dear RTB’ers,
On our second day of reading this year I asked about Genesis 3 being a stand-alone chapter, while on both sides of Genesis 3 we had chapters doubled up (1-2 and 4-5). I argued that Genesis 3 deserved its solitary status, with sin entering the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience and all of us living through the results of that Fall. Today we see another stand-alone chapter, Genesis 23, but I cannot argue for the same justification of its standing alone. Frankly, it doesn’t fit well into its neighbor chapters, except as an add-on, much like yesterday’s inclusion of Abimelech (Genesis 21:22-34) to Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22. So, Sarah’s death becomes, for us, a solitary event.
So what are we to learn from Genesis 23? Other than ancient Mideast bargaining strategies, we see two items of importance to me. First, in buying the land burying his wife near the city of Hebron, Abraham fully establishes himself as a resident of Canaan, the land that God had given to him as the Promised Land. Second, that burial plot for Sarah also becomes the burial plot for Abraham (Genesis 25:8-10), Isaac and Rebekah and Leah (Genesis 49:30-31) and Jacob (Genesis 50:13). Jacob’s wife, Rachel was not buried in the family tomb, but instead by the side of the road near Bethlehem, with a pillar marking her spot. (Genesis 35:18-20)
[NOTE: As to Abraham’s bargaining for the land, my Study Bible notes that Abraham paid an exorbitant price for that burial plot, including the entire field where it stood, and that he was now responsible for all dues accruing to that field in the future.]
Blessings!