Genesis 23:1-7

Listen to Genesis 23:1-7

Sarah’s Death and Burial

1 Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.
2 And Sarah died at 1Kiriath-arba (that is, 2Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
3 And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites, [a]
4 3“I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; 4give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. ”
5 The Hittites answered Abraham,
6 “Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God[b] among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb to hinder you from burying your dead. ”
7 Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land.

Genesis 23:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 23

This chapter treats of the age, death, and funeral of Sarah, and the place of her interment: of her age, Ge 23:1; of her death, Ge 23:2; of the motion Abraham made to the sons of Heth, to obtain a burial place among them, Ge 23:3,4; of the answer of them to him, giving him leave to bury in any of their sepulchres, Ge 23:5,6; of a second motion of his to them, to use their interest with Ephron the Hittite, to let him have the cave of Machpelah for the above purpose, Ge 23:7-9; of Ephron's consent unto it, Ge 23:10,11; of the purchase Abraham made of it for four hundred shekels of silver, Ge 23:12-16; and of its being secured unto him, which he interred Sarah his wife, Ge 23:17-20.

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Cross References 4

  • 1. 23:2 ch. 35:27; Josh. 14:15; Judg. 1:10
  • 2. 23:2 ver. 19
  • 3. 23:4 ch. 17:8; 1 Chr. 29:15; Ps. 105:12; Heb. 11:9, 13
  • 4. 23:4 Acts 7:5

Footnotes 2

  • [a] 23:3 Hebrew 'sons of Heth'; also verses 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20
  • [b] 23:6 Or 'a mighty prince'
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025