Genesis 23

Genesis 23 – February 20

Today we read about the death and burial of one of the greatest women who ever lived. Let me offer five simple observations from this passage.

Funerals

As Christians, we mourn the loss of our loved ones, but we do not do so without hope. But, when we return our family and friends to the ground, we are called to honor them. It is a time to celebrate the millions of ways that the deceased has served, loved, and changed those who remain. And, most importantly, it is a time to worship. It is a time that we are reminded that we who have trusted in Christ will only taste death once, and then will be raised to endless life.

Obligatory Politeness

In this story, you find Ephron the Hittite bargaining with Abraham. From the plain reading of the text, it appears that he was attempting to give the land to Abraham. However, those who have ever lived in a society with obligatory politeness know that it is the responsibility of the lesser of the two men to offer the greater the item as a gift. You can see the sly way that Ephron sneaks in an expected price by saying, “My lord, listen to me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” Abraham understood the custom and paid the price for the land.

Future Proofing

At first glance, this chapter seems to be a relatively unimportant event in the overarching narrative of Genesis. However, that could not be farther from the truth. This location will become incredibly important. In Genesis 25, Abraham is buried here. Isaac and Rebekah are buried later there. Jacob and Leah will be buried there. You might think, ‘So what? It is just a little family graveyard.’ But, it is much more than that. Later in Genesis, Joseph will tell the people of Israel not to bury him in Egypt, but to keep his bones until they can be buried in the very place we read about today. That is incredibly significant because after 400 years of bondage in a foreign land, the Israelites were able to go back to this region and point to the fact that this land was theirs by right. Remember that Genesis was written during the wilderness wanderings of the Israelites. They were just getting ready to enter into the Promise Land. This chapter served as a fitting reminder to them of exactly where to take the bones of Joseph, and that the Lord had long ago purchased some of this land for them through their ancestor, Abraham.

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