Tag: Abraham

Honoring Sarah

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And then Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah, facing Mamre–now Hebron–in the land of Canaan.
Genesis 23:19 (The Contemporary Torah, JPS, 2006)

One of my favorite things to find in Genesis is how much attention is given to the women.

Here in Genesis 23, we see the great lengths that Abraham takes to ensure a place of honor for his wife.

Consequently, Sarah’s burial site is established as a timeless memorial. Permanent. Forever.

What an honor for Sarah.

After Sarah is buried, the text reiterates that the field and all within it became Abraham’s rightful possession. Thus Sarah’s grave is the first permanent, legal presence in the land promised to Abraham and to their descendants.
The Torah: A Women’s Commentary on Genesis on Genesis 23:19

Trees of Remembrance

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So Ephron’s field, which was in Machpelah, which faced Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees which were in the field, that were within all the confines of its border, were deeded over.
Genesis 23:17 (NASB)

Genesis 23 goes into repetitive detail about Sarah’s burial site. Of all the things that are mentioned, it’s interesting that the Trees of Mamre are mentioned here.

They’ve been mentioned before.

Then Abram moved his tent and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron; and there he built an altar to the Lord.
Genesis 13:18 (NASB)

The first time, it’s in Genesis 13 after Abram is delivered from Egypt, and after Abram and Lot separate. God says to Abram, “for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever.”

The trees stand to remind us of this perpetual Promise.

Then a survivor came and told Abram the Hebrew. Now he was residing by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and they were allies with Abram.
Genesis 14:13 (NASB)

The next time the trees show up, Abram and his friends are told about Lot having been captured by Empire.

Here, the trees stand as a reminder of God’s Promise to rescue. God is faithful.

Now the Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.
Genesis 18:1 (NASB)

Next, it’s when God appears to Abraham to announce that Sarah will have the Promised son, Isaac.

The trees stand to remind us of the first promise, but the promise is clarified: it’s not just for Abraham, but also for Sarah.

And finally, the trees are here in Genesis 23, where Sarah is honored and memorialized by a permanent contract, which serves as another everlasting Promise.

But a Promise about what? In this moment of Abraham’s grief over Sarah’s death, what do the trees tell us?

Perhaps they whisper in the wind, “Even in death, I am with you.”

The end is not the end. The trees that stood to remind us of the Promise made in the beginning still stand to remind us of the same Promise at the end. “When I said forever, I meant forever.”

Negotiating with Death

Posted on by jovial_cynic
In Genesis 23, we meet Ephron, the Hittite.

According to Strong’s Concordance, it means “fawn-like,” but if you keep digging into the word root, you end up with an entirely different meaning that ends up being a much clearer theological message.

When Sarah dies, Abraham buys a plot of land to bury her. There’s this whole dialog in the chapter about this, and we learn that the owner of the land Abraham wishes to buy is Ephron.

Because Genesis is a series of lessons and themes, “fawn-like” seems a bit out of context.

You’d think Ephron’s name would be linked to death, or burial. Or maybe a transaction. We already know that “Heth” means terror, so there should be a link.

As it turns out, Ephron’s name (עֶפְרוֹן) is rooted in the Hebrew word aphar (עָפָר). This is the answer.

The Hebrew reader of Genesis 23 should see this clearly. This is dust.

It’s the same dust God used to make man in Genesis 2:7. The same dust to which man is doomed to return in Genesis 3:19.

But also the same dust of the promise in Genesis 13:16.

I will make your descendants as plentiful as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can count the dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted.
Genesis 13:16 (NASB)

So this conversation between Abraham and Ephron isn’t just a transaction over a plot of land or a cave to bury his wife.

Perhaps it’s meant to be seen as a negotiation with death, and a price that’s paid to claim a sacred spot within the dust.

Abraham Came to Mourn

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Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
Genesis 23:2 (NASB)

In the Hebrew, it’s וַיָּבֹא֙ (vayavo) which means movement from one place to another. It appears that the text tells us Sarah’s location because Abraham was not there when she died.

So where was he?

Perhaps the Binding of Isaac in the previous chapter isn’t merely a story about a man who is asked to sacrifice his son, but also a story about a man who loses his wife while being obedient to God.

A son loses his mother in the same way.

What is the cost of obedience?

The Terror of Death

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Then Abraham arose from mourning before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, “I am a stranger and a foreign resident among you; give me a burial site among you so that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
Genesis 23:3-4 (NASB)

There are layers to scripture. Genesis 23 contains a long text about Abraham seeking a burial site for Sarah. It’s not just a story about negotiating over a plot of land.

Heth is the son of Canaan, son of Ham.

Heth means “terror.”

This is a story about dealing with the terror and agony of death.

Abraham. Abraham!

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Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Genesis 22:1 (NASB)

When God first called out to Abraham in Genesis 22, the text seems to show that Abraham responds immediately. He doesn’t know what God is about to say, but from Genesis 12 to now, God’s call has led to something positive. Blessing after blessing.

But the next time God calls Abraham, God says Abraham’s name twice.

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Genesis 22:11 (NASB)

The text doesn’t explain it, but maybe God’s command to sacrifice Isaac is heavy to Abraham.

I can see Abraham not wanting to listen to God again after this. Would you? So maybe God has to say it twice.

God will Reveal

Posted on by jovial_cynic
Fun fact: “Jehovah Jireh” in Genesis 22 does not mean “God my Provider,” despite what that ear-worm of a song says.

In Hebrew, it’s יְהוָה יִרְאֶה, which is rendered YHWH Yireh. Yireh means “to see” or “to make seen,” from the root word ra’ah (see).

It is better understood as “God will reveal and make known,” not “God will provide.”

Abraham’s Thoughts

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When we read about Abraham heading up the mountain to sacrifice his son, we aren’t given clues about Abraham’s internal thoughts, unlike when he pleads for Sodom and Gomorrah and when he pleads for Ishmael.

Abraham is silent.

I find this remarkable, not because of what it says about Abraham or about the text, but because of what it does to the reader.

With Abraham’s silence, you are forced to read it through your own experiences. The feelings that bubble up aren’t Abraham’s.

They are yours.

Do you see piousness and unquestioning obedience?

Do you see silent tears and brokenness? Hopelessness?

Do you see smoldering anger at the unfairness and injustice of it?

You are projecting. And perhaps you are supposed to.

I once heard that Torah is a mirror. What you see in it is a reflection of who you are. It reveals you.

But also, perhaps it asks you to feel and wonder. And learn.