Chayei Sarah חַיֵּי שָׂרָה- Life of Sarah
Genesis 18:1-22:24
READING #1 - Genesis 23:1–16
My Thoughts:
Doing what is right. When Sarah dies, Abraham is still a “foreigner” in the land of Israel. He seeks out a place to bury her and Ephron offers to give him a burial site for free. They have this curious dialogue about paying for it. Ephron wants to give to Abraham, but Abraham wants to pay for it. And eventually he does. He does the right and honorable thing. I imagine he also does not want to “owe” Ephron for any favors. This is wise.
Could this have happened because Ephron was not a part of Abraham’s people? That Ephron was actually a stranger to Abraham? The lesson to be learned may be that it is better to do what is right and not accept a free gift “without” strings from someone you do not know. In the end, it may prove to be advantageous and not come back to “bite” you.
Challenge:
There are times where it is good and right to accept “gifts” from others. And there are times when you should not. The challenge today is to prepare yourself for the next time a stranger offers you a “free” gift. Take some time to consider the true cost. And think about this story. You will find the right answer.
READING #1 - Genesis 23:1–16
23 Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life. 2 Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. 3 Abraham rose up from before his dead and spoke to the children of Heth, saying, 4 “I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
5 The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, 6 “Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of Elohim among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead.”
7 Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth. 8 He talked with them, saying, “If you agree that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, 9 that he may sell me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him sell it to me among you as a possession for a burial place.”
10 Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, 11 “No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”
12 Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. 13 He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.”
14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.”
16 Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants’ standard.
