The Death and Burial of Sarah

Sarah died at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years in Kiriatharba, which is Hebron, located in the land of Canaan (Genesis 23:1-2). Abraham came to mourn and weep for her, then rose from beside her body to address the sons of Heth. He identified himself as a foreigner and a visitor among them, requesting that they sell him property for a burial site so he could bury his dead. The sons of Heth responded by calling him a mighty prince and offering him the choice of their best tombs.

Abraham bowed before the people of the land and specifically requested that they intercede with Ephron the son of Zohar on his behalf. He sought to purchase the cave of Machpelah, located at the end of Ephron's field, for the full price (Genesis 23:8-9). Ephron, who was sitting among the sons of Heth, answered Abraham in the hearing of the people. He offered to give the field and the cave to Abraham as a gift, but Abraham bowed again and insisted on paying the monetary value of the land.

Ephron stated that the land was worth four hundred shekels of silver, questioning the significance of such an amount between them. Abraham agreed to the terms and weighed out the silver according to the currency current among the merchants (Genesis 23:16). The field of Ephron in Machpelah, including the cave and all the trees within the field's boundaries, was legally transferred to Abraham as his possession. After the transaction was finalized in the presence of the sons of Heth, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah.