Genesis — Chapter 23

I AM A STRANGER AND A SOJOURNER AMONG YOU: GIVE ME THE RIGHT OF A BURYING PLACE WITH YOU, THAT I MAY BURY MY DEAD. — Abraham's burial of Sara in the cave of Machpelah at Hebron: the first legal property acquired by Abraham in the Promised Land — and it was a burial ground. Lapide: a deep spiritual lesson — Abraham, promised the whole land, owned only a burial cave. He lived as a stranger (Heb. 11:13: \"confessing that they are pilgrims and strangers on earth\") — the Christian attitude toward worldly possessions. Sara died at 127 years, having lived 90 of those years as wife of Abraham.

AND ABRAHAM AGREED TO EPHRON; AND ABRAHAM WEIGHED OUT THE SILVER THAT EPHRON HAD REQUIRED IN THE HEARING OF THE CHILDREN OF HETH. — Four hundred silver shekels, the current coin of merchants. Lapide: Abraham paid market price openly and honestly for Sara's burial place — teaching that the saints do not despise legal commerce and private property, and that they deal openly and without deception.