旧约 - 创世记(Genesis)第23章

And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.
And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,
Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.
And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.
And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,
Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.
And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,
My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.
And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure
Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.
And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.
创世记第廿三章   第 23 章 

  创 23:1-4> 23:1-4 在亚伯拉罕的时代,死亡和埋葬死人在礼仪和传统上是庄严的事。对死者不敬就是对其最大的侮辱;不合礼仪的葬礼就等于咒诅。在葬礼之中少不了哀哭,众亲友皆要大声哭号,让四周的人都听到。由于没有殡仪馆、殡仪员,这些亲友会帮助埋葬死人。由于天气暖和,丧礼和葬礼往往在同一天举行。 

  创 23:4-6> 亚伯拉罕获得了异族的尊敬,他的秘诀是什么? 

  23:4-6 亚伯拉罕在异地寻找一块埋葬妻子撒拉的地。当地的人乐意帮助他,因为他是“一位尊大的王子”,受人尊敬。虽然亚伯拉罕没有在那儿落地生根,但他的声誉极好。愿意付代价事奉神的人,常常会得到报赏,既有美名,又受人尊敬。 

  麦比拉洞 

  创 23:16> 人往往会争取不该拥有的东西,亚伯拉罕却不同,我又如何? 

  23:16 亚伯拉罕用四百舍客勒银子买那块地,价钱甚高。赫人不喜欢侨居的人买他们的地,所以亚伯拉罕难有讨价还价的余地。 

  以弗仑漫天要价,当时的习惯是讨那块地的双倍价钱,等候顾客就地还价,把它减半。不过,亚伯拉罕没有还价,依他所开的价付钱。他并不想得到他所不配得的产业。神虽然应许把那块地赐给他,但他不是从以弗仑手里白拿走土地。──《灵修版圣经注释》