In this Torah section, we see the transition of the Biblical account from Abraham the Isaac. After Sarah died and was buried at Machpelah in Kiriath Arba, the account shifts immediately to the story of Isaac. Abraham is the most famous individual of the ancient world and if this were a normal historical account of his life, there would be much more detail of his life following Sarah’s death. Later, we do have a brief account of his marriage to Keturah and his death and burial. This is not just a historical account, it is Biblical revelation, so the subject shifts immediately to the next instrument of revelation, Isaac.
Sarah died at the age of 127. Abraham was 137 and Isaac was 37 years old. Abraham had become a rich man with many flocks and servants. Burials would typically be in caves, so Abraham sought to buy the field and cave belonging to Ephron the Hittite. The plot was sold to him for 400 shekels of silver. This is one of the oldest accounts of a financial transaction for land purchase in the land of Israel. Later, Jacob would buy land at Shechem (Genesis 33:19) and David would buy the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite (Jerusalem – II Samuel 24:24). These three sites connect the people of Israel to the land of Israel for 4000 years. These three sites are in the area of the mountain ridge running from Shechem to Hevron. Within this area the vast majority of Biblical revelation has occurred.
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