Abraham Purchases the Cave of Machpelah: In the preceding episode Abraham reached the pinnacle of his journey with God by proving his complete obedience to God even in regard to his beloved son (ch. 22). Before his death he faces two more basic issues: the burial of Sarah and finding a wife for Isaac. In this chapter, Abraham deals with the first of these.

This account consists of the report of Sarah’s death (vv. 1–2), the negotiations for the purchase of a lot (vv. 3–16), and Abraham’s taking ownership of the Cave of Machpelah (vv. 17–20). The terms “give” (natan) and “hear” (shama’) dominate the account. Frequently, one party in the negotiations opens a presentation by asking the other party to listen (vv. 6, 8, 11, 13, 15). This term also signals the completion of the negotiations: “Abra…