we

were certainly buried there, except and winding. The adjoining district, Adam and Eve, whose place of inter- which is no doubt 'the valley of Hement is nowhere mentioned. But as to bron,' is an oblong hollow, or valley, dithe origin of this name, see Josh. 14. 15. versified with rocky hillocks, groves of Whoever built the city, it must have fir, and some plantations of vines and been one of the most ancient in the world. olive trees. Abraham came to mourn Egypt was one of the first countries set- for Sarah, and to weep. Heb. tled after the deluge, and its inhabitants livkothah, to weep her; i. e. to bewail or made much boast of the antiquity of their lament her. Mourning for the pious cities; yet we are informed in Num. 13. dead is but a suitable tribute to the me22, that Hebron was built seven years mory of their living worth. Abraham before Zoan, or Tanis, the ancient capi- was sensible of his loss, and gave vent tal of Lower Egypt. At the conquest to the natural expressions of sorrow. of Palestine by the Israelites Hebron His religion was not of that sort which was possessed by the Anakims, and was values itself on doing violence to nature. taken by Caleb, whose possession it be- He knew nothing of that philosophy came, being in the allotment of the tribe which affects to deny what it feels. of Judah. It was afterwards assigned Neither had an old age of one hundred to the Levites, and became a city of and thirty years, extinguished in his heart refuge. David kept his court there in those tender emotions which such an the first seven years of his reign, before event was calculated to awaken. He Jerusalem was taken. Afterwards Ab- who does not weep on such an occasion, salom raised the standard of rebellion is something more or less than a man. in Hebron. During the Babylonish cap- From the example of our Lord himself, tivity, the Edomites appropriated He- who wept over the bier of Lazarus, w bron when they invaded the south of are taught that there is nothing abhorJudah, and it became the capital of a rent from true wisdom or manly virtue district which continued to be called in grave and temperate lamentation for Idumæa long after the territory of the our departed friends. But the Christian Edomites had been incorporated with is not to mourn as those that have no Judæa. Wells think it became the hope, nor is his mourning to be allowed site of a bishopric in the early times of to interfere with the grand duties of Christianity, and it was certainly made life.-In what sense Abraham is said to such when the Crusaders conquered have 'come' to mourn for Sarah, is not Palestine. Hebron is now merely a clear. Harmer thinks that, according to village, called Habroun and El Khalyl, a custom among the Syrians and Greeks, i. e. the friend, from its having been the of mourning at the door within which a residence of Abraham, the friend of dead body lay, the patriarch came from God. It is situated about 27 miles south his own tent to sit mourning on the of Jerusalem, eastward of a chain of ground at the door of Sarah's, which hills which intersects the country was distinct from his own. Gen. 24. 67. from north to south. It stands on the But as it is common for those that lead slope of an eminence, at the summit the nomade mode of life, for the conof which are some mis-shapen ruins venience of feeding their numerous of an ancient castle. It has some small flocks, to have several places of temmanufactures of cotton, soap, glass-porary residence, we should rather inlamps, and trinkets, which render it the fer that he was absent from Hebron at most important place of the district. It the time of her death, but hastened is rather a neat town, with unusually thither to perform the last duties when high houses; but the streets are narrow he received the intelligence.

3 ¶ And Abraham stood up of a burying-place with you, that from before his dead, and spake I may bury my dead out of my unto the sons of Heth, saying, sight.

4. I am a stranger and a sojourn- 5 And the children of Heth aner with you: give me a possession swered Abraham, saying unto him,

d

• ch. 17. 8. 1 Chron. 29. 15. Ps. 105. 12.

Heb. 11. 9, 13. d Acts 7. 5.

3. Abraham stood up from before his king of Israel, makes the same confesdead. Or, Heb. yakom, rose up; sion, Ps. 39. 11, 'For I am a strange, an expression denoting the moderation with thee, and a sojourner, as all my of his grief, and the comparative ease fathers were.' But Abraham's confes with which, from a principle of piety, sion, though true at all times, was pe he was enabled to subdue his emotions, culiarly true and striking when thus ut and to rise up and engage in the active tered at the grave of Sarah. So w duties of life. As there is a time for all feel it to have been with him, and s weeping, so there is a time to refrain with ourselves. Never does the im from weeping; and it is well there is. pression of this great truth come upoi The necessary cares connected with our us with such force, never do we fee condition in this world are a merciful the ties that bind us to the earth sq means of raising us from the torpor of loosened, so nearly rent asunder, ai melancholy. Spake unto the sons of when we stand by the grave of those Heth. The descendants of Heth, the we love. However at other and hap son of Canaan, and grandson of Ham, pier times we may forget the frail te elsewhere called Hittites. He was now nure by which we hold this earthly tab sojourning in their country. ernacle, we are strongly impressed with

5. A stranger and a sojourner with you. the conviction then. We then, indeed, We have now been tracing the history'know the heart of a stranger,' and of Abraham through the space of near- wonder that we have ever felt domesly one hundred years, during the great-ticated here on earth, where there is so er portion of which the promise of God much sin and suffering, so little stability was pledged to him that all the land of and peace. Would that we could carCanaan should be his; and here we find ry this abiding conviction along with us him, at the close of a long and toilsome into the daily business of life. How life, obtaining his first inheritance in it, little influence would its trials and disand that a sepulchre for his wife. In appointments possess over us. How all this time he was, and he felt himself much internal peace would it bestow, to to be, a stranger and a sojourner.' It is feel that we were 'strangers and pilto the acknowledgment that he here grims' on earth, and that soon, amid makes to the sons of Heth, that Paul so the comforts of our Father's house, we expressly refers in Heb. 11. 13, They should smile at the little disquietudes of confessed that they were strangers and the way.¶ Give me a possession of pilgrims on the earth.' Abraham, how-a burying-place, &c. That is, sell me, ever, did not sustain this character He did not ask it as a gift, as is clear alone. Israel, when put in possession of from v. 9. He wished to purchase a the land, were taught to view themselves burying-place for the interment of his in the same light; Lev. 25. 23, The dead in general, not of Sarah in parland shall not be sold forever; for the ticular; and in making this proposition, land is mine, for ye are strangers and so- he exhibited a striking evidence of his journers with me.' Even David, when faith in the promise of the future pos

6 Hear us, my lord; thou art 7 And Abraham stood up and *a mighty prince among us: in bowed himself to the people of the the choice of our sepulchres bu- land, even to the children of Heth. ry thy dead: none of us shall 8 And he communed with them, withhold from thee his sepulchre, saying, If it be your mind that I but that thou mayest bury thy dead, should bury my dead out of my

ch. 13. 2. & 14. 14. & 24. 35.

does not imply the exercise of any authority or dominion on the part of Abraham, but simply his enjoyment of the blessings of heaven in a pre-eminent degree of worldly prosperity. In the choice of our sepulchres. That is, in the choicest or best of our sepulchres, or in any that thou shalt choose. From the Heb.

session of this land by his posterity; God is frequently affixed to words to for the procuring a sepulchre of one's give intensity of meaning, or to denote own was regarded as a sign of the con- excellence of the superlative degree in firmation of a man's right and title the subject spoken of. Thus, Ps. 36. 6, to the land in which it is situated. This Great mountains; Heb. Mountains of doubtless is the import of the following God. Gen. 30. 8, 'Great wrestlings;' passage; Is. 22. 16, 'What hast thou Heb. Wrestlings of God. 1 Sam. 14. 15, here, and whom hast thou here, that Very great trembling; Heb. Trembling thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre of God. Ps. 80. 10, Goodly cedars;' here, as he that heweth him out a se- Heb. Cedars of God. Acts 7. 20, (Moses) pulchre on high, and that graveth a hab- was exceeding fair;' Gr. Fair to God. itation for himself in a rock;' i. e. hast So in 1 Chron. 24. 5, the priests who in taken possession as though the land of our translation are termed 'governors of Israel were thine own.¶ Bury my the house of God,' are in the original dead out of my sight. An expression called 'princes of God;' i. e. eminent that forcibly reminds us of the triumphs and honorable rulers. The term however of death. The faces which once excited the strongest sensations of pleasure, now require to be buried out of our sight. The beauty which conjugal affection doated upon, has disappeared; and those who were but so recently the desire of our eyes, have now become a loathing unto all flesh! Abraham cannot now endure to look upon her whom he once keber, sepulchre, is derived by a comshuddered to think the eyes of another mon transposition of letters, the German might regard with too much desire, and Grab,' (Kereb, Kreb, Greb, Grab,) and he is now as anxious to remove her from this comes our Eng. 'Grave.' The from his presence as he formerly was predominant import of the original is a to retain the possession of her wholly subterranean vault or grotto, generally exto himself Let the beautiful, the gay, cavated by human art, used as a place of the vain, the valued, think of this and deposit for the dead. Tombs of this desdismiss their self-complacency. Dust scription were almost universally made thou art, and unto dust shalt thou re-use of as places of interment for the rich and noble, while the inferior classes 6. Thou art a mighty prince amoug us, were usually buried in the public cemeHeb. nesi Elohim teries, which resembled the grave-yards attah, a prince of God art thou. Gr. of modern times. A more particular acβασιλευς παρα Θεου συ ει εν ημιν a king count of the ancient mode of burial from God art thou among us. Chal. A will be found in a note below, v. 19.

turn.

prince before the Lord.' The name of 7. Abraham stood up and bowed him

sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,

9 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 burying-place among you.

self. Heb. yishtahu, bowed or princes at his pleasure;' Heb. At his did obeisance, the soul.

same word as that 9. That he may give me the cave of often rendered 'wor- Machpelah. Heb. n

εκύνησε.

meaship,' and importing rath hammakpelah. Gr. ro o#ndalov to an act of respectful dinλovv, the twofold cave. Chal. 'The cave reverence. Gr. por- of doubleness.' It is a much disputed The pos- point among biblical critics whether the ture is no doubt term is to be understood as a proper correctly represent-name or as an appellative. The Jewed in the cut, which ish commentators maintain the latter, is exactly that des- deriving on Macpelah, from cribed by Herodotus kaphal, to be double, as if the cave conas practised among sisted of two separate chambers, or the ancient Egypt- were furnished with two distinct enians, and which continues, as a devotional trances. Others, we think with better attitude, in the East to the present day. reason, upon comparing vss. 17, 19, 'The politeness of Abraham may be make it a proper name, although there seen exemplified among the highest and can be little doubt that there was the lowest of the people of the East: was some peculiarity in the topography in this respect nature seems to have of the place which first gave rise to the done for them what art has done for appellation. This is perhaps most satisothers. With what grace do all classes factorily explained by the extracts from bow on receiving a favor, or in paying Purchas in a subsequent note.—¶ At their respects to a superior! Sometimes the end of his field. That is, in one exthey bow down to the ground; at other tremity of his territory; the original times they put their hands on their bo- word for 'field' denoting a far larger soms, and gently incline the head; they region than this term does with us. Inalso put the right hand on the face deed, it answers much more nearly to a in a longitudinal position; and some-modern township or county than to the times give a long and graceful sweep little tract of land which we usually dewith the right hand, from the forehead to miate' a field.' In Hos. 12. 13, it is taker the ground. Roberts. in a still more extensive sense; 'Jacol 8. If it be your mind. Heb. E fled into the country of Syria ( Dim yesh eth naphshekem, if it field of Syria.)'- For as much money be with your soul. Gr. εi ExεTε Ty 4vxn as it is worth. Heb. bakkeυμων if ye have it in your soul. Chal. seph male, for full silver, i. e. full money. If it be the pleasure of your soul.' Silver is often used by the sacred writers 'Soul' often occurs in the sacred writings for money, and full for full weight, as it in the sense of will, desire, prevailing in- is evident from v. 16, that money was clination. Thus, Ps. 27. 12, 'Deliver me formerly thus computed. A similar not over unto the will of mine enemies.' phraseology occurs 1 Chron. 21. 24, 'I Heb. Unto the soul. Deut. 21. 14, Go will verily buy it

for the

whither she will.' Heb. Go according to full silver;' where the parallel passage her soul. Ps. 105. 22, To bind his 2 Sam. 24 24, relates the same fact thus

10 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,

fch. 34. 20, 24. Ruth 4. 4

11 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.

See 2 Sam. 24. 21-24.

10. Ephron answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth.

beozne, in the ears of.

Heb.

¶ All that went in at the gates of the city. Bargains and covenants used anciently to

I will surely buy it of thee at more commodious medium of traffic. a price.' It is worthy of observation From that period to the present the that this is the first money transaction precious metals have been mostly emwhich we read of in the world. Till ployed by all civilized and commercial then and long after, both among the nations for the same purpose. posterity of Abraham and other nations, wealth was estimated by the number and quality of cattle, and cattle were the principal instruments of commerce. Thus we read in many places of Homer of a coat of mail worth an hundred be entered into and solemnly ratified in oxen; a caldron worth twenty sheep; a the gates of cities, from the ease of procup or goblet worth twelve lambs; and curing witnesses among the crowds that the like. The words belonging to com- resorted thither, written documents bemerce or exchange of commodities, in ing then but little in vogue. It was esthe Greek language, are mostly derived pecially of importance to Abraham that from the names of certain animals, by this purchase should be known and ratimeans of which that exchange was ori- fied. Had he accepted the sepulchre as ginally carried on. Thus the word a present, or bought it in a private way, which signifies to barter, traffic, or com- his title to it might at some subsequent mute one kind of goods for another period have been disputed, and his de(apyvola) is derived from that which sig-scendants been deprived of that which nifies a lamb; the verb translated to sell he was desirous of securing to them. But (Twλ) comes from a noun signifying a all fears of this kind were effectually colt; the Greek word for buy wvεlobal) prevented by the publicity of the transcomes from that which signifies an ass; action. The chief persons of the city while the term denoting rent or revenue were not only witnesses of it, but agents, (mpo Baris), and that which signifies a by whose mediation Ephron was induced sheep (Tooẞarov), are of kindred origin to conclude the bargain. Being witand import. A criminal, according to nessed, moreover, by all who went in the magnitude of his offence, was an- or out of the gate of the city, there was ciently condemned to pay a fine of four, little likelihood, after possession was twelve, or an hundred oxen. A wealthy once taken, that any doubt could ever person was said to be a person of many arise respecting the transfer of the prolambs. Two rival brothers are repre-perty, or the title of Abraham's posterisented in Hesiod as fighting with each ty to possess it. other about the sheep of their father; 11. Nay, my lord, hear me. Respectathat is, contending who should be his ble people are always saluted with the heir. But from the present narrative dignified title My lord;' hence English it appears, that as early as the time of gentlemen, on their arrival, are apt to Abraham, silver was employed as a suppose they are taken for those of very

VOL. II.

3