Daily Devotions
Genesis
"Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, But wickedness overthrows the sinner." Proverbs 13:6
Text: Genesis 23:1 - 20
MORE THAN JUST SKILLS OF COMMUNICATION
What guided Abraham as he spoke to the sons of Heth and Ephron? Certainly, he showed great understanding of the customs of the land. However, beneath the veneer, he was guided by his spiritual and religious values. He had come a long way in his faith and in his walk with God. His knowledge of God had grown significantly over the years. Righteousness now guarded him. He felt that he could not simply receive this large and generous gift from Ephron, who was all but a stranger to him till this moment.
THE FINAL DETAILS OF THE TRANSACTION
Ephron had done his part in offering the cave and the field to Abraham. Had he failed to offer it, he would have appeared to be mean and ungracious. Had Abraham chosen to take up his offer,Ephron would be a poorer man at the end of the day. But Abraham had insisted in purchasing the land. He was now free to suggest a price for the Machpelah.
“And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
‘My lord, listen to me; the land is worth four hundred shekels
of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.'”GENESIS 23:14-15
On hearing the price asked for, Abraham concluded the deal. There was to be no haggling over the price asked for. That would have been a social disaster if he had negotiated on the price!
“And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out
the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing
of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency
of the merchants.”GENESIS 23:16
THE TITLE DEEDS
The ancients were quite tidy in the way they did business. The land Abraham purchased was properly described and deeded to him.
“So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was
before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and
all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the
surrounding borders, were deeded to Abraham as a possession
in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who 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
(That is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. So the field and the cave
that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as
property for a burial place.”GENESIS 23:17-20
What a man of faith and distinction Abraham had become!