46th week
Shabbat Commentary
HAYE SARAH Sarah’s Life: Genesis 23:1–25:18; 1 Kings 1:1-31
By Michael Schneider
Correction: In last week’s commentary the scripture about “Lot as Righteous” is from 2 Peter 2:7, not Philippians.
Commentary:
Our Torah reading begins with Sarah’s death and ends with Abraham’s death. Abraham found Sarah dead after he and his son Isaac returned from Mount Moriah. Perhaps Sarah died because she couldn’t bear to hear that her beloved son was in fact sacrificed. She was 127 years old. Abraham now set out to negotiate in typical Middle-Eastern style for a burial site.
Abraham negotiated with Ephron, who at first flattered Abraham and told him he’d give him the Machpela Cave as a gift. When Abraham insisted on paying for it and Ephron saw his money (verse 13), Ephron’s true nature came out and he asked for 400 silver shekels! A high price!
It was good that Abraham insisted that he pay. God knows that everything should be done justly and legally otherwise you are beholden to the grace of man. Israel has purchased three of her most coveted holy sites, hotly disputed until now: The cave of Machpela in Hebron; Joseph’s grave in Nablus; the grave of Joseph (Jacob bought it, as mentioned in Joshua 24:32); and the Temple site in Jerusalem (David bought the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite mentioned in 2 Samuel 24:18-25).
In chapter 24, Abraham ordered his faithful servant, Eliezer, to find a wife for his son Isaac. Isaac needed a wife because he was very much connected to his mother (24:67). Abraham opposed a marriage with Canaanites who worshipped idols and were cursed according to Genesis 9:25 because he was faithful to his given promises and as an elected one and he knew the danger of assimilation. Abraham wanted to be sure, after all the tests he had been through in life, that the blessing would continue!
When Rebekah not only offered him water but watered his camels as well, fulfilling the condition Eliezer sought in a sign, he sat and watched still wondering if she was the one (24:21). That’s like us – we so often sit skeptically without realizing that God’s promises are being answered right in front of our eyes!
Then we meet Rebekah’s brother, Laban, who was after success and money. He saw the benefit and the riches from Rebekah’s union with Isaac. We meet him again when Rebekah’s son Jacob works for him over 20 years.
In chapter 25 we read that Abraham took a second wife and had six more sons with Ketura. Then Abraham died at 175 years old. Isaac and Ishmael together buried their father at Machpela in Hebron (25:9). All three patriarchs and matriarchs are buried there except for Rachel, Jacob’s beloved wife.
In our reading from the prophets in I Kings 1, we read about the last days of King David, that not unlike the story of Abraham, where the line almost went astray, in the end, because of the intervention of a mother and the king’s wife, Bathsheba, the right king, Solomon, sat on the throne.
