He stood up in front of the sons of Heth because he was living in their land. He asked them if they would part with a piece of property that he could use to bury her in.
The men told Abraham that they had great respect for him, and that they were saddened by his loss and had sympathy. They told him that he was a mighty Prince in their eyes, and he could have any part of the land he needed to do what he had to do.
Abraham asked that one of the men, named Ephron, would give him the cave of Machpelah, and he would pay him whatever Ephron asked.
Ephron said that there was no need to pay him anything. He could have the land to do with what he wanted.
Abraham didn't want to argue about it, but he was insistent that he pay for the land. So he said, "okay, if you will give me the land, I will give you money."
Ephron said the land was worth about 400 shekels. One Israeli New shekel is worth 27 cents right now. That means the field was worth about $108. "What difference does $108 make between us as friends?" Ephron asked.
Abraham gave him the money. From that day forward, it became a cemetery for his family.
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Abraham was not about to have the sons of Heth give him anything without payment for it. Furthermore, he insured that when he paid for it there were witnesses to the transaction. Back then they didn't give receipts.
Abraham never took anything he didn't pay for. This was because he never wanted to owe anyone anything, or have them come back and use their charity as a means of applying guilt in order to compromise his decision making when it concerned his family.
The only one who was going to control him in any way was God. The only one he would answer to was God. And only God could provide for him what he needed. He would only obtain what God had enabled him to earn.
Even if it was a place to bury his dead.
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