Bible Summary:

Abraham mourned Sarah’s death at age 127.  He asked the Hittites three times to sell him, a foreigner, some land to bury his wife.  Each time they offered to “give” him the land.  On the last response, a high ranking Hittite mentioned the land was only worth 400 pieces of silver anyway, so Abraham paid him that amount and the land became his.

My Thoughts:

Ownership: I believe Abraham wanted to own the land to ensure his beloved wife’s burial site would be safe for generations to come.  He knew they or future generation could not renege on the “gift” if he bought the land.

Foreigner: Even more than thirty years after moving there, Abraham was still considered a foreigner in Canaan (modern day Israel).  It is so hard to accept new people.  They are “different” in how they dress, what they eat, and how they act.  We fear they will take over our area, that they will change things.

I know in America we were all new at some point in our family’s past, except maybe the Native Americans.  This newness fades after we live in the same neighborhood, become friends, and “they” become “us” over years.  Please remember this the next time someone “different” moves in next door.  Introduce yourself so you can speed up this “getting to us” process.  The world would be at peace if we all realized we are “us” and there is no “them”.