A'bra-ham wished to provide an honorable burial for the body of Sa'rah, and to make sure that her grave would not be disturbed. For this reason he thought it wise to purchase a large plot of ground for a family cemetery. The LORD had promised the entire land of Ca'naan to A'bra-ham and his descendants, but the region in which he lived at this time was still held by people who were called the Hit'tites.
There was a large tract of land which belonged to a man named E'phron, and on which there was a cave well-suited for a burial place. A'bra-ham proposed to buy this land, and to pay whatever price the owner might ask. Because of the high regard which the Hit'tites had for A'bra-ham and out of respect for his noble character and righteousness, E'phron offered to give him the land without cost. A'bra-ham appreciated the kind offer, but insisted upon paying the full market price of four hundred shekels in silver.
Thus we have the first record of the transfer of property by legal title, the first instance of the purchase of land for a burial place, the first account of the use of silver as money, and the first family burying ground known in history.
The field of Mach-pe'lah and the cave bearing the same name became the permanent property of A'bra-ham and his family. Here A'bra-ham himself was later buried, as were Ja'cob, Jo'seph, and many later patriarchs.
