Genesis 23:2 - The Death and Burial of Sarah

She died in Kiriath-arba
Kiriath-arba, later known as Hebron, is one of the oldest cities in the world, with archaeological evidence dating back to the early Bronze Age. It was named after Arba, the greatest man among the Anakim, a race of giants mentioned in the Bible. This location is significant as it becomes a central place in the patriarchal narratives. The death of Sarah here marks a pivotal moment in Abraham's life, emphasizing the transient nature of life and the importance of the promised land.

(that is, Hebron)
Hebron is a significant city in biblical history, located in the southern part of the land of Canaan. It becomes a key city for the Israelites and is later associated with King David, who begins his reign there. The mention of Hebron highlights the continuity of God's promise to Abraham regarding the land, as it becomes a central location for the unfolding of Israel's history.

in the land of Canaan
Canaan is the land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants. It represents the fulfillment of God's covenant and is a symbol of divine promise and blessing. The mention of Canaan underscores the importance of the land in God's plan and the faithfulness of God in bringing Abraham to this place, even in the face of personal loss.

and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her
Abraham's mourning and weeping reflect the deep love and partnership he shared with Sarah. This public display of grief is consistent with ancient Near Eastern customs, where mourning was an important social and familial duty. It also highlights Abraham's humanity and vulnerability, showing that even a man of great faith experiences profound sorrow. This moment foreshadows the compassion and empathy of Jesus Christ, who also wept at the death of Lazarus, demonstrating the deep connection between divine promise and human experience.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Sarah
The wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac, Sarah is a matriarch in the lineage of Israel. Her death marks a significant moment in the account of Genesis, highlighting her importance in the Abrahamic covenant.

2. Abraham
The patriarch of the Israelites, Abraham is a central figure in Genesis. His mourning for Sarah demonstrates his deep love and respect for her, as well as the human experience of grief.

3. Kiriath-arba (Hebron)
This location is significant as it is in the land of Canaan, the land promised to Abraham and his descendants. Hebron becomes an important city in biblical history, later associated with King David.

4. Canaan
The land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants. It represents the fulfillment of God's promises and the future inheritance of the Israelites.

5. Mourning and Weeping
These actions reflect the cultural and personal expressions of grief in ancient times, showing the depth of Abraham's sorrow and the value placed on life and relationships.

Teaching Points

The Reality of Grief
Grief is a natural and important part of the human experience. Abraham's mourning for Sarah shows that even the faithful experience deep sorrow, and it is appropriate to express this grief.

The Significance of Place
Sarah's death in Canaan underscores the importance of God's promises. Believers can trust that God is faithful to fulfill His promises, even when circumstances seem difficult.

The Legacy of Faith
Sarah's life and death remind us of the impact of a life lived in faith. Her account encourages believers to live faithfully, knowing that their lives contribute to God's unfolding plan.

The Hope Beyond Mourning
While mourning is a part of life, Christians are called to mourn with hope, knowing that death is not the end for those who are in Christ.

(2) Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron.--This was a very ancient city, built seven years before Zoan in Egypt (Numbers 13:22), probably by a tribe of Semites on their way to the Delta. It lies upon the very border of the Negeb of Judah, about twenty-two miles south of Jerusalem. Originally it was named Kirjath-arba, and though Arba is called "the father of Anak" (Joshua 15:13), yet the literal meaning City of Four (arba being the Hebrew numeral four), coupled with the fact that Hebron means alliance (Genesis 13:18), suggests that its building was the result of the union of four families; and afterwards, from the name of the city, Arba may have been often used as a proper name. At the conquest of Palestine there were descendants of Anak still dwelling there, and apparently they had restored the old title, but were expelled by Caleb (Joshua 15:14), who took it as his possession, and seems to have given its name to a grandchild, as a memorial of his victory (1Chronicles 2:42). It is still an important town, with a population of 17,000 Moslems and about 600 Jews.

Abraham came to mourn.--At this period Abraham was in quiet possession of several headquarters, and apparently was himself at Beer-sheba when Sarah died at Hebron, where probably he had left Isaac in charge of his mother and the cattle. . . .

Verse 2. - And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba - or city of Arba, Abraham having again removed thither after an absence of nearly forty years, during which interval Murphy thinks the reign of Arba the Anakite may have commenced, though Keil postpones it to a later period (cf. Joshua 14:15). The same is Hebron - the Original name of the city, which was supplanted by that of Kir-jath-arba, but restored at the conquest (Keil, Hengstenberg, Murphy; vide Genesis 13:18) in the land of Canaan - indicating that the writer was not then in Palestine ('Speaker's Commentary'); perhaps rather designed to emphasize the circumstance that Sarah's death occurred not in the Philistines' country, but in the promised land (Rosenmüller, Keil, Murphy). And Abraham came - or went; ἤλθε (LXX.), venit (Vulgate); not as if he had been absent at her death (Calvin), either in Beersheba, where he retained a location (Clarke), or in Gerar, whither he had gone to sell the lands and other properties he held there (Luther), or in the pasture grounds adjoining Hebron (Keil, Murphy)'; but as addressing himself to the work of mourning for his deceased wife (Vatablus, Rosenmüller), or perhaps as going into Sarah's tent (Maimonides, Ainsworth, Wordsworth, 'Speaker's Commentary') - to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. "To arrange for the customary mourning ceremony" (Keil); the first verb, סָפַד (cf. σφαδάζω), referring to the beating of the breast as a sign of grief (cf. 1 Kings 14:13); and the second, בָּכָה, to flow by drops, intimating a quieter and more moderate sorrow. Beyond sitting on the ground and weeping in presence of (or upon the face of) the dead, no other rites are mentioned as having been observed by Abraham; though afterwards, as practiced among the Hebrews, Egyptians, and other nations of antiquity, mourning for the dead developed into an elaborate ritual, including such ceremonies as rending the garments, shaving the head, wearing sackcloth, covering the head with dust and ashes (vide 2 Samuel 3:31, 35; 2 Samuel 21:10; Job 1:20; Job 2:12; Job 16:15, 16). Cf. the mourning for Patroclus ('Il.,' 19:211-213). Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

[She]
שָׂרָ֗ה (śā·rāh)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 8283: Sarah -- 'princess', a wife of Abraham

died
וַתָּ֣מָת (wat·tā·māṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

in Kiriath-arba
אַרְבַּ֛ע (’ar·ba‘)
Preposition | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 7153: Kiriath-arba -- 'city of the four', an older name of Hebron

(that is,
הִ֥וא (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

Hebron)
חֶבְר֖וֹן (ḥeḇ·rō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2275: Hebron -- 'association, league', a city in southern Judah

in the land
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (bə·’e·reṣ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of Canaan,
כְּנָ֑עַן (kə·nā·‘an)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3667: Canaan -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their land West of the Jordan

and Abraham
אַבְרָהָ֔ם (’aḇ·rā·hām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 85: Abraham -- 'exalted father', the father of the Jewish nation

went out
וַיָּבֹא֙ (way·yā·ḇō)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to mourn
לִסְפֹּ֥ד (lis·pōḏ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 5594: To tear the hair and beat the breasts, to lament, to wail

and to weep
וְלִבְכֹּתָֽהּ׃ (wə·liḇ·kō·ṯāh)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 1058: To weep, to bemoan

for [her].
לְשָׂרָ֖ה (lə·śā·rāh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 8283: Sarah -- 'princess', a wife of Abraham

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Genesis 23:2 Catholic BibleOT Law: Genesis 23:2 Sarah died in Kiriath Arba the same (Gen. Ge Gn)