Genesis 23:11
Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead. Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
The verse belongs to Abraham's purchase of a burial place for Sarah from the sons of Heth, with the field and the cave in it offered to him for burying her. The cave is Machpelah at Hebron, the burial place of the patriarchs. Hebron lies about twenty miles north of Beersheba, about midway between Beersheba and the future site of Jerusalem, in a valley surrounded by fertile hill country. Hebron was originally called Kirjath-arba, the city of Arba the father of Anak, and was later called Mamre. Hebron had been the possession of Caleb and became the chief city of Judah.
Although God had promised Abraham Canaan, he owned no land there and had to purchase the ground where he buried Sarah. His lack of earthly possessions did not defeat his hope, for he looked forward to immortal life and to the purified earth as his home. The verse shows Abraham handling the transaction with courtesy, bowing before the sons of Heth and treating them with respect. He did so even in his grief, though he was a man of God. In this he gave the honor due from one person to another. His conduct leaves a finest example of Christian gentlemanliness in the power of true courtesy.