Genesis 23 focuses on the death of Sarah and Abraham's purchase of a burial site for her.
Sarah died at the age of 127 in Hebron (Kirjatharba) in the land of Canaan. Abraham mourned his loss and then looked for a burial place.
Abraham approached the Hittites, acknowledging himself as "a stranger and a sojourner with you," and asked to purchase land for a burial site. The Hittites respectfully offered to let him use any of their tombs.
Abraham specifically requested to buy the cave of Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite. Though Ephron initially offered to give Abraham both the field and cave as a gift, Abraham insisted on paying the full price.
Ephron named his price of 400 shekels of silver, which Abraham weighed out and paid in full. The transaction was formalized in the presence of witnesses at the city gate.
The field, cave, and all the trees within its boundaries became Abraham's legal property, and he buried Sarah there. This purchase established Abraham's first legal claim to property in the promised land.
