Sarah dies and Abraham prepares for her burial.
After a long blessed life, Sarah dies. Abraham comes to mourn for her, but he wants a proper place for her body to rest that is far from his own sight. He doesn't want to be daily reminded of her death and how much he misses her. We are to do well in our own lives if we put our sorrows and sins out of our sight and only look to them so that we remember God's blessings, and remember our sins long enough to not commit them a second time.
Abraham comes to the people of Heth to purchase a burying place for Sarah. Abraham was a herdsman and shepherd, so he no doubt had dealings with these people time and again and sold live stock with them. So the children of Heth were happy to just give the land Abraham wanted to him. Abraham wouldn't have it that way and made sure that in front of witnesses he paid for the land. They knew that Abraham was good for the money, but he insisted it was paid for then. There is a lesson here for us as well. Matthew Poole suggests that we are not to ever be indebted people in this world because they may want something from us in return in the future that is against our beliefs. It is better to only have what you can pay for at the time and let God take care of you.
The land is described beautifully in this chapter, and no doubt, that beauty will not compare to the resting place Christ has gone to prepare for us.
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