3257. 'At the cave of Machpelah' means resurrection as regards truth.

'At the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which faced Mamre' means as regards good; also meant, as previously, are those who are spiritual, who receive truth and good from the Lord's Divine Human and are saved.

'The field which Abraham bought from the sons of Heth' means the Lord's spiritual kingdom resulting from this.

'There Abraham was buried and Sarah his wife' means resurrection.

This may be seen from what has been stated and shown already about the meaning of all these statements in Chapter 23, in 2913, 2928, 2968-2971, 2975, 2980, and about the meaning of 'burying' in 2916, 2917.

2918. Verses 5-6 And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God in the midst of us; in the choicest of our graves bury your dead; none of us will withhold his grave from you, from burying your dead.

'The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him' means a reciprocal state existing with members of the new Church. 'Hear us' means reception. 'My lord, you are a prince of God in the midst of us' means the Lord as regards Divine good and truth with them. 'In the choicest of our graves' means well-pleasing in regard to regeneration. 'Bury your dead' means that in this way they would emerge from night and be raised up into life. 'None of us will withhold his grave from you' means that all of them were made ready to receive regeneration. 'From burying your dead' means in order that they might emerge from night and be raised up.