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Genesis 23

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1 And Sarah was a hundred and twenty-seven years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

2 And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,

4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you; give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.

5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,

6 Hear us, my lord; thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchers bury thy dead: none of us will withhold from thee his sepulcher, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.

7 And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth.

8 And he communed with them, saying, If it is your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,

9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me, for a possession of a burying-place among you.

10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, of all that entered the gates of his city, saying,

11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I to thee, and the cave that is in it, I give it to thee; in the presence of the sons of my people I give it to thee: bury thy dead.

12 And Abraham bowed himself before the people of the land.

13 And he spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field: take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

15 My lord, hearken to me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

16 And Abraham hearkened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.

17 And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure

18 To Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that entered the gate of his city.

19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.

20 And the field, and the cave that is in it were made sure to Abraham for a possession of a burying-place, by the sons of Heth.

   

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Arcana Coelestia #2943

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2943. Of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying. That this signifies as to the doctrinal things through which there is faith, is evident from the signification of “gate,” as being entrance, thus that which introduces (in like manner as “door,” see n. 2145, 2152, 2356, 2385); and from the signification of “city,” as being the truth of faith (see n. 402, 2268, 2449, 2451, 2712). Cities in the Ancient Church were not like the cities of later times and of the present day, that is, assemblages and gatherings of people; but they were the dwelling together of separate families. The family of one parent constituted a city, as for instance the city of Nahor (to which Abraham’s servant came when he was to betroth Rebekah to Isaac, Genesis 24:10) was Nahor’s family which was there; and Shalem, the city of Shechem (to which Jacob came when he journeyed from Paddan-aram, Genesis 33:18; 34 (Genesis 34:2) (Genesis 34:4) (Genesis 34:6) (Genesis 34:8) (Genesis 34:11) (Genesis 34:13) (Genesis 34:18) (Genesis 34:20) (Genesis 34:24) (Genesis 34:26)) was the family of Hamor and Shechem, which was there; and so with the other cities of that time.

[2] And as they had learned from the most ancient people that nations and families represented the heavenly societies, and thus the things of love and charity (n. 655, 1159), so when a “city” is mentioned instead of a family, and “people” instead of nation, truth is signified which is of faith. Hence also the “city of God” and the “holy city,” in the genuine sense signify faith in the Lord; and as a walled town or city signified faith, the “gate” of the city signified doctrinal things, because these introduce to faith. This in the representative Jewish Church was also signified by the judges and the elders sitting in the gate of the city and judging there; as is plain from the historical parts of the Word; and also in Zechariah:

These are the words that ye shall do: Speak ye every man the truth with his companion, judge truth and the judgment of peace in your gates (Zech. 8:16).

Also in Amos:

Hate the evil and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate (Amos 5:15).

(That a “gate” also signifies the way of access to the rational mind, and that this mind is compared to a city, may be seen above, n. 2851)

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for the permission to use this translation.