Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 12.pdf/112

 Chapters from the Biblical Law. his first request and the answer of the coun cil contained no intimation of his intention to purchase the place for money. This is usually attributed to the politeness of the parties concerned. But it was not mere politeness that governed the formalities of this occasion. It seems rather to have been the formal way of striking a bargain in those days, by question and answer, until the final consummation of the matter, by acceptance of the last offer. And the absence of the price in the opening phrases, the offer to give the land without price, the counter-offer insist ing upon payment, and the final mentioning of the price casually, as it were, are all part of the regular formal act preliminary to thé transfer of the title. The peculiar use of the phrase "hearken unto me," and "hearken unto us" (oyez) by each of the parties in making his proposition, or counter-proposi tion, seems to indicate that they were not used to attract the attention of the person addressed but were formal words necessary to the legality of the transaction, which ended by Abraham "hearkening unto Ephron," i.e. accepting his offer. Abraham having thus indirectly called upon the prospective grantor of the prop erty it is worth to speak, he shall adds,give "for itastomuch me for money a posas | session of a burying-place among you. Now Ephron was sittin g among the sons of Heth." This is usually translated in the English ver sions, " Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth." The Hebrew text is properly trans lated "was sitting." He was one of the council and immediately took up the word when Abraham had concluded. " And F.phron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth, of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, Nay my lord hearken unto me : the field give I to 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." It is probable that nothing would have discon certed Ephron so much as to have had Ab

raham accept his apparently generous offer; and indeed it is likely that had Abraham said, " I accept," it would not have been binding on Ephron, because he had not said, " Without price I give it to thee." The omission of these formal words led Abra ham to understand that the land was not to be given without price, and that this impor tant point had yet to be fixed. After this statement of Ephron, " Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land." Why? Bible commentators say, out of thankfulness for the generous offer of Ephron. If so, why did he not bow to Ephron? This bow meant to indicate that he was prepared with his next counter-proposition, to be made to Ephron in the presence of the council. The courtesy shown to the judge by the lawyer about to address the jury has in it something akin to the bow of Abraham. Abraham invariably saluted the council before speaking. He arose to make his opening request. The act of arising is in itself an act of courtesy. The council all sat, and he sat in their midst, but when he became a suitor he stood up to address them. Then after they had given their consent to his acquisition of a burial place he again " stood up and bowed," before making his next offer, and, lastly, after Ephron had spoken he again " bowed down," before making his final proposition. "And he spoke unto Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt, I pray thee hearken unto me; I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there." Abraham no longer speaks of the cave, or the burial place that he desired, but of the whole field. He wanted a " possession of a burial place." This did not mean merely the six feet of ground required, or even the cave in which the body was in terred, but an estate of inheritance, in which the family tomb would be placed and which would be sanctified bv the dead buried