Genesis 23

Day 1

We ended Genesis 22, and now we are starting Genesis 23! In preparation for the lessons to come, let’s read all of Genesis 23 to your Tiny Arrows!


Day 2

Sarah lived to be 127 years old! She is the only woman in the Bible that says how old she was when she died! Sarah was very important! Let’s read Genesis 23:1 and ask your Tiny Arrow if they can remember some of the things Sarah did during her lifetime!

Sarah live to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. – Genesis 23:1 NIV


Day 3

Sarah died in Hebron, in the Promised Land. Let’s read Genesis 23:2, color the map of Israel and find Hebron.

She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her. – Genesis 23:2 NIV


Day 4

Not only did Abraham want to bury Sarah in the Promised land, but he wanted to purchase the land too. This is the first time Abraham asked to buy land in Canaan! Let’s read Genesis 23:3-4 then grab some coins! Go over the value of each coin and pretend you have land, or something, for sale that your Tiny Arrow can “buy”. Then help them count the coins to purchase it!

Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said, “I am a foreigner and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead. Genesis 23:3-4 NIV


Day 5

After Abraham asked to buy land from the Hittites for a tomb to bury Sarah, the people said he could use any of their tombs instead for free! This is similar to when David wanted to buy the threshing floor from Araunah the Jebusite to build an alter to God, and Araunah said he could have it for free! Let’s read both Genesis 23:5-6 and 2 Samuel 24:21-23 and ask your Tiny Arrow if both Abraham and David took what they wanted for free, or decided to pay for it.

The Hittites replied to Abraham, “Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead. – Genesis 23:5-6 NIV

Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” “To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, so I can build an alter to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.” Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are the oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for wood. Your Majesty. Araunah gives all this to the king.” – 2 Samuel 23:5-6


Day 6

Today let’s find out if Abraham and David took what they wanted for free, or paid for it! Abraham and David did not want to get something for free, they wanted to pay the full price! Let’s read Genesis 23:7-9 and 2 Samuel 24:24!

Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf so he will sell me the cave at Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you. – Genesis 23:7-9 NIV

But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” – 2 Samuel 24:24


Day 7

We learned that Abraham and David wanted to pay full price for land! Abraham wanted to buy a particular tomb from Ephron the Hittite just like David wanted to buy a particular threshing floor from Araunah. But Ephron still wanted to give Abraham the cave and the field for free! Today let’s read Genesis 23:10-11 and color the field and cave!

Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city. “No, my Lord,“ he said. “Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.” – Genesis 23:10-11 NIV


Day 8

Yesterday we learned that Abraham wanted to pay full price for a cave, but Ephron wanted to give him the cave and nearby field for free! But Abraham still wanted to pay full price for it! Today let’s read Genesis 23:12-13 and act this out with your Tiny Arrows. Grab some coins and something they can “buy” then go through their desire to buy it, your offering it for free, their desire to pay for it, and you telling them they can have it for free, then them giving you money to pay for it.

Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.” – Genesis 23:12-13 NIV


Day 9

Ephron gave Abraham a price of 400 shekels for the cave and land and Abraham paid for it. David also paid 50 shekels of silver for the threshing floor and oxen! Today let’s read Genesis 23:14-16 and finish out David’s story from 2 Samuel 24:24-25 then print the coloring page and see who paid more and who paid less!

Ephron answered Abraham, “Listen to me, my Lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.“Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants. – Genesis 23:14-16 NIV

So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. David built an alter to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped. – 2 Samuel 24:24-25


Day 10

Abraham bought the cave and field and was deeded the property. That means it was a legal and truthful and permanent. Ephron could not take it back, it was now Abraham’s forever! Today let’s read Genesis 23:17-18 and fill in the missing words on the deed.

Bonus: Go over with your Tiny Arrow if you have a deed for anything!

So Ephron’s field in Machpelah near Mamre – both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the border of the field — was deeded to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city. – Genesis 23:17-18 NIV


Day 11

After Abraham bought the cave and land he buried his wife Sarah in the cave. This was very important, since this cave is where Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob and Leah were buried! Let’s read Genesis 23:19-20 and check out the video about this place and what it looks like today!

The Cave of the Patriarchs

Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan.So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site. – Genesis 23:19-20 NIV


Day 12

Today let’s reread Genesis 23 and remember the activities and verses we learned!