John Calvin Commentary Genesis 23:2

"And Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her." — Genesis 23:2 (ASV)

And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba. It appears from Joshua 15:54 that this was the more ancient name of the city, which afterwards began to be called Hebron. But there is a difference of opinion respecting the etymology. Some think the name is derived from the fact that the city consisted of four parts, as the Greeks call a city divided into three orders Tripoli, and a given region Decapolis, from the ten cities it contained.

Others suppose that Arba is the name of a giant, whom they believe to have been the king or the founder of the city. Others again prefer the notion that the name was given to the place from four of the Fathers, Adam, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were buried there with their wives.

I willingly suspend my judgment on a matter of uncertainty and not very necessary to be known. It more concerns the present history to inquire how it happened that Sarah died in a different place from that in which Abraham lived. If anyone should reply that they had both changed their abode, the words of Moses are opposed to that, for he says that Abraham came to bury his dead.

From this it is easily inferred that he was not present at her death; nor is it probable that they were separated merely by being in different tents, so that he might walk ten or twenty paces for the sake of mourning while a more important duty had been neglected. For this reason, some suspect that he was on a journey at the time.

But to me it seems more likely that their abode was then at Hebron, or at least in the valley of Mamre, which adjoins the city. For, after a little breathing time had been granted him, he was soon compelled to return to his accustomed wanderings. And although Moses does not say that Abraham had paid his wife, while she was still alive, the due attentions of a husband, I think that he omits it as a thing indubitably certain, and that he speaks particularly of the mourning as a matter connected with the care of burial.

We shall afterwards see that they lived separately: not as being in different regions, but because each inhabited separate, though contiguous, tents. And this was no sign of dissension or of strife but is rather to be ascribed to the size of the family.

For as Abraham had much trouble in governing so large a group of servants, so his wife would have equal difficulty in keeping her maids under chaste and proper discipline. Therefore, the great number of servants, whom it was not safe to mix together, compelled them to divide the family.

But it may be asked, what purpose could it serve to approach the body for the sake of mourning over it? Was not the death of his wife sufficiently sad and bitter to call forth his grief, without this additional means of excitement? It would have been better to seek the alleviation of his sorrow than to cherish and even augment it by indulgence.

I answer: if Abraham came to his dead wife in order to produce excessive weeping and to pierce his heart afresh with new wounds, his example is not to be approved. But if he both privately wept over the death of his wife, as far as humanity prescribed, exercising self-government in doing it; and also voluntarily mourned over the common curse of mankind, there is no fault in either of these.

For to feel no sadness at the contemplation of death is rather barbarism and stupor than fortitude of mind. Nevertheless, as Abraham was a man, it might be that his grief was excessive. And yet, what Moses soon after adds, that he rose up from his dead, is spoken in praise of his moderation; from which Ambrose prudently infers that we are taught by this example how perversely they act who occupy themselves too much in mourning for the dead.

Now, if Abraham at that time assigned a limit to his grief and put a restraint on his feelings, when the doctrine of the resurrection was still obscure, they are without excuse who, at this day, give free rein to impatience, since the most abundant consolation is supplied to us in the resurrection of Christ.