Genesis 23 in the early church
24 passages quote, allude to, or echo Genesis 23, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 6 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 16 · 17 · 19
Genesis 23:1
Now Sarah lived to be 127 years old.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:1 | Commentary on Romans 4.6 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 244–246 (Rufinus's translation ca. 405–406) |
| Gen 23:1–20 | Genesis, lines 750–774 · Cyprianus Gallus | allusion, high confidence | early 5th cent. |
| Gen 23:1–20 | City of God 16.15 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, medium confidence | 413–426 |
| Gen 23:1 | City of God 16.32 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
Genesis 23:2
She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:2 | Letters 13.4 · Paulinus of Nola | allusion, high confidence | ca. 394–413 |
| Gen 23:2 | Instructions 2.5 · Eucherius of Lyon | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 428-434 |
Genesis 23:3
Then Abraham got up from beside his dead wife and said to the Hittites,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:3–20 | City of God 16.32 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
Genesis 23:4
“I am a foreigner and an outsider among you. Give me a burial site among you so that I can bury my dead.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:4 | Miscellanies 4.26.165 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Gen 23:4 | On the Resurrection of the Flesh 18 · Tertullian | quotation, high confidence | ca. 208–212 |
Genesis 23:6
“Listen to us, sir. You are God’s chosen one among us. Bury your dead in the finest of our tombs. None of us will withhold his tomb for burying your dead.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:6 | Miscellanies 2.19.100 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Gen 23:6 | Homilies on Exodus 9.4 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Gen 23:6 | Question 108, section 2 · Ambrosiaster | allusion, low confidence | ca. 370–384 |
| Gen 23:6 | Explanation of Twelve Psalms 47.7.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 387-397 |
Genesis 23:8
“If you are willing for me to bury my dead,” he said to them, “listen to me, and approach Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:8 | Fragments on Genesis, column 121 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 220-254 |
Genesis 23:9
to sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me in your presence for full price, so that I may have a burial site.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:9 | Homilies on Joshua 18.3 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
Genesis 23:10
Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth. So in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city, Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:10 | To Autolycus 2.31 · Theophilus of Antioch | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 180–185 |
Genesis 23:16
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 standard of the merchants.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:16 | Against Heresies 5.32.2 · Irenaeus of Lyons | allusion, high confidence | ca. 180–190 |
| Gen 23:16 | Homilies on the Psalms 14.1 · Basil of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360-378 |
| Gen 23:16–20 | Letter 57.10 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
Genesis 23:17
So Ephron’s field at Machpelah near Mamre, the cave that was in it, and all the trees within the boundaries of the field were deeded over
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:17 | Letters 13.4 · Paulinus of Nola | allusion, high confidence | ca. 394–413 |
Genesis 23:19
After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:19 | On First Principles 4.3.4 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220–230 (Rufinus's translation 398) |
| Gen 23:19 | Apology for Origen 6.1 · Pamphilus of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 308–310 (Rufinus's Latin about 397) |
| Gen 23:19 | On the Destruction of Jerusalem 4.23 · Anonymous | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 370 |
| Gen 23:19 | Letter 66.11 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |