A region near Hebron that Abraham purchased as a burial place for his family, believing that God would give him the land of Canaan. In the ancient Near East, a family burial place held more significance than just a tomb. It signified the ancestral home for generations, and Abraham purchased the Cave of Machpelah with the faith that God would surely give him this land of Canaan. As a result, [[Abraham], Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob] were all buried there.
Genesis 23:9Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,
Genesis 23:17to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.Genesis 23:18After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan.Genesis 23:19The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham by the children of Heth as a possession for a burial place.
Genesis 25:9the field which Abraham) purchased from the children of Heth. Abraham was buried there with Sarah, his wife.
Genesis 49:30There they buried Abraham and Sarah, his wife. There they buried Isaac and Rebekah, his wife, and there I buried Leah:Genesis 49:31the field and the cave that is therein, which was purchased from the children of Heth.”
Genesis 50:13Joseph returned into Egypt—he, and his brothers, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.