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 23:16

Today’s Scripture Reading (July 14, 2018): Genesis 23

British philosopher Alan W. Watts argues that “we seldom realize … that our most private thoughts and emotions are not actually our own. For we think in terms of languages and images which we did not invent, but which were given to us by our society.” Language and the customs of the society, things that we expended no effort to create, are the guiding rails of our thoughts and actions. We think and act within that cultural understanding. And even when we violate one custom, it is usually so that we can act through another.

With some religions, it is a common understanding that we should not take advantage of our brothers and sisters within the religion, but that those who exist outside of the faith boundary are fair game. In fact, in many cultures, it is expected that the stranger would be cheated in some way. Often, the tourist trade is built around this understanding. You will probably never see the stranger again, so it does not matter whether or not you treat them honestly. So often the message is that we need to be careful in our business dealings when it comes to intercultural trade, and honest when it comes to dealing with people who speak our culture language. The idea of buyer beware, at least in some cultures, is a warning about intercultural dealings.

Abraham and Ephron the Hittite are engaged in a cultural dance that was generations in the making. From their interaction, it is understood that Ephron believed that Abraham was a rich man and that he too was wealthy. This dance was not one between economically diverse parties, which made the rules of the dance appropriate for these the two men.

First, Ephron offers the land for free, knowing that the offer will be, according to the cultural language, refused. Abraham follows the cultural norms, he refuses the gift and requests a price. Ephron then replies with what is essentially the starting price. Like most products where haggling is expected, the starting price is very high. Ephron expects that Abraham would offer a lower price, and the haggling over the land would have begun.

But, here Abraham exits the cultural dance. Maybe it is because he is in mourning for his wife. Maybe Abraham understands that everything has been given to him by God, and God can do whatever he wants with his wealth. It is apparent that Abraham has no fear of being seen as weak in the negotiation. He has probably has been involved in enough dealings in the area that he knows Ephron understands him to be is a shrewd businessman. But here, Abraham is unwilling to haggle.

And so he pays the exorbitant price for the field. If there was one thing that Abraham wanted Ephron to understand, it was that times of stress would bring out the best and not the worst of the man of God. As an act of remembrance for his late wife Sarah, Abraham would act generously, and in this way set the example for all God-fearers who would read the story, and understand the cultural implications.  

 Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Genesis 24