hearing legal cases of judgment. In ready response to Abraham’s plea, Ephron offers on sale the entire field including the cave of Machpelah. (Ge 23 Vs. 11) The Hebrew word translated “give” in verse 11 is the same as the word translated “give” in Ge 23 verse 12 that is associated with money, thus meaning consistently in this chapter either “sell” or “pay.” Ephron seemed unwilling to divide his property and thus become responsible for the feudal dues for whatever small part Abraham might purchase from him. So Ephron offers to sell the whole field that Abraham might bear all the legal obligations in connection with the feudal tax as the new owner.

Abraham replies that he would be willing to pay the large amount necessary for the entire field only that he might have a place to bury his beloved dead one. (Ge 23 Vs. 13) Ephron does not give in to Abraham’s request. He remains firm and insists that the entire field is worth four hundred shekels, which, after all, is a small amount between Abraham and himself. The Biblical record indicates Abraham bought the entire field, including all the trees and the cave therein. This implies that Abraham finally had to agree to assume whatever feudal taxes there were attached to the purchase of this entire tract of land that would have to be paid to the king of the Hittites.—Gen. 23:14-20.

When the city elders confirmed this transfer of property rights to Abraham there is no record that he was required to perform the formalistic pagan religious rite in connection with such purchase. They may have excused him because the Hittites recognized Abraham as “a chieftain of God.”—Gen. 23:6, NW.

The fact that the conveyance of land made mention of trees also indicates Hittite legal background, because it is a characteristic trait of Hittite business documents to list the exact number of trees at each real estate sale.g

Again we find Biblical archaeology confirming the reliableness of the sacred Scriptures. Actually this Genesis 23 account proves that the compiler of Genesis must have lived long before 1200 B.C. to have known of the Hittite laws and empire, since this ancient state ceased to exist as an early dominant power in the Near East around 1200 B.C. Modernists and higher critics who have rejected Moses as the early compiler of Genesis are shown up once more as grossly wrong. Why, a century ago higher critics even scoffed at the Bible’s frequent mention of the Hittites, claiming such a people never existed. The Bible continues to square as unfailingly true in its accounts of all contemporary civilizations.

Zeal for Improving Service

Jehovah’s witnesses’ anxiety to participate in house-to-house field witnessing and their determination to improve their personal abilities in this work frequently amaze people who either have not investigated the truth to see its importance or have not participated in the witnessing work to know of its joys. The determination to improve such service was well illustrated by a 70-year-old brother who is now attending school to learn how to read and write so that he can better present the good news at the doors. At the time of his immersion at a recent assembly he was in the third grade. This zeal of Jehovah’s witnesses for His service continues to illustrate their faith and to warm the hearts of their Christian brothers worldwide.