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What was the cave of Machpelah, and why did Abraham purchase it?

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József Molnár: The March of Abraham — Abraham *The March of Abraham*, painting by József Molnár, 19th century; in the Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest.

The Cave of Machpelah (also known as the Sanctuary of Abraham) is a sacred site located in the city of Hebron in the West Bank. It is traditionally revered as the burial place of the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs, including Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Leah, and Jacob.1

According to the Genesis narrative, Abraham purchased the cave from the Hittites specifically to serve as a burial plot for his wife, Sarah, following her death. This transaction is significant as it represents the first recorded instance of land ownership by Abraham or his descendants within the land of Canaan. Beyond the biblical account, some Jewish traditions, such as those found in the Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer, suggest that Abraham sought the cave after discovering it was the burial site of Adam and Eve, while other mystical texts like the Zohar associate the location with the entrance to the Garden of Eden.1