Bowing

Bowing is noted (70) seventy times in the Bible as a proskynesis (solemn communicative gesture of respect). Abraham "bowed himself to the Angels and people of the land" (Genesis 21:1, 23:7); so did Jacob to Esau (Genesis 33:3); and the brethren of Joseph before him as the Governor of the land. (Genesis 43:28)

Retrospectively, Abraham is the common Patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, predominantly, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

He is the founding father of the special relationship between the Hebrews and God; the spiritual progenitor of all believers Christian or not; and a link in the chain of Islamic Prophets that begins with Adam and culminates in Muhammad.

In one Biblical depiction, “... and the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and God did unto Sarah as He had spoken...” Abraham welcomes the (3) three Divine Angels by bowing to them in front of his tent, as they bear the news to Him that His wife Sarah will have a son. (Genesis 21:1)

In another, it is interesting that the Bible specifically records (5) five separate plots of land in 'Judea & Samaria' that were purchased from the ancient Canaanite peoples living there before the establishment of Israel under Joshua.

Although story has it that, Abraham was promised all the land He walked over during His lifetime would be given to Him and to His descendants forever by Yahweh (Genesis 15:18); by the end of His life, He only owned one small field in Hebron. The transaction of which is recorded in (Genesis 23).

Sarah lived (127) a hundred and twenty-seven years, and died at 'Kiriath Arba', Hebron; where Abraham went in to mourn and weep for Her.

Abraham rose-up from before His dead, and said to the Hittites:

“I am a stranger and a sojourner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

The Hittites answered Abraham:

“Hear us, my Lord (connotation of respect); you are a mighty Prince (connotation of flattery) among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our sepulchers; none of us will withhold from you his sepulcher, or hinder you from burying your dead.”

Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites (the people of the land), and said to them:

“If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron, the son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave of Macpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place.”

Ephron a Hittite was sitting among them; and answered Abraham in the hearing of all:

“No, my Lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it; in the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you; bury your dead.”

Abraham bowed down before the people of the land again, and said to Ephron in their hearing:

“But if you will, hear me; I will give the price of the field; accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there.”

Ephron answered Abraham:

“My Lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth (400) four hundred Shekels of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead!”

Abraham agreed with Ephron; and weighed out the silver which He had named in the hearing of the Hittites, according to the weights current among the merchants.

Therein, Abraham buried Sarah in the cave of the field of Macpelah (Hebrew, Me?arat ha-Makhpelah), east of Mamre, Hebron, as made over to Him a possession by the Hittites. (Genesis 23:1-20)

Today, known as the “Cave of the Patriarchs” stands at the entrance the ancient city of Hebron in the southern West Bank, 30 km (18.7 ml) south of Jerusalem, as the traditional burial site of (4) four Biblical couples - Adam & Eve; Abraham & Sarah; Isaac & Rebecca, and Jacob & Leah; although most historians believe the Adam-Abraham-Isaac-Jacob narratives to be primarily mythological, the site is considered a Holy place in Judaism and Islam…

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Food for thought!

(For more you may want to consult the herein-below earlier post.)