Comments on Genesis 23 The chapter is significant in that Abraham legally obtains possession of land within Canaan for the first time. The haggling between Abraham and Ephron is probably couched in terms that reflect legal negotiations of the time, see page 169 of Nahum Sarna's _Understanding Genesis_ for discussion of the ancient cultural context. Copyright © 2004 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.