Genesis 23

ystically, Sarah, literally the "royal woman," may be seen to represent Mary, the mother of Jesus. Sarah dies in Kiriath-Arba, literally, the city of four. By this we may interpret that Mary, the mother of the Promised Son, at her departure from this life was made immediately to dwell (body and soul) in the City of Four Walls:

The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. -Rev 21:16

Hebron also means "alliance", so that Mary died in alliance with, as an ally of, the Most High God in His War against Satan, the key figure through whom God smuggled his deadly weapon into enemy territory, the sword that is the Word of God, Jesus Christ, made man through Mary's "Yes".

Sarah only imperfectly prefigures Mary. Sarah's "Yes" was more of a "No, really?" In her we see the singular desire God has to use the ones He has chosen, those He has set apart, His saints, for His holy purposes, not because they are particularly capable through any power of their own, but because He has chosen them. God chose Sarah, despite that she was Abraham's half-sister. Despite that she quarreled, the meaning of her original name, Sarai. Despite that she was barren. Despite that she did not believe. He used her as a figure, saved and preserved her repeatedly from dishonor through miraculous intervention, prefiguring the way he would preserve Mary from original sin, and used her as His chosen vessel to bring about the Salvation of Mankind. None of this because He had to. But rather, God did this because it was fitting and in accordance with His Nature that He should do so.

Practically speaking, in Abraham's encounter with the leaders of the city later in this chapter, we see an excellent principle: Just because someone's saying "Don't worry about the bill. It's on me!" doesn't mean you shouldn't pay your fair share anyway. Always pay your fair share, and your friends will stay your friends.