traditionally been used to delineate boundaries—laying claim to land identified by its trees still occurs. Something very like this Abraham probably did when buying the field near Mamre, specifically with its trees (Gen. 23:17), doubtless because of its past associations for him. It was where he first settled (Gen. 13:18), where he was blessed by Melchizedek, King of Salem (Gen. 14:13); it was where the Lord appeared to him and, perhaps very especially, it was where he first heard the prophecy that
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