Post-Priestly Expansion in Genesis 23 and Its Connection to 1 Chronicles 21

Abstract: The narrative in Genesis 23, focusing on the death and burial of Sarah, was viewed in the early stages of the research as the base layer of the Priestly source (Pg). Over time, however, this claim has faced challenges, with the prevailing view suggesting that much of the story is a post-Priestly expansion (23:3–20). I endeavor to support the argument that the narrative comprises both a Priestly source (Pg) and a subsequent post-Priestly expansion, albeit not to the extent proposed by previous scholars. In addition, I utilize the literary parallels between the account of the acquisition of the threshing floor from Ornan the Jebusite in 1 Chronicles 21 and the narrative of Abraham's acquisition of the burial cave to propose a new view. This view suggests that the story in Genesis may have been influenced by the account in Chronicles, contrary to the prevailing assumption among scholars that the influence operated in the opposite direction.