Now Jacob knew nothing of all this, and he said: Anyone who has stolen thy Teraphim shall die before his proper time; and the utterance of a righteous person is like the speech from the mouth of an angel, and (Rachel) bare and died, as it is said, "And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, for she died" (Gen. 35:18).
Rabbi Jehudah said: Three forefathers made covenants with the people of the land. (With reference to) Abraham (the circumstances were as follows). When the angels were revealed unto him, he thought that they were travellers (from among) the people of the land, and he ran to meet them, and he wished to prepare for them a great banquet, and he told Sarah to prepare cakes for them. When Sarah was kneading, she perceived that the manner of women was upon her, therefore he did not hand them any of the cakes. He ran to fetch a calf. But the calf fled from before him, and went into the Cave of Machpelah, and he went in there after it, and he found Adam and his help-meet lying there upon their beds, and they slept, and lights were kindled above them, and a sweet scent was upon them like a sweet savour, therefore he desired to have the Cave of Machpelah as a burial possession. He spoke to the sons of Jebus, in order to purchase from them the Cave of || Machpelah by a purchase with gold, and by a perpetual deed for a possession of a burying-place. Were they Jebusites? Were they not Hittites? But they were called Jebusites according to the name of the city of Jebus. The men did not accept (this request). He began to bow down and prostrate himself unto them, as it is said, "And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land" (Gen. 23:12).