Gen 22, 23

Gen. 22: 13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns.

The little word "behind" made me stop at this verse. When it is written about peopel who lifted their eyes I always thougth that they looked forward and lift their head. Like the ones in
"Psalm 123:1 I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven."
But here Abrabam saw something behind him and not even far away. So then we can add something new to this up lifting of our eyes. Not only lift the head and move from down to high but also look around and look behind you. In this example the needed item is not far away but you have to turn around to notice it.

Gen. 23
16 Abraham[...] weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites
17 So Ephron's field in Machpelah near Mamre[...]was deeded
18 to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city.

Why did Abraham not just took the land which the people would give him for free. Efron told him twice that he is willing to give him the land and the cave. But through this whole process Abraham was always very polite and did not took what he just could have taken. Maybe it was common at that time to make such offers like the Hetiter did and be on the outside very generous. If it were like this Abraham just reacted right. Cause he did what was right. Everything material has its price and when someone gives you something for free you are in debt to this person. I think to avoid this situation and to have not relationship like this Abraham payed it in the forseen way and manner. So later no one can come and take it away because it is official his own property. Legaly purchased.
A similar situation is in
Gen 14:23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.'
when Abraham refused to keep the things from the kinf of Sodom.
If we look at Abrahams live we can see that he is not a poor man. He does not need to be given or receive presents by people. And he is also just a foreign and is a stranger wherever he lives. He did not bound himself to the people there. And avoided to get too involed in complicated relationships with duties commitment to human.