9 That he may give H5414 me the cave H4631 of Machpelah, H4375 which he hath, which is in the end H7097 of his field; H7704 for as much H4392 money H3701 as it is worth H4392 he shall give it H5414 me for a possession H272 of a buryingplace H6913 amongst you. H8432
10 And Ephron H6085 dwelt H3427 among H8432 the children H1121 of Heth: H2845 and Ephron H6085 the Hittite H2850 answered H6030 Abraham H85 in the audience H241 of the children H1121 of Heth, H2845 even of all that went in H935 at the gate H8179 of his city, H5892 saying, H559
11 Nay, H3808 my lord, H113 hear me: H8085 the field H7704 give I H5414 thee, and the cave H4631 that is therein, I give it H5414 thee; in the presence H5869 of the sons H1121 of my people H5971 give H5414 I it thee: bury H6912 thy dead. H4191
12 And Abraham H85 bowed down H7812 himself before H6440 the people H5971 of the land. H776
13 And he spake H1696 unto Ephron H6085 in the audience H241 of the people H5971 of the land, H776 saying, H559 But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, H3863 hear H8085 me: I will give H5414 thee money H3701 for the field; H7704 take H3947 it of me, and I will bury H6912 my dead H4191 there.
14 And Ephron H6085 answered H6030 Abraham, H85 saying H559 unto him,
15 My lord, H113 hearken H8085 unto me: the land H776 is worth four H702 hundred H3967 shekels H8255 of silver; H3701 what is that betwixt H996 me and thee? bury H6912 therefore thy dead. H4191
16 And Abraham H85 hearkened H8085 unto Ephron; H6085 and Abraham H85 weighed H8254 to Ephron H6085 the silver, H3701 which he had named H1696 in the audience H241 of the sons H1121 of Heth, H2845 four H702 hundred H3967 shekels H8255 of silver, H3701 current H5674 money with the merchant. H5503
17 And the field H7704 of Ephron, H6085 which was in Machpelah, H4375 which was before H6440 Mamre, H4471 the field, H7704 and the cave H4631 which was therein, and all the trees H6086 that were in the field, H7704 that were in all the borders H1366 round about, H5439 were made sure H6965
18 Unto Abraham H85 for a possession H4736 in the presence H5869 of the children H1121 of Heth, H2845 before all that went in H935 at the gate H8179 of his city. H5892
19 And after H310 this, H3651 Abraham H85 buried H6912 Sarah H8283 his wife H802 in the cave H4631 of the field H7704 of Machpelah H4375 before H6440 Mamre: H4471 the same is Hebron H2275 in the land H776 of Canaan. H3667
20 And the field, H7704 and the cave H4631 that is therein, were made sure H6965 unto Abraham H85 for a possession H272 of a buryingplace H6913 by the sons H1121 of Heth. H2845
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 23
Commentary on Genesis 23 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 23
Ge 23:1, 2. Age and Death of Sarah.
1. Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old, &c.—Sarah is the only woman in Scripture whose age, death, and burial are mentioned, probably to do honor to the venerable mother of the Hebrew people.
2. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, &c.—He came from his own tent to take his station at the door of Sarah's. The "mourning" describes his conformity to the customary usage of sitting on the ground for a time; while the "weeping" indicates the natural outburst of his sorrow.
Ge 23:3-20. Purchase of a Burying-Place.
3. Abraham stood up, &c.—Eastern people are always provided with family burying-places; but Abraham's life of faith—his pilgrim state—had prevented him acquiring even so small a possession (Ac 7:5).
spake unto the sons of Heth—He bespoke their kind offices to aid him in obtaining possession of a cave that belonged to Ephron—a wealthy neighbor.
9. Machpelah—the "double cave."
10. Ephron dwelt—literally, was "sitting" among the children of Heth in the gate of the city where all business was transacted. But, though a chief man among them, he was probably unknown to Abraham.
11-15. Ephron answered, Nay, my lord, &c.—Here is a great show of generosity, but it was only a show; for while Abraham wanted only the cave, he joins "the field and the cave"; and though he offered them both as free gifts, he, of course, expected some costly presents in return, without which, he would not have been satisfied. The patriarch, knowing this, wished to make a purchase and asked the terms.
15. the land is worth four hundred shekels, &c.—as if Ephron had said, "Since you wish to know the value of the property, it is so and so; but that is a trifle, which you may pay or not as it suits you." They spoke in the common forms of Arab civility, and this indifference was mere affectation.
16. Abraham weighed … the silver—The money, amounting to £50 was paid in presence of the assembled witnesses; and it was weighed. The practice of weighing money, which is often in lumps or rings, each stamped with their weight, is still common in many parts of the East; and every merchant at the gates or the bazaar has his scales at his girdle.
19. Abraham buried Sarah—Thus he got possession of Machpelah and deposited the remains of his lamented partner in a family vault which was the only spot of ground he owned.