Genesis 23:8

8 and said, "If you're serious about helping me give my wife a proper burial, intercede for me with Ephron son of Zohar.

Genesis 23:8 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 23:8

And he communed with them
Entered into a discourse and conversation with them upon the above subject: saying, if it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight;
that is, in some place belonging to them, otherwise they could have no objection to the burying of his wife anywhere else: if now what they had said were not spoken in a complaisant way, but it was their real mind and will, and they were sincere and hearty in it, and very desirous of obliging him with a place among them for the interment of his dead; then he had this favour to ask of them: hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar;
a principal man among the Hittites, who had a field and a cave in it, near where Abraham dwelt, and very convenient for him, and for this purpose of his now under consideration: this man seems to be present at this time, as appears from ( Genesis 23:10 ) ; but Abraham did not think fit to address him himself, lest he should not so well and so easily succeed; and therefore entreats the princes of Heth to unite in a request to Ephron for the favour after mentioned, which he supposed they would not be backward to, if they were hearty in this affair; and, if Ephron was present, as he seems to be, it was a very handsome, honourable, and modest address to him through his brethren, which he could not with any politeness well withstand. The request follows:

Genesis 23:8 In-Context

6 "Why, you're no mere outsider here with us, you're a prince of God! Bury your dead wife in the best of our burial sites. None of us will refuse you a place for burial."

7 Then Abraham got up, bowed respectfully to the people of the land, the Hittites,

8 and said, "If you're serious about helping me give my wife a proper burial, intercede for me with Ephron son of Zohar.

9 Ask him to sell me the cave of Machpelah that he owns, the one at the end of his land. Ask him to sell it to me at its full price for a burial plot, with you as witnesses."

10 Ephron was part of the local Hittite community. Then Ephron the Hittite spoke up, answering Abraham with all the Hittites who were part of the town council listening: