Genesis 23:7-16

7 Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.

8 He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf

9 so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”

10 Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city.

11 “No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give^[a] you the field, and I give^[b] you the cave that is in it. I give^[c] it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”

12 Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land

13 and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”

14 Ephron answered Abraham,

15 “Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels^[d] of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”

16 Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants.

Genesis 23:7-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 23

This chapter treats of the age, death, and funeral of Sarah, and the place of her interment: of her age, Ge 23:1; of her death, Ge 23:2; of the motion Abraham made to the sons of Heth, to obtain a burial place among them, Ge 23:3,4; of the answer of them to him, giving him leave to bury in any of their sepulchres, Ge 23:5,6; of a second motion of his to them, to use their interest with Ephron the Hittite, to let him have the cave of Machpelah for the above purpose, Ge 23:7-9; of Ephron's consent unto it, Ge 23:10,11; of the purchase Abraham made of it for four hundred shekels of silver, Ge 23:12-16; and of its being secured unto him, which he interred Sarah his wife, Ge 23:17-20.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 25:9
• 2. ver 17,19; Genesis 25:9; Genesis 47:30; Genesis 49:30; Genesis 50:13
• 3. ver 18
• 4. S Genesis 18:1; Deuteronomy 22:15; Deuteronomy 25:7; Joshua 20:4; Ruth 4:11; 2 Samuel 15:2; 2 Kings 15:35; Psalms 127:5; Proverbs 31:23; Jeremiah 26:10; Jeremiah 36:10; Genesis 34:20-24; Ruth 4:4
• 5. 2 Samuel 24:23
• 6. Ezekiel 45:12
• 7. 2 Samuel 24:24; Jeremiah 32:9; Zechariah 11:12
• 8. 2 Samuel 14:26

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "sell"
• [b]. Or "sell"
• [c]. Or "sell"
• [d]. That is, about 10 pounds or about 4.6 kilograms