Genesis 23:18

18 Was made sure to Abraham for a possession, in the sight of the children of Heth, and of all that went in at the gate of his city.

Genesis 23:18 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 23:18

Unto Abraham for a possession
To be enjoyed by him and his for ever, as his own property, being purchased by his money: in the presence of the children of Heth;
they being witnesses of the bargain, and of the payment of the money by Abraham, and of the surrender of the field unto him, for his own use: before all that went in at the gates of his city;
not of Abraham's city, for he had none, but of Ephron's city, which was Hebron, see ( Genesis 23:10 ) ; these are either the same with the children of Heth, and so the clause is added by way of explanation, and including all the inhabitants of the place; or else different from them, they intending the princes of the people that composed the assembly Abraham addressed, and these the common people, the inhabitants of the place. Aben Ezra takes them to be the travellers that passed and repassed through the gates of the city: however, the design of the expression is to show in what a public manner this affair was transacted, and that the field was made as firm and as sure to Abraham as it could well be, no writings on such occasion being used so early.

Genesis 23:18 In-Context

16 And when Abraham had heard this, he weighed out the money that Ephron had asked, in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred sicles of silver, of common current money.

17 And the field that before was Ephron’s, wherein was the double cave, looking towards Mambre, both it and the cave, and all the trees thereof, in all its limits round about,

18 Was made sure to Abraham for a possession, in the sight of the children of Heth, and of all that went in at the gate of his city.

19 And so Abraham buried Sara, his wife, in the double cave of the field, that looked towards Mambre, this is Hebron in the land of Chanaan

20 And the field was made sure to Abraham, and the cave that was in it, for a possession to bury in, by the children of Heth.