Genesis 23:3

3 And when he had risen from the office of the dead body, he spake to the sons of Heth, and said, (And when he had risen up from before his dead wife's body, he said to the Hittites,)

Genesis 23:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 23:3

And Abraham stood up from before his dead
The corpse of Sarah, by which he sat pensive and mourning, perhaps upon the ground, as was the custom of mourners, ( Job 1:13 ) ; where having sat awhile, he rose up and went out of the tent, to provide for the funeral of his wife as became him: and spake unto the sons of Heth;
the descendants of Heth the son of Canaan, see ( Genesis 10:15 ) ; who were at this time the inhabitants and proprietors of that part of the land where Abraham now was: saying; as follows:

Genesis 23:3 In-Context

1 Forsooth Sarah lived an hundred and seven and twenty years,
2 and died in the city of Arba (and then she died in Kiriatharba), which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came to bewail and (to) beweep her.
3 And when he had risen from the office of the dead body, he spake to the sons of Heth, and said, (And when he had risen up from before his dead wife's body, he said to the Hittites,)
4 I am a comeling and a pilgrim with you; give ye to me (the) right of [a] sepulchre with you, that I bury my dead body. (I am a newcomer and a foreigner among you; sell ye me some land for a burial place, so that I can bury my dead wife's body on it.
5 And the sons of Heth answered, and said, (And the Hittites answered, and said,)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.