Genesis 23:15

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

Genesis 23:15 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 23:15

My lord, hearken unto me
Since it is your mind to buy the field, and not receive it as a gift, then hear what I have to say as to the value of it: the land [is worth] four hundred shekels of silver;
which, reckoning a shekel at two shillings and sixpence, comes to fifty pounds of our money; what [is] that betwixt thee and me?
between two persons so rich, the sum was trifling and inconsiderable, whether the one paid it, and the other received it, or not; or between two such friends it was not worth speaking of, it was no matter whether it was paid or not: or else the sense is, between us both it is honestly worth so much; it is a good bargain, and must be owned to be so, what is it? the sum is so small, and it is so clearly the worth of it, that there needs no more to be said about it: bury therefore thy dead:
in it, and give thyself no more trouble and concern about it.

Genesis 23:15 In-Context

13 and said to Ephron in their presence, “If you will please listen to me, I will pay you the price of the field. Accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there.”

14 Ephron answered Abraham,

15 “Listen to me, my lord. The land is worth four hundred shekels 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 standard of the merchants.

17 So Ephron’s field at Machpelah near Mamre, the cave that was in it, and all the trees within the boundaries of the field were deeded over

Footnotes

• [a]. 400 shekels is approximately 10.1 pounds or 4.6 kilograms of silver; also in verse 16.