Genesis 23:7

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

Genesis 23:7 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 23:7

And Abraham stood up
For, having made his speech to the children of Heth, he sat down waiting for an answer; or rather perhaps they obliged him to sit down, out of reverence to so great a personage; and when they had done speaking, he rose up: and bowed himself to the people of the land;
the principal of them, in token of the grateful sense he had of the honour they had done him, and of the great civility with which they had used him: [even] to the children of Heth;
this seems to be added to distinguish them from the common people, and as an explanation of the preceding clause; (See Gill on Genesis 23:3).

Genesis 23:7 In-Context

5 The Hittites replied to Abraham,

6 “Listen to us, sir. You are God’s chosen one among us. Bury your dead in the finest of our tombs. None of us will withhold his tomb for burying your dead.”

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

8 “If you are willing for me to bury my dead,” he said to them, “listen to me, and approach Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf

9 to sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me in your presence for full price, so that I may have a burial site.”