Genesis 23:8-18

8 He said to them, "If you are willing [for me] to bury my dead, listen to me and ask Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf

9 to give me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me in your presence, for the full price, as a burial place."

10 Ephron was present with the Hittites. So in the presence^[a] of all the Hittites who came to the gate of his city, Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham:

11 "No, my lord. Listen to me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence^[b] of my people. Bury your dead."

12 Abraham bowed down to the people of the land

13 and said to Ephron in the presence^[c] of the people of the land, "Please listen to me. Let me pay the price of the field. Accept it from me, and let me bury my dead there."

14 Ephron answered Abraham and said to him

15 "My lord, listen to me. Land worth 400 shekels of silver-what is that between you and me? Bury your dead."

16 Abraham agreed with Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver that he had agreed to in the hearing of the Hittites: 400 shekels of silver at the current commercial rate.

17 So Ephron's field at Machpelah near Mamre-the field with its cave and all the trees anywhere within the boundaries of the field-became

18 Abraham's possession in the presence of all the Hittites who came to the gate of his city.

Genesis 23:8-18 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.

Footnotes

• [a] Lit ears
• [b] Lit in the eyes of the sons
• [c] Lit ears