Genesis 23:3

Listen to Genesis 23:3
3 And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites, [a]

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:

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Genesis 23:3 In-Context

1 Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.
2 And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
3 And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites,
4 “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. ”
5 The Hittites answered Abraham,

Footnotes 1

  • [a] 23:3 Hebrew 'sons of Heth'; also verses 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025