Genesis 23:6

6 "Listen to us, sir. You are a mighty leader among us. Bury your dead in one of our best tombs. Not one of us will withhold from you his tomb for burying your dead."

Genesis 23:6 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 23:6

Hear us, my lord
One of them spake in the name of the rest, who calls Abraham not "our lord", but "my lord"; addressing him very honourably, and desires he would hear what he had to say on the behalf of others with himself; "hear us", representing not the body of the common people, but the princes among them, the heads of their families: thou [art] a mighty prince amongst us;
though he was pleased to call himself a stranger and a sojourner, yet they had an high opinion of him, as a person of great wealth and substance, and of great power and authority; and who lived like a prince, and was a potent one, having a large train of servants under him: or, "a prince of God" F24, as it may be rendered; one raised up to grandeur and dignity by him; with whom he was, find in whose sight he had favour, and was very grateful and acceptable; and by whom he was highly honoured, and had in great esteem as a friend of his: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead;
as they had many, every family a distinct sepulchre for itself, they made offer of them to him, to bury his dead in the choicest of them, the most grand and magnificent, or in which of them soever he pleased; which was very kind, generous, and respectful: none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou
mayest bury thy dead;
there is not a man among us but what has such a regard for thee, that he will not deny thee the use of his sepulchre to bury thy dead in; and therefore need not scruple to make use of any that may be judged most proper and convenient: no doubt the speaker full well knew the mind of those in whose name he addressed Abraham.


FOOTNOTES:

F24 (Myhla ayvn) "princeps Dei", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Vatablus, Drusius, Schmidt

Genesis 23:6 In-Context

4 "I'm a stranger with no permanent home. Let me have some of your property for a tomb so that I can bury my dead wife."
5 The Hittites answered Abraham,
6 "Listen to us, sir. You are a mighty leader among us. Bury your dead in one of our best tombs. Not one of us will withhold from you his tomb for burying your dead."
7 Abraham got up in front of the Hittites, the people of that region, and bowed with his face touching the ground.
8 He said to them, "If you are willing to let me bury my wife, listen to me. Encourage Ephron, son of Zohar,
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