Genesis 23:8-18

8 And he spoke with them, saying, "If it is your wish for me to bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and approach ¹Ephron the son of Zohar for me,

9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he owns, which is at the end of his field; for the full price let him give it to me in your presence for a burial site."

10 Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth; even ²of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,

11 "No, my lord, hear me; ³I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you; bury your dead."

12 And Abraham bowed before the people of the land.

13 He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field, accept it from me that I may bury my dead there."

14 Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him

15 "My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred ⁴shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? So bury your dead."

16 Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham ⁵weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, commercial standard.

17 So ⁶Ephron's field, which was in Machpelah, which faced Mamre, the field and cave which was in it, and all the trees which were in the field, that were within all the confines of its border, were deeded over

18 to Abraham for a possession ⁷in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at 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.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 25:9
• 2. Genesis 23:18; Genesis 34:20, 24; Ruth 4:1, 11
• 3. 2 Samuel 24:21-24
• 4. Exodus 30:13; Ezekiel 45:12
• 5. 2 Samuel 14:26; Jeremiah 32:9, 10; Zechariah 11:12
• 6. Genesis 25:9; Genesis 49:29, 30; Genesis 50:13
• 7. Genesis 23:10

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "soul"
• [b] Lit "the midst of you"
• [c] Lit "possession of a burial place"
• [d] Lit "ears"
• [e] Lit "current according to the merchant"
• [f] Lit "in all its border around"
• [g] Or "were ratified"