Bereshis 23:15

15 Pay heed, adoni, unto me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of kesef; what is that between me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

Bereshis 23:15 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 23:15

My lord, hearken unto me
Since it is your mind to buy the field, and not receive it as a gift, then hear what I have to say as to the value of it: the land [is worth] four hundred shekels of silver;
which, reckoning a shekel at two shillings and sixpence, comes to fifty pounds of our money; what [is] that betwixt thee and me?
between two persons so rich, the sum was trifling and inconsiderable, whether the one paid it, and the other received it, or not; or between two such friends it was not worth speaking of, it was no matter whether it was paid or not: or else the sense is, between us both it is honestly worth so much; it is a good bargain, and must be owned to be so, what is it? the sum is so small, and it is so clearly the worth of it, that there needs no more to be said about it: bury therefore thy dead:
in it, and give thyself no more trouble and concern about it.

Bereshis 23:15 In-Context

13 And he spoke unto Ephron in the hearing of the am ha’aretz, saying, But if thou wilt give it, now, hear me; I will give thee kesef for the sadeh; accept it from me, and I will bury my dead there.
14 And Ephron answered Avraham, saying unto him,
15 Pay heed, adoni, unto me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of kesef; what is that between me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
16 And Avraham paid heed unto Ephron; and Avraham weighed to Ephron the kesef, which he had named in the hearing of the bnei Chet four hundred shekels of kesef, according to current merchant value.
17 And the sadeh of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was near Mamre, the sadeh, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the sadeh, that were in all the borders round about, were deeded
The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.