Genesis 23:11

11 My lord, it shall not be done so, but more harken thou (to) that that I say; I give to thee the field, and the cave which is therein, while the sons of my people be present; bury thou thy dead body. (My lord, it shall not be done so, but more harken thou to what I say; I give thee the field, and the cave which is in it, while the sons of my people be present; bury thou thy wife's dead body there.)

Genesis 23:11 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 23:11

Nay, my lord, hear me
Or not so, my lord, as Aben Ezra paraphrases it; not that he denied his request entirely, or refused him the cave at any rate, but that he should not buy it of him, he would give it to him, and therefore he desires he would hear what he had to say further: the field give I thee, and the cave that [is] therein I give it thee;
which was more than Abraham asked to purchase; he only desired to have the cave, which lay in one corner of the field, but Ephron proposes both to give him the cave, and the field also: in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee;
both field and cave; three times he says, "I give it thee", to show that he freely gave it, and that Abraham was welcome to it, and for the confirmation of the grant: bury thy dead;
in the cave, at once, immediately, without any more ado.

Genesis 23:11 In-Context

9 that he give to me the double cave, which he hath in the uttermost part of his field; for sufficient money give he it to me before you into possession of [a] sepulchre. (that he give me the cave at Machpelah, which he hath in the uttermost part of his field, for the full price; yea, let him sell it to me for a possession of a burial place here among you.)
10 Forsooth Ephron dwelled in the midst of the sons of Heth (And Ephron happened to be sitting there in the midst of the other Hittites). And Ephron answered to Abraham, while all (the) men heard that entered [in] by the gate of that city, and (he) said,
11 My lord, it shall not be done so, but more harken thou (to) that that I say; I give to thee the field, and the cave which is therein, while the sons of my people be present; bury thou thy dead body. (My lord, it shall not be done so, but more harken thou to what I say; I give thee the field, and the cave which is in it, while the sons of my people be present; bury thou thy wife's dead body there.)
12 Abraham worshipped before the Lord, and before the people of the land, (And Abraham bowed low before the people of the land,)
13 and he spake to Ephron, while his people stood about, (and said,) I beseech, that thou hear me; I shall give money (to thee) for the field, receive thou it, and so I shall bury my dead body in the field (and then I shall bury my dead wife's body there in the field).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.