Genesis 23

Genesis 23 General Notes

Special concepts in this chapter

Abraham's character

Abraham's interaction with the people show that he was greatly respected. This would have been unusual for a foreigner and indicates that Abraham was a man of great character. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-explicit)

Burial

Burial was a common practice when Abraham lived, but only the wealthy were able to bury their dead relatives in this way.

<< | >>

Genesis 23:1

These were the years of the life of Sarah

Some translations do not include this sentence. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-doublet)

Genesis 23:2

Kiriath Arba

This is the name of a city. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Abraham mourned and wept for Sarah

"Abraham was very sad and cried because Sarah died"

Genesis 23:3

rose up and went from his dead wife

"got up and left his wife's body"

the sons of Heth

Here "sons" stands for those who descended from Heth. Alternate translation: "the descendants of Heth" or "the Hittites" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 23:4

among you

This idea may be expressed in terms of location. "in your country" or "here"

Please grant me a property

"Sell me some land" or "Allow me to buy a piece of land"

my dead

The nominal adjective "dead" can be stated as an adjective or a verb. Alternate translation: "my dead wife" or "my wife who has died" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-nominaladj)

Genesis 23:5

The sons of Heth

Here "sons" stands for those who descended from Heth. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:3. Alternate translation: "The descendants of Heth" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 23:6

my master

This phrase is used to show respect to Abraham.

a prince of God

This is an idiom. This probably means "a powerful man" or "a mighty leader." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-idiom)

your dead

The nominal adjective "dead" can be stated as a verb or simply as "wife." Alternate translation: "your wife who has died" or "your wife" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-nominaladj)

the choicest of our tombs

"the best of our burial places"

refuse you his tomb

"withhold his burial place from you" or "refuse to give to you his tomb"

Genesis 23:7

bowed down

This means to bend over or kneel down very low to humbly express respect and honor toward someone. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-symlanguage)

to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth

"to the sons of Heth who lived in the area"

the sons of Heth

Here "sons" stands for those who descended from Heth. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:3. Alternate translation: "the descendants of Heth" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 23:8

my dead

The nominal adjective "dead" can be stated as a verb or simply as "wife." Alternate translation: "my wife who has died" or "my wife" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-nominaladj)

Ephron ... Zohar

These are names of men. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 23:9

the cave of Machpelah, which he owns, which is at the end of his field

"his cave that is at the end of his field in Machpelah"

the cave of Machpelah

"the cave in Machpela." Machpela was the name of an area or region. Ephron owned a field in Machpela and the cave that was in the field. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

which he owns

This tells something about the cave. Ephron owned the cave. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-distinguish)

which is at the end of his field

This also tells something about the cave. The cave was at the end of Ephron's field. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-distinguish)

sell it to me publicly

"sell it to me in front of you all" or "sell it to me in your presence"

as a property

"as a piece of land that I may own and use"

Genesis 23:10

Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth

Here "Now" is used here to mark a change from the story to background information about Ephron. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-background)

Ephron

This is the name of a man. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:8. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

the sons of Heth

Here "sons" stands for those who descended from Heth. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:3. Alternate translation: "the descendants of Heth" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

in the hearing of the sons of Heth

The abstract noun "the hearing" can be stated as "hear" or "listening." Alternate translation: "so that all the sons of Heth could hear him" or "while all the sons of Heth were listening" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)

all those who had come into the gate of his city

This tells which sons of Heth were listening. Alternate translation: "all those who had gathered at the gate of his city" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-distinguish)

gate of his city

The city gate was where the leaders of the city would meet to make important decisions.

his city

"the city where he lived." This phrase shows that Ephron belonged to that city. It does not mean that he owned it.

Genesis 23:11

my master

This phrase is used to show respect to Abraham.

in the presence of the sons of my people

Here "presence" stands for the people serving as witnesses. Alternate translation: "with my fellow countrymen as my witnesses" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

sons of my people

This means "my fellow countrymen" or "my fellow Hittites"

my people

This phrase shows that Ephron was part of that group of people. It does not mean that he was their leader.

I give it to you to bury your dead

"I give it to you. Bury your dead"

your dead

The nominal adjective "dead" can be stated as a verb or simply as "wife." Alternate translation: "your wife who has died" or "your wife" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-nominaladj)

Genesis 23:12

bowed down

This means to bend over or kneel down very low to humbly express respect and honor toward someone. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#writing-symlanguage)

people of the land

"people who lived in that area"

Genesis 23:13

in the hearing of the people of the land

The abstract noun "the hearing" can be stated as "hear" or "listening" Alternate translation: "so that the people who lived in the area could hear" or "while the people who lived in the area were listening" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)

But if you are willing

The word "but" shows a contrast. Ephron wanted to give the field to Abraham; Abraham wanted to pay for it. Alternate translation: "No, but if you are willing" or "No, but if you agree with this"

I will pay for the field

"I will give you money for the field"

my dead

The nominal adjective "dead" can be stated as a verb or simply as "wife." Alternate translation: "my wife who has died" or "my wife" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-nominaladj)

Genesis 23:14

Ephron

This is the name of a man. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:8. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Genesis 23:15

Please, my master, listen to me

"Hear me, my master" or "Listen to me, kind sir"

my master

This phrase is used to show respect to Abraham.

A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you?

Ephron meant that since he and Abraham were both so wealthy, 400 pieces of silver was a small amount. This rhetorical question can be translated as a statement. Alternate translation: "The piece of land is worth only four hundred shekels of silver. For you and me, that is nothing." (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-rquestion)

four hundred shekels of silver

This is about 4.5 kilograms of silver. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-bweight)

four hundred

"400" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-numbers)

Bury your dead

The nominal adjective "dead" can be stated as a verb or simply as "wife." Alternate translation: "Go bury your wife who has died" or "Go bury your wife" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-nominaladj)

Genesis 23:16

Abraham weighed out to Ephron the amount of silver

"Abraham weighed the silver and gave Ephron the amount" or "Abraham counted out to Ephron the amount of silver"

the amount of silver that he had spoken

"the amount of silver that Ephron had said"

in the hearing of the sons of Heth

The abstract noun "the hearing" can be stated as "hear" or "listening." Alternate translation: "so that all the sons of Heth could hear him" or "while all the sons of Heth were listening" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-abstractnouns)

the sons of Heth

Here "sons" stands for those who descended from Heth. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:3. Alternate translation: "the descendants of Heth" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

according to the standard measurement of the merchants

"using the standard measurement of weight that merchants used." This can be stated as a new sentence. Alternate translation: "He weighed the silver the same way that the merchants used to weigh it"

Genesis 23:17

Machpelah

Machpela was the name of an area or region. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:9. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

Mamre

This was another name for the city of Hebron. It may have been named after Mamre, the friend of Abraham who lived there. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

that is, the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees

This phrase explains what the author meant when he wrote "the field of Ephron." It was not only the field, but also the cave and trees in the field.

passed

"became property that belonged"

Genesis 23:18

to Abraham by purchase

These words complete the idea that begins with the word "passed" in verse 17. "became Abraham's possession when he purchased it" or "belonged to Abraham after he bought it"

in the presence of the sons of Heth

Here "presence" stands for the people serving as witnesses. Alternate translation: "with the people of Heth watching as witnesses" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-metonymy)

the sons of Heth

Here "sons" stands for those who descended from Heth. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:3. Alternate translation: "the descendants of Heth" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)

all those who had come into the gate of his city

This tells which sons of Heth saw Abraham buy the property. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:10. (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#figs-distinguish)

gate of his city

The city gate was where the leaders of the city would meet to make important decisions.

his city

"the city where he lived." This phrase shows that Ephron belonged to that city. It does not mean that he owned it.

Genesis 23:19

After this

"After he bought the field"

the cave of the field

"the cave in the field"

the field of Machpelah

"the field in Machpelah"

that is, Hebron

Possible meanings are 1) Mamre was another name for Hebron or 2) Hebron was formerly called Mamre or 3) Mamre was very near the larger city of Hebron, so people usually called it Hebron.

Genesis 23:20

passed to Abraham as a property for a burial place from the sons of Heth

"became Abraham's property for a burial ground when he bought it from the sons of Heth"

the sons of Heth

Here "sons" stands for those who descended from Heth. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:3. Alternate translation: "the descendants of Heth" (See: /WA-Catalog/en_tm?section=jit#translate-names)