the Fourth Week after Easter
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Contemporary English Version
Genesis 23:8
Bible Study Resources
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- CondensedParallel Translations
He talked with them, saying, "If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to `Efron the son of Tzochar,
And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
And he spoke with them, saying, "If you are willing that I bury my dead from before me, hear me and intercede for me with Ephron the son of Zohar,
He said to them, "If you truly want to help me bury my dead wife here, speak to Ephron, the son of Zohar for me.
Then he said to them, "If you agree that I may bury my dead, then hear me out. Ask Ephron the son of Zohar
And Abraham said to them, "If you are willing to grant my dead a [proper] burial, listen to me, and plead with Ephron the son of Zohar for me,
And he spoke with them, saying, "If you are willing to let me bury my dead out of my sight, listen to me, and plead with Ephron the son of Zohar for me,
And he communed with them, saying, If it be your minde, that I shall bury my dead out of my sight, heare me, and intreate for me to Ephron the sonne of Zohar,
And he spoke with them, saying, "If it is your desire for me to bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for me,
and spoke with them. "If it is your desire to help me bury my dead, then listen to me: ask ‘Efron the son of Tzochar
and spoke to them, saying, If it be your will that I should bury my dead from before me, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar,
He said to them, "If you really want to help me bury my dead wife, speak to Ephron the son of Zohar for me.
And he said to them, "If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar,
And he discussed the matter with them and said to them, If you consent that I may bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
and said, "If you are willing to let me bury my wife here, please ask Ephron son of Zohar
He said to them, “If you are willing for me to bury my dead, listen to me and ask Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf
And he spoke with them, saying, If it is your desire to bury my dead from before the eyes, hear me. Ask for me of Ephron the son of Zohar,
And he talked with them, and sayde: Yf it be youre wyll that I burye my coarse by me, heare me the, & speake for me to Ephron the sonne of Zoar,
And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
And he said to them, If you will let me put my dead to rest here, make a request for me to Ephron, the son of Zohar,
And he communed with them, saying: If it be your mynde that I shal bury my dead out of my sight, heare me, and speake for me to Ephron the sonne of Sohar,
And he spoke with them, saying: 'If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
And hee communed with them, saying, if it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, heare me, and entreat for me to Ephron the sonne of Zohar:
And Abraam spoke to them, saying, If ye have it in your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hearken to me, and speak for me to Ephron the son Saar.
And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
"If you are willing for me to bury my dead," he said to them, "listen to me, and approach Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf
And he seide to hem, If it plesith youre soule that Y birie my deed bodi, here ye me, and preie ye for me to Efron, the sone of Seor,
and he speaketh with them, saying, `If it is your desire to bury my dead from before me, hear me, and meet for me with Ephron, son of Zoar;
And he communed with them, saying, If it is your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
He talked with them, saying, "If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
And he spoke with them, saying, "If it is your wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for me,
and said, "Since you are willing to help me in this way, be so kind as to ask Ephron son of Zohar
He said to them, "If you are willing to have me bury my wife, hear me, and ask Zohar's son Ephron for me.
He said to them, "If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron son of Zohar,
and spake with them, saying, - If it is with the consent of your minds that I should bury my dead from before me, hear me, and intercede for me, with Ephron son of Zohar:
And said to them: If it please your soul that I should bury my dead, hear me, and intercede for me to Ephron the son of Seor.
And he said to them, "If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar,
And he communed with them, saying, If it is your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
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 Ephron the son of Zohar for me,
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
entreat: 1 Kings 2:17, Luke 7:3, Luke 7:4, Hebrews 7:26, 1 John 2:1, 1 John 2:2
Reciprocal: Genesis 49:30 - Abraham bought 2 Samuel 24:21 - To buy
Cross-References
When Sarah was one hundred twenty-seven years old, she died in Kiriath-Arba, better known as Hebron, in the land of Canaan. After Abraham had mourned for her,
he went to the Hittites and said,
"I live as a foreigner in your land, and I don't own any property where I can bury my wife. Please let me buy a piece of land."
His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him east of Hebron in Machpelah Cave that was part of the field Abraham had bought from Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. Abraham was buried there beside his wife Sarah.
"Please ask Solomon to let me marry Abishag. He won't say no to you."
Jesus is the high priest we need. He is holy and innocent and faultless, and not at all like us sinners. Jesus is honored above all beings in heaven,
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And he communed with them,.... Entered into a discourse and conversation with them upon the above subject:
saying, if it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; that is, in some place belonging to them, otherwise they could have no objection to the burying of his wife anywhere else: if now what they had said were not spoken in a complaisant way, but it was their real mind and will, and they were sincere and hearty in it, and very desirous of obliging him with a place among them for the interment of his dead; then he had this favour to ask of them:
hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar; a principal man among the Hittites, who had a field and a cave in it, near where Abraham dwelt, and very convenient for him, and for this purpose of his now under consideration: this man seems to be present at this time, as appears from Genesis 23:10; but Abraham did not think fit to address him himself, lest he should not so well and so easily succeed; and therefore entreats the princes of Heth to unite in a request to Ephron for the favour after mentioned, which he supposed they would not be backward to, if they were hearty in this affair; and, if Ephron was present, as he seems to be, it was a very handsome, honourable, and modest address to him through his brethren, which he could not with any politeness well withstand. The request follows:
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
- The Death of Sarah
2. ×ר××¢ קר×ת qıÌryat-'arbaâ, âQirjath-arbaâ, city of Arba.â ×ר××¢ 'arbaâ, âArbaâ, four.â
8. עפר×× âeproÌn, ââEphron, of the dust, or resembling a calf.â צ×ר tshochar, âTsochar, whiteness.â
9. ××פ×× makpeÌlaÌh, âMakpelah, doubled.â
The death and burial of Sarah are here recorded. This occasions the purchase of the field of Makpelah, in the cave of which is her sepulchre.
Genesis 23:1-2
Sarah is the only woman whose age is recorded in Scripture. She meets with this distinction as the wife of Abraham and the mother of the promised seed. âA hundred and twenty and seven years,â and therefore thirty-seven years after the birth of her son. âIn Kiriatharba.â Arba is called the father of Anak Joshua 15:13; Joshua 21:11; that is, of the Anakim or Bene Anak, a tall or gigantic tribe Numbers 13:22; Numbers 28:0; Numbers 33:0, who were subsequently dispossessed by Kaleb. The Anakim were probably Hittites. Abraham had been absent from Hebron, which is also called Mamre in this very chapter Genesis 23:17, Genesis 23:19, not far from forty years, though he appears to have still kept up a connection with it, and had at present a residence in it. During this interval the sway of Arba may have commenced. âIn the land of Kenaan,â in contradistinction to Beer-sheba in the land of the Philistines, where we last left Abraham. âAbraham went to mourn for Sarah,â either from Beer-sheba or some out-field where he had cattle pasturing.
Genesis 23:3-16
Abraham purchases a burying-ground in the land. âThe sons of Heth.â These are the lords of the soil. âA stranger and a sojourner.â He is a stranger, not a Hittite; a sojourner, a dweller in the land, not a mere visitor or traveller. The former explains why he has no burial-ground; the latter, why he asks to purchase one. âBury my dead out of my sight.â The bodies of those most dear to us decay, and must be removed from our sight. Abraham makes his request in the most general terms. In the somewhat exaggerated style of Eastern courtesy, the sons of Heth reply, âHear us, my lord.â One speaks for all; hence, the change of number. âMy lordâ is simply equivalent to our âSir,â or the German âmein Herr.â âA prince of Godâ in those times of simple faith was a chief notably favored of God, as Abraham had been in his call, his deliverance in Egypt, his victory over the kings, his intercession for the cities of the vale, and his protection the court of Abimelek. Some of these events were well known to the Hittites, as they had occurred while he was residing among them.
Genesis 23:7-9
Abraham now makes a specific offer to purchase the field of Makpelah from Ephron the son of Zohar. âTreat for meâ - deal, use your influence with him. Abraham approaches in the most cautious manner to the individual with whom he wishes to treat. âThe cave of Makpelah.â The burial of the dead in caves, natural and artificial, was customary in this Eastern land. The field seems to have been called Makpelah (doubled) from the double form of the cave, or the two caves perhaps communicating with each other, which it contained. âFor the full silver.â Silver seems to have been the current medium of commerce at this time. God was known, and mentioned at an earlier period Genesis 2:11; Genesis 13:2. âA possession of a burying-ground.â We learn from this passage that property in land had been established at this time. Much of the country, however, must have been a common, or unappropriated pasture ground.
Genesis 23:10-16
The transaction now comes to be between Abraham and Ephron. âWas sitting.â The sons of Heth were seated in council, and Ephron among them. Abraham seems to have been seated also; for he stood up to make his obeisance and request Genesis 23:7. âBefore all that went in at the gate of his city.â The conference was public. The place of session for judicial and other public business was the gate of the city, which was common ground, and where men were constantly going in and out. âHis city.â This implies not that he was the king or chief, but simply that he was a respectable citizen. If Hebron was the city of the Hittites here intended, its chief at the time seems to have been Arba. âThe field give I thee.â Literally, have I given thee - what was resolved upon was regarded as done. âIn the sight of the sons of my people.â This was a public declaration or deed before many witnesses.
He offers the field as a gift, with the Eastern understanding that the receiver would make an ample recompense. This mode of dealing had its origin in a genuine good-will, that was prepared to gratify the wish of another as soon as it was made known, and as far as it was reasonable or practicable. The feeling seems to have been still somewhat fresh and unaffected in the time of Abraham, though it has degenerated into a mere form of courtesy. âIf thou wilt, hear me.â The language is abrupt, being spoken in the haste of excitement. âI give silver.â âI have givenâ in the original; that is, I have determined to pay the full price. If the Eastern giver was liberal, the receiver was penetrated with an equal sense of the obligation conferred, and a like determination to make an equivalent return. âThe land is four hundred shekels.â This is the familiar style for âthe land is worth so much.â The shekel is here mentioned for the first time. It was originally a weight, not a coin. The weight at least was in common use before Abraham. If the shekel be nine pennyweights and three grains, the price of the field was about forty-five pounds sterling. âAnd Abraham weighed.â It appears that the money was uncoined silver, as it was weighed. âCurrent with the merchant.â The Kenaanites, of whom the Hittites were a tribe, were among the earliest traders in the world. The merchant, as the original imports, is the traveller who brings the wares to the purchasers in their own dwellings or towns. To him a fixed weight and measure were necessary.
Genesis 23:17-20
The completion of the sale is stated with great formality. No mention is made of any written deed of sale. Yet Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob remained in undisturbed possession of this burial-ground. Undisputed tenure seems to have been acknowledged as a title. The burial of Sarah is then simply noted. The validity of Abrahamâs title is practically evinced by the actual burial of Sarah, and is recited again on account of the importance of the fact.
This chapter is interesting as containing the first record of mourning for the dead, of burial, of property in land, of purchase of land, of silver as a medium of purchase, and of a standard of weight. Mourning for the dead was, no doubt, natural on the first death. Burial was a matter of necessity, in order, as Abraham says, to remove the body out of sight, as soon as it was learned by experience that it would be devoured by beasts of prey, or become offensive by putrefaction. To bury or cover it with earth was a more easy and natural process than burning, and was therefore earlier and more general. Property in land was introduced where tribes became settled, formed towns, and began to practise tillage. Barter was the early mode of accommodating each party with the articles he needed or valued. This led gradually to the use of the precious metals as a âcurrentâ medium of exchange - first by weight, and then by coins of a fixed weight and known stamp.
The burial of Sarah is noted because she was the wife of Abraham and the mother of the promised seed. The purchase of the field is worthy of note, as it is the first property of the chosen race in the promised land. Hence, these two events are interwoven with the sacred narrative of the ways of God with man.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Genesis 23:8. Entreat for me to Ephron — Abraham had already seen the cave and field, and finding to whom they belonged, and that they would answer his purpose, came to the gate of Hebron, where the elders of the people sat to administer justice, &c., and where bargains and sales were made and witnessed, and having addressed himself to the elders, among whom Ephron was, though it appears he was not personally known to Abraham, he begged them to use their influence with the owner of the cave and field to sell it to him, that it might serve him and his family for a place of sepulture.
