18 Unto Abraham H85 for a possession H4736 in the presence H5869 of the children H1121 of Heth, H2845 before all that went in H935 at the gate H8179 of his city. H5892
And Hamor H2544 and Shechem H7927 his son H1121 came H935 unto the gate H8179 of their city, H5892 and communed H1696 with the men H582 of their city, H5892 saying, H559
Then went H5927 Boaz H1162 up H5927 to the gate, H8179 and sat him down H3427 there: and, behold, the kinsman H1350 of whom Boaz H1162 spake H1696 came H5674 by; unto whom he said, H559 Ho, H1945 such H6423 a one! H492 turn aside, H5493 sit down H3427 here. And he turned aside, H5493 and sat down. H3427
And I gave H5414 the evidence H5612 of the purchase H4736 unto Baruch H1263 the son H1121 of Neriah, H5374 the son H1121 of Maaseiah, H4271 in the sight H5869 of Hanameel H2601 mine uncle's H1730 son, and in the presence H5869 of the witnesses H5707 that subscribed H3789 the book H5612 of the purchase, H4736 before H5869 all the Jews H3064 that sat H3427 in the court H2691 of the prison. H4307
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 23
Commentary on Genesis 23 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 23
Ge 23:1, 2. Age and Death of Sarah.
1. Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old, &c.—Sarah is the only woman in Scripture whose age, death, and burial are mentioned, probably to do honor to the venerable mother of the Hebrew people.
2. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, &c.—He came from his own tent to take his station at the door of Sarah's. The "mourning" describes his conformity to the customary usage of sitting on the ground for a time; while the "weeping" indicates the natural outburst of his sorrow.
Ge 23:3-20. Purchase of a Burying-Place.
3. Abraham stood up, &c.—Eastern people are always provided with family burying-places; but Abraham's life of faith—his pilgrim state—had prevented him acquiring even so small a possession (Ac 7:5).
spake unto the sons of Heth—He bespoke their kind offices to aid him in obtaining possession of a cave that belonged to Ephron—a wealthy neighbor.
9. Machpelah—the "double cave."
10. Ephron dwelt—literally, was "sitting" among the children of Heth in the gate of the city where all business was transacted. But, though a chief man among them, he was probably unknown to Abraham.
11-15. Ephron answered, Nay, my lord, &c.—Here is a great show of generosity, but it was only a show; for while Abraham wanted only the cave, he joins "the field and the cave"; and though he offered them both as free gifts, he, of course, expected some costly presents in return, without which, he would not have been satisfied. The patriarch, knowing this, wished to make a purchase and asked the terms.
15. the land is worth four hundred shekels, &c.—as if Ephron had said, "Since you wish to know the value of the property, it is so and so; but that is a trifle, which you may pay or not as it suits you." They spoke in the common forms of Arab civility, and this indifference was mere affectation.
16. Abraham weighed … the silver—The money, amounting to £50 was paid in presence of the assembled witnesses; and it was weighed. The practice of weighing money, which is often in lumps or rings, each stamped with their weight, is still common in many parts of the East; and every merchant at the gates or the bazaar has his scales at his girdle.
19. Abraham buried Sarah—Thus he got possession of Machpelah and deposited the remains of his lamented partner in a family vault which was the only spot of ground he owned.