Bible Commentaries
Geneva Study Bible
Genesis 23
And Abraham a stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,
(a) That is, when he had mourned: so the godly may mourn if they do not pass measure, and the natural affection is commendable.
Hear us, my lord: thou [art] a b mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.
(b) That is godly or excellent: for so do the Hebrews speak of all things that are notable, because all excellency comes from God.
And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, [even] of all that c went in at the gate of his city, saying,
(c) Meaning all the citizens and inhabitants.
And Abraham d bowed down himself before the people of the land.
(d) To show that he had them in good estimation and reverence.
My lord, hearken unto me: the land [is worth] four hundred e shekels of silver; what [is] that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
(e) The common shekel is about 20 pence, so then 400 shekels is equal to 33 pounds, 6 shillings and 8 pence at 5 shilling sterling to the ounce.
And the field, and the cave that [is] therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace f by the sons of Heth.
(f) That is, all the people confirmed the sale.
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