the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Genesis 23:13
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And he said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, "But if you will, hear me: I give the price of the field. Accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there."
And he spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if you will, I pray you, hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
He said to Ephron before all the people, "Please let me pay you the full price for the field. Accept my money, and I will bury my dead there."
and said to Ephron in their hearing, "Hear me, if you will. I pay to you the price of the field. Take it from me so that I may bury my dead there."
And he spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou [wilt give it], I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field: take [it] of me, and I will bury my dead there.
He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, "But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there."
He said to Ephron in the presence of the people of the land, "If you will only please listen to me and accept my offer. I will give you the price of the field; accept it from me and I will bury my dead there."
and he spak to Efron, while his puple stood aboute, Y biseche, that thou here me; Y schal yyue money for the feeld, resseyue thou it, and so Y schal birie my deed bodi in the feeld.
and speaketh unto Ephron in the ears of the people of the land, saying, `Only -- if thou wouldst hear me -- I have given the money of the field -- accept from me, and I bury my dead there.'
and said to Ephron in their presence, "If you will please listen to me, I will pay you the price of the field. Accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there."
and said to Ephron, "In front of these witnesses, I offer you the full price, so I can bury my wife. Please accept my offer."
and spoke to ‘Efron in their hearing: "Please be good enough to listen to me. I will pay the price of the field; accept it from me, and I will bury my dead there."
And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me: I will give the price of the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
And Abraham said to Ephron, in the hearing of the people of the land, If only you will give ear to me, I will give you the price of the field; take it, and let me put my dead to rest there.
And spake vnto Ephron in the audience of the people of the countrey, saying: yf thou wylt [geue it] then I pray thee heare me, I wyll geue syluer for the fielde, take it of me, and I will bury my dead therin.
and he spoke to Ephron, in the ears of the people of the land, saying, But if only thou wouldst listen to me, I give the money for the field: take [it] of me, and I will bury my dead there.
And he spoke unto Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying: 'But if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me: I will give the price of the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.'
And he spake vnto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt giue it, I pray thee, heare mee: I will giue thee money for the field: take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
He said to Ephron so that all the people of the land heard it, "Listen to me if you will. I will give you the price of the field. Receive it from me, that I may bury my wife there."
He said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, "If you only will listen to me! I will give the price of the field; accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there."
and spake unto Ephron in the ears of the people of the land saying, Only if, thou, wouldst, hear me, - I have given the silver of the field Take it of me, That I may bury my dead here.
And spake vnto Ephron in the audience of the people of the countrey, saying, Seeing thou wilt giue it, I pray thee, heare me, I will giue the price of the fielde: receiue it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
Then he said to Ephron in the presence of the people of the land, If you are willing, then hearken to me; I will give you money for the price of the field; take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.
and said to Ephron, so that everyone could hear, "May I ask you, please, to listen. I will buy the whole field. Accept my payment, and I will bury my wife there."
And he spoke to Ephron, in the presence of the people: I beseech thee to hear me: I will give money for the field; take it, and so will I bury my dead in it.
And he said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, "But if you will, hear me; I will give the price of the field; accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there."
And he said in the ears of Ephron before the people of the land, Since thou art on my side, hear me; take the price of the field from me, and I will bury my dead there.
And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me: I will give the price of the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
and said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, “Listen to me, if you please. Let me pay the price of the field. Accept it from me, and let me bury my dead there.”
He spoke to `Efron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, "But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there."
And he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "If only you will hear me—I give the price of the field. Take it from me that I may bury my dead there."
and spoke to Ephron in the ears of the people of the land, saying, Only if you would hear me. I have given the silver for the field; take it from me, that I may bury my dead there.
and talked with Ephron, that the people of the londe might heare, and sayde: Heare me then, Receaue of me the money that I geue the for the felde, and so wyll I burye my deed there.
But he spoke to Ephron so that the people of the land heard, saying, "If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field, accept it from me so that I may bury my dead there."
and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "If you will give it, please hear me. I will give you money for the field; take it from me and I will bury my dead there."
and he replied to Ephron as everyone listened. "No, listen to me. I will buy it from you. Let me pay the full price for the field so I can bury my dead there."
He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field, accept it from me that I may bury my dead there."
And he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "If you will only please hear me; I will give the silver for the field, accept it from me that I may bury my dead there."
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
I will: Genesis 14:22, Genesis 14:23, 2 Samuel 24:24, Acts 20:35, Romans 13:8, Philippians 4:5-8, Colossians 4:5, Hebrews 13:5
Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 21:24 - Nay
Cross-References
The Hittites answered Abraham,
He said to them, "If you really want to help me bury my dead wife, speak to Ephron the son of Zohar for me.
But the king said to Araunah, "No! I must pay you for everything. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for 50 shekels of silver.
I always showed you that you should work just as I did and help people who are weak. I taught you to remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘You will have a greater blessing when you give than when you receive.'"
You should owe nothing to anyone, except that you will always owe love to each other. The person who loves others has done all that the law commands.
Be wise in the way you act with those who are not believers. Use your time in the best way you can.
Keep your lives free from the love of money. And be satisfied with what you have. God has said, "I will never leave you; I will never run away from you."
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land,.... He addressed himself to Ephron who spoke last, with an audible voice, so that all could hear him:
saying, but if thou [wilt give it], I pray thee, hear me; the words are very concise, and in the original text are only "if thou", and differently supplied; by some, "if thou art he" c, Ephron, whom it is supposed Abraham knew not by face, or that he was present; which is not likely, since Abraham had lived in those parts now so as to be well known himself, and must know his neighbours; and had lived formerly here, and could not but know so great a prince as Ephron, whose city he dwelt in. The Targum of Jonathan is,
"if thou art willing to do me a kindness, hear me;''
it will be taken as a favour to admit me to speak once more, and to grant what shall be desired. Others read the words thus,
"if thou wilt hear me, or I pray thee hear me, or if thou, if (I say) thou wilt hear me d:''
then follows his proposal,
I will give thee the money for the field; Abraham did not choose to receive it as a free gift, but to make a purchase of it, that it might be sure to him and his posterity; for though Ephron was now in this generous mood, he might change his mind, or hereafter upbraid Abraham with it, should he fall out with him, or his posterity might claim it again, and dispute his right to it:
take [it] of me: the purchase money, the full worth of the field:
and I will bury my dead there, or "then will I bury", c. e and not before.
c ×× ××ª× "si tu is es", Junius Tremellius, Piscator so Ainsworth. d "Auscultares", so Tigurine version; "si tu", Schmidt. e ××ק××¨× "et tum sepeliam", Tigurine version, Junius Tremellius, Piscator "tunc", Schmidt.
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 23:13. If thou wilt give it] Instead of, if thou wilt give it, we should read, But if thou wilt sell it, I will give thee money for the field; ×סף keseph, silver, not coined money, for it is not probable that any such was then in use.
