the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Easy-to-Read Version
Genesis 23:4
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
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- CondensedParallel Translations
"I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
"I am only a stranger and a foreigner here. Sell me some of your land so that I can bury my dead wife."
"I am a temporary settler among you. Grant me ownership of a burial site among you so that I may bury my dead."
I [am] a stranger and a sojourner with you; give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
"I am a stranger and a sojourner with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
"I am a stranger and a sojourner (resident alien) among you; give (sell) me property for a burial place among you so that I may bury my dead [in the proper manner]."
Y am a comelyng and a pilgrym anentis you; yyue ye to me riyt of sepulcre with you, that Y birie my deed body.
`A sojourner and a settler I [am] with you; give to me a possession of a burying-place with you, and I bury my dead from before me.'
"I am a stranger and an outsider among you. Give me a burial site among you so that I can bury my dead."
"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."
"I am a foreigner living as an alien with you; let me have a burial site with you, so that I can bury my dead wife."
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
I am living among you as one from a strange country: give me some land here as my property, so that I may put my dead to rest.
I am a straunger and a foriner amongest you: geue me a possession to bury in with you, that I may bury my corse out of my sight.
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you; give me a possession of a sepulchre with you, that I may bury my dead from before me.
'I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.'
I am a stranger and a soiourner with you: giue me a possession of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
"I am a stranger living among you for a time. Give me some of your land so I may bury my wife."
"I am a stranger and an alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying place, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
A sojourner and settler, am I with you, - Give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, That I may bury my dead, from before me.
I am a stranger, & a forreiner among you, giue me a possession of buriall with you, that I may burie my dead out of my sight.
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you; give me the possession of a burial ground with you that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
"I am a foreigner living here among you; sell me some land, so that I can bury my wife."
I am a stranger and sojourner among you: give me the right of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead.
"I am a stranger and a sojourner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
I am a sojourner and a stranger among you, give me therefore possession of a burying-place among you, and I will bury my dead away from me.
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
“I am an alien residing among you. Give me burial property among you so that I can bury my dead.”
"I am a stranger and a sojourner with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
"I am a stranger and an alien among you; give to me my own burial site among you so that I may bury my dead from before me."
I am an alien and a visitor with you. Give to me a possession among you, so that I may bury my dead from before the eyes.
I am a strauger and an indweller amonge you, geue me a possession to bury in with you, that I maye bury my coarse by me.
"I am a stranger and a foreign resident among you; give me a burial site among you so that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
"I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
"Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you. Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial."
"I am a stranger and a sojourner among you; give me a burial site among you that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
"I am a sojourner and a foreign resident among you; give me a possession for a burial site among you that I may bury my dead out of my sight."
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
stranger: Genesis 17:8, Genesis 47:9, Leviticus 25:23, 1 Chronicles 29:15, Psalms 39:12, Psalms 105:12, Psalms 105:13, Psalms 119:19, Hebrews 11:9, Hebrews 11:13-16, 1 Peter 2:11
burying place: Genesis 3:19, Genesis 49:30, Genesis 50:13, Job 30:23, Ecclesiastes 6:3, Ecclesiastes 12:5, Ecclesiastes 12:7, Acts 7:5
bury: Genesis 23:19
Reciprocal: Genesis 15:15 - buried Genesis 37:1 - wherein his father was a stranger Exodus 6:4 - the land of their 1 Chronicles 21:23 - Take it John 11:39 - Lord
Cross-References
You will work hard for your food, until your face is covered with sweat. You will work hard until the day you die, and then you will become dust again. I used dust to make you, and when you die, you will become dust again."
And I will give this land to you and to all your descendants. I will give you the land you are traveling through—the land of Canaan. I will give you this land forever, and I will be your God."
Abraham bowed before the Hittites.
He said to Ephron before all the people, "But I want to give you the full price for the field. Accept my money, and I will bury my dead."
Abraham understood that Ephron was telling him the price of the land. So Abraham paid him for the land. He weighed out ten pounds of silver for Ephron and gave it to the merchant.
Jacob said to Pharaoh, "I have had a short life with many troubles. I am only 130 years old. My father and his ancestors lived to be much older than I am."
That cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre in the land of Canaan. Abraham bought that field from Ephron so that he could have a burying place.
They carried his body to Canaan and buried it in the cave at Machpelah. This was the cave near Mamre in the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite. Abraham bought that cave to use as a burial place.
"The land really belongs to me, so you cannot sell it permanently. You are only foreigners and travelers living on my land with me.
We are only strangers traveling through this world like our ancestors. Our time on earth is like a passing shadow, and we cannot stop it.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
I [am] a stranger and a sojourner with you,.... Not a native of the place, only dwelt as a sojourner among them for a time; but had not so much as a foot of ground he could call his own, and consequently had no place to inter his dead:
give me a possession of a buryingplace with you; not that he desired it as a free gift, but that he might be allowed to make a purchase of a piece of ground to bury his dead in; so the Targum of Jonathan,
"sell me a possession,'' c.
Genesis 23:9 and this he was the rather desirous of, not only because it was according to the rules of humanity, and the general custom of all nations, to provide for the burial of their dead; but he was willing to have such a place in the land of Canaan for this purpose, to strengthen his faith and the faith of his posterity, and to animate their hope and expectation of being one day put into the possession of it; hence the patriarchs in later times, as Jacob and Joseph, were desirous of having their hones laid there:
that I may bury my dead out of my sight; for, though Sarah was a very lovely person in her life, and greatly desirable by Abraham, yet death had changed her countenance and was turning her into corruption, which rendered her unpleasant, and began to make her loathsome; so that there was a necessity of removing her out of his sight, who before had been so very agreeable to him; and this is the case of the dearest relation and friend at death.
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 23:4. I am a stranger and a sojourner — It appears from Hebrews 11:13-16; 1 Peter 2:11, that these words refer more to the state of his mind than of his body. He felt that he had no certain dwelling place, and was seeking by faith a city that had foundations.
Give me a possession of a burying place — It has been remarked that in different nations it was deemed ignominious to be buried in another's ground; probably this prevailed in early times in the east, and it may be in reference to a sentiment of this kind that Abraham refuses to accept the offer of the children of Heth to bury in any of their sepulchres, and earnestly requests them to sell him one, that he might bury his wife in a place that he could claim as his own.
