Genesis 23:15

Updated Bible Version

Please my lord, listen to me. A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? Bury therefore your dead.

Parallel Translations

Geneva Bible (1587)
My lord, hearken vnto me: ye land is worth foure hundreth shekels of siluer: what is that betweene me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

George Lamsa Translation
My lord, hearken to me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that between me and you? You may bury your dead.

Hebrew Names Version
"My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead."

Easy-to-Read Version
"Sir, listen to me. Ten pounds of silver mean nothing to you or me. Take the land and bury your dead wife."

English Standard Version
"My lord, listen to me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead."

American Standard Version
My lord, hearken unto me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

Bible in Basic English
My lord, give ear to me: the value of the land is four hundred shekels; what is that between me and you? so put your dead to rest there.

Complete Jewish Bible
"My lord, listen to me. A plot of land worth 400 silver shekels — what is that between me and you? Just bury your dead."

Darby Translation
My lord, hearken to me. A field of four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
'My lord, hearken unto me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.'

King James Version (1611)
My lord, hearken vnto mee: the land is worth foure hundred shekels of siluer: what is that betwixt mee and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

King James Version
My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

Amplified Bible
"My lord, listen to me. The land [you seek] is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that between you and me? So bury your dead."

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Nay, my lord, I have heard indeed, the land is worth four hundred silver didrachms, but what can this be between me and thee? nay, do thou bury thy dead.

English Revised Version
My lord, hearken unto me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

Berean Standard Bible
"Listen to me, my lord. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead."

Lexham English Bible
"My lord, hear me. A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? Bury your dead."

Literal Translation
My lord, hear me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that between me and you? And bury your dead.

New Century Version
"Sir, the land is worth ten pounds of silver, but I won't argue with you over the price. Take the land, and bury your dead wife."

New English Translation
"Hear me, my lord. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead."

New King James Version
"My lord, listen to me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead."

New Living Translation
"My lord, please listen to me. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between friends? Go ahead and bury your dead."

New Life Bible
"My lord, listen to me. The land is worth four hundred pieces of silver. What is that between me and you? So bury your wife."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
My lord, hear me, - Land worth four hundred shekels of silver - betwixt me and thee, what is that? And thy dead., bur. thou.

Douay-Rheims Bible
My lord, hear me. The ground which thou desirest, is worth four hundred sicles of silver: this is the price between me and thee: but what is this? bury thy dead.

Revised Standard Version
"My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead."

Good News Translation
"Sir, land worth only four hundred pieces of silver—what is that between us? Bury your wife in it."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
here thou me, the lond which thou axist is worth foure hundrid siclis of siluer, that is the prijs bitwixe me and thee, but hou myche is this? birie thou thi deed bodi.

Young's Literal Translation
`My lord, hear me: the land -- four hundred shekels of silver; between me and thee, what [is] it? -- thy dead bury.'

World English Bible
"My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead."

Webster's Bible Translation
My lord, hearken to me: the land [is worth] four hundred shekels of silver; what [is] that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
My Lord, hearken vnto me, the lande is worth foure hundred sicles of siluer, what is that betwixt thee and me? bury therfore thy dead.

Christian Standard Bible®
“My lord, listen to me. Land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Heare me my lorde: The felde is worth foure hundreth Sycles of syluer: but what is that betwixte me and the? Burye thy deed.

New American Standard Bible
"My lord, listen to me: a plot of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? So bury your dead."

New Revised Standard
"My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between you and me? Bury your dead."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? So bury your dead."

Legacy Standard Bible
"My lord, hear me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? So bury your dead."

Contextual Overview

³ And Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, ⁴ 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. ⁵ And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying, ⁶ Please hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. In the choice of our tombs bury your dead. None of us shall withhold from you his tomb that you may bury your dead. ⁷ And Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the sons of Heth. ⁸ 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, ⁹ that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in the midst of you for a possession of a burying-place. ¹⁰ Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the sons of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, ¹¹ Please, my lord, hear me. The field I give you, and the cave that is therein, I give it you. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead. ¹² And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

is worth: Though the words "is worth" are not in the Text, yet they are clearly implied, to adapt the Hebrew to the English idiom. A shekel, according to the general opinion, was equal in value to about 2s. 6d. of our money, but according to Dr. Prideaux, 3s. English. In those early times, money was given in weight; for it is said - Genesis 23:16 that "Abraham weighed," wayishkal, the silver; and hence, we find that it was a certain weight which afterwards passed as a current coin; for the word shekel is not only used to denote a piece of silver, but also to weigh.

shekels: Exodus 30:15, Ezekiel 45:12

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:16 - thousand Genesis 24:22 - of half Job 28:1 - the silver Jeremiah 32:9 - weighed

Cross-References

Exodus 30:13
This they shall give, every one that passes over to those that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary; (the shekel is twenty gerahs;) half a shekel for an offering to Yahweh.

Exodus 30:15
The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls.

Ezekiel 45:12
And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs; twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

My lord, hearken unto me,.... Since it is your mind to buy the field, and not receive it as a gift, then hear what I have to say as to the value of it:

the land [is worth] four hundred shekels of silver; which, reckoning a shekel at two shillings and sixpence, comes to fifty pounds of our money;

what [is] that betwixt thee and me? between two persons so rich, the sum was trifling and inconsiderable, whether the one paid it, and the other received it, or not; or between two such friends it was not worth speaking of, it was no matter whether it was paid or not: or else the sense is, between us both it is honestly worth so much; it is a good bargain, and must be owned to be so, what is it? the sum is so small, and it is so clearly the worth of it, that there needs no more to be said about it:

bury therefore thy dead: in it, and give thyself no more trouble and concern about it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- The Death of Sarah

2. ארבע קרית qı̂ryat-'arba‛, “Qirjath-arba‘, city of Arba.” ארבע 'arba‛, “Arba‘, four.”

8. עפרון ‛eprôn, “‘Ephron, of the dust, or resembling a calf.” צחר tshochar, “Tsochar, whiteness.”

9. מכפלה makpêlâh, “Makpelah, doubled.”

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. “A hundred and twenty and seven years,” and therefore thirty-seven years after the birth of her son. “In Kiriatharba.” 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. “In the land of Kenaan,” in contradistinction to Beer-sheba in the land of the Philistines, where we last left Abraham. “Abraham went to mourn for Sarah,” 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. “The sons of Heth.” These are the lords of the soil. “A stranger and a sojourner.” 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. “Bury my dead out of my sight.” 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, “Hear us, my lord.” One speaks for all; hence, the change of number. “My lord” is simply equivalent to our “Sir,” or the German “mein Herr.” “A prince of God” 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. “Treat for me” - deal, use your influence with him. Abraham approaches in the most cautious manner to the individual with whom he wishes to treat. “The cave of Makpelah.” 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. “For the full silver.” 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. “A possession of a burying-ground.” 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. “Was sitting.” 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. “Before all that went in at the gate of his city.” 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. “His city.” 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. “The field give I thee.” Literally, have I given thee - what was resolved upon was regarded as done. “In the sight of the sons of my people.” 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. “If thou wilt, hear me.” The language is abrupt, being spoken in the haste of excitement. “I give silver.” “I have given” 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. “The land is four hundred shekels.” This is the familiar style for “the land is worth so much.” 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. “And Abraham weighed.” It appears that the money was uncoined silver, as it was weighed. “Current with the merchant.” 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 Abraham’s 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 “current” 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 23:15. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver — Though the words is worth are not in the text, yet they are necessarily expressed here to adapt the Hebrew to the idiom of our tongue. A shekel, according to the general opinion, was equal to two shillings and sixpence; but according to Dr. Prideaux, whose estimate I shall follow, three shillings English, four hundred of which are equal to sixty pounds sterling; but it is evident that a certain weight is intended, and not a coin, for in Genesis 23:16 it is said, And Abraham weighed וישקל vaiyishkol, the silver, and hence it appears that this weight itself passed afterwards as a current coin, for the word is not only used to express a coin or piece of silver, but also to weigh; Genesis 20:16.