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George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 23:16

Sicles. About 'a350. (Haydock) --- It was no simony to buy land for a sepulchre, as it was not blessed. (Menochius) --- Current money, was such as passed among merchants, though probably not yet coined in any part of the world; and therefore we find, that Abraham and others weigh the pieces of silver or gold. In this manner were bargains concluded before witnesses, who in those days supplied the want of writings and lawyers. (Calmet) read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 23:14-20

14-20 Prudence, as well as justice, directs us to be fair and open in our dealings; cheating bargains will not bear the light. Abraham, without fraud or delay, pays the money. He pays it at once in full, without keeping any part back; and by weight, current money with the merchant, without deceit. See how anciently money was used for the help of trade, and how honestly it should be paid when it is due. Though all the land of Canaan was Abraham by promise, yet the time of his possessing it not... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Genesis 23:10-16

The Purchase of Machpelah v. 10. 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 went in at the gate of his city, saying, v. 11. Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee; bury thy dead. The same Oriental politeness continued to be exercised throughout. The offer of Ephron, the Hittite, made... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Genesis 23:1-20

ELEVENTH SECTIONThe sorrows and joys of Abraham’s domestic life. The account and genealogy of those at home. Sarah’s death. Her burial-place at Hebron; the seed of the future inheritance of Canaan. The theocratic foundation of the consecrated burial Genesis 22:20 to Genesis 23:2020And it came to pass after these things that it was told Abraham, saying [what follows], 21Behold, Milcah, she hath also borne children unto thy brother Nahor; Huz [see Genesis 10:23; a light sandy land, in northern... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Genesis 23:1-20

Abraham Buys a Burial Place Genesis 23:1-20 Death is an ever-constant monitor that this world is not our home. We rise up from before our dead to confess that we are only strangers and sojourners on the earth. Though the whole country, by God’s deed and gift, belonged to Abraham, it had not as yet been made over; hence the necessity for this deliberate purchase with all the stately formalities of the leisured East. Abraham’s insistence on buying this grave, and the care with which the... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Genesis 23:1-20

We now see Abraham in the midst of personal sorrow, which reveals his character in a remarkable way. Sarah, who had ever been to him a princess, was now taken from his side, which meant the loss of the strongest human prop to Abraham's faith. It must be remembered that she had been with him along the whole pathway of obedience from Ur of the Chaldees. She had shared his hours of darkness and his hours of light. Doubtless at times she had been a cause of fear and trembling to him, and his very... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 23:16

‘And Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed for Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current with the merchant.’ Abraham feels the price well worth paying. We have here a demonstration of how rich Abraham was. He could afford the price without argument. read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 23:1-20

Genesis 23. Abraham Purchases the Cave of Machpelah as a Burying-place of Sarah.— This chapter belongs to P, as is shown by its legal precision and the wordiness of its style, by numerous characteristic expressions, and by the later references in P ( Genesis 25:9 f., Genesis 49:29-Jonah :, Genesis 50:13). It shows how Abraham acquired property by purchase in Canaan, an earnest of ultimate possession of the whole, and perhaps inculcates by his example the duty of acquiring a family grave, to... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Genesis 23:16

In those times silver was paid by weight, Genesis 43:21; Jeremiah 32:10. Current money with the merchant, i.e. right for quality as well as weight in the judgment of merchants, whose frequent dealing in it makes them more able to judge of it. read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Genesis 23:3-20

CRITICAL NOTES.—Genesis 23:3. Stood up from before his dead.] “Abraham must be thought of as ‘weeping over the face’ of Sarah (2 Kings 13:14), and he rise sup from the face of his dead.” (Alford.) The sons of Heth. Descendants of Heth, the son of Canaan, a grandson of Ham, elsewhere called the Hittites. They were Canaanites. From them Esau took wives. (Genesis 26:34-35.)—Genesis 23:6. My lord.] A title of respect equivalent to our sir. A mighty prince. Heb. A prince of God. The Heb. affixed the... read more

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