Genesis 23:4-19

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 23:3-15

Here is, I. The humble request which Abraham made to his neighbours, the Hittites, for a burying-place among them, Gen. 23:3, 4. It was strange he had this to do now; but we are to impute it rather to God's providence than to his improvidence, as appears Acts 7:5; where it is said, God gave him no inheritance in Canaan. It were well if all those who take care to provide burying-places for their bodies after death were as careful to provide a resting-place for their souls. Observe here, 1. The... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 23:16-20

We have here the conclusion of the treaty between Abraham and Ephron about the burying-place. The bargain was publicly made before all the neighbours, in the presence and audience of the sons of Heth, Gen. 23:16, 17. Note, Prudence, as well as justice, directs us to be fair, and open, and above-board, in our dealings. Fraudulent contracts hate the light, and choose to be clandestine; but those that design honestly in their bargains care not who are witnesses to them. Our law countenances sales... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 23:4

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 ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 23:5

And the children of Heth answered Abraham ,.... In a very civil and respectful manner: saying unto him , as follows: read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 23:6

Hear us, my lord ,.... One of them spake in the name of the rest, who calls Abraham not "our lord", but "my lord"; addressing him very honourably, and desires he would hear what he had to say on the behalf of others with himself; "hear us", representing not the body of the common people, but the princes among them, the heads of their families: thou art a mighty prince amongst us ; though he was pleased to call himself a stranger and a sojourner, yet they had an high opinion of him, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 23:7

And Abraham stood up ,.... For, having made his speech to the children of Heth, he sat down waiting for an answer; or rather perhaps they obliged him to sit down, out of reverence to so great a personage; and when they had done speaking, he rose up: and bowed himself to the people of the land ; the principal of them, in token of the grateful sense he had of the honour they had done him, and of the great civility with which they had used him: even to the children of Heth ; this... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 23:8

And he communed with them ,.... Entered into a discourse and conversation with them upon the above subject: saying, if it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight ; that is, in some place belonging to them, otherwise they could have no objection to the burying of his wife anywhere else: if now what they had said were not spoken in a complaisant way, but it was their real mind and will, and they were sincere and hearty in it, and very desirous of obliging him with a place... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 23:9

That he may, give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath , which is in the end of his field ,.... The Targum of Jonathan renders it, "the double cave", and so do the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions; and, according to Aben Ezra and Ben Melech, it was so called because there was a cave within a cave in it; and, as Jarchi thinks, because it was a house and chamber over it F25 So in T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 53. 1. or, as he adds, because it was fit for couples, for two corpses to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 23:10

And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth ,.... Or "sat" F2 ישב , εκαθητο Sept. "sedens", Montanus; "sedebat", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, Schmidt. among them, in the present assembly of them; and, according to Jarchi, as their president for the time on this occasion; but if so, Abraham would have directed his speech to him: however, he was upon the spot, as appears from what follows: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 23:11

Nay, my lord, hear me ,.... Or not so, my lord, as Aben Ezra paraphrases it; not that he denied his request entirely, or refused him the cave at any rate, but that he should not buy it of him, he would give it to him, and therefore he desires he would hear what he had to say further: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein I give it thee ; which was more than Abraham asked to purchase; he only desired to have the cave, which lay in one corner of the field, but Ephron... read more

Group of Brands