Gen 23:3-18 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 3. Abraham stood up from before his dead ] He had probably sat on the ground some days in token of sorrow, as the custom then was, (see Tobit 2:12, 13 ; ; and ;) and when this time was finished he arose and began to treat about a burying place.

‏ Genesis 23:3-18

Verse 3. Abraham stood up from before his dead] He had probably sat on the ground some days in token of sorrow, as the custom then was, (see Tobit 2:12, 13; Isa 47:1; and Ge 37:35;) and when this time was finished he arose and began to treat about a burying place.

Verse 4. I am a stranger and a sojourner] It appears from Heb 11:13-16; 1Pe 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.

Verse 6. Thou art a mighty prince] nesi Elohim, a prince of God-a person whom we know to be Divinely favoured, and whom, in consequence, we deeply respect and reverence.

Verse 8. Entreat for me to Ephron] Abraham had already seen the cave and field, and finding to whom they belonged, and that they would answer his purpose, came to the gate of Hebron, where the elders of the people sat to administer justice, &c., and where bargains and sales were made and witnessed, and having addressed himself to the elders, among whom Ephron was, though it appears he was not personally known to Abraham, he begged them to use their influence with the owner of the cave and field to sell it to him, that it might serve him and his family for a place of sepulture.

Verse 10. And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth] And Ephron yosheb, was sitting among the children of Heth, but, as was before conjectured, was personally unknown to Abraham; he therefore answered for himself, making a free tender of the field, &c., to Abraham, in the presence of all the people, which amounted to a legal conveyance of the whole property to the patriarch.

Verse 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; keseph, silver, not coined money, for it is not probable that any such was then in use.

Verse 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 Ge 23:16 it is said, And Abraham weighed 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; See Clarke on Ge 20:16.

Verse 16. Current with the merchant] ober lassocher, passing to or with the traveller-such as was commonly used by those who travelled about with merchandise of any sort. The word signifies the same as hawker or pedlar among us.

Verse 17. All the trees that were in the field] It is possible that all these were specified in the agreement.