Genesis 23:16

And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.

Abraham weighed ... the silver. The term shekel-the original word retained by our translators, and signifying weight-is used to denote not a coin, but determinate piece of silver, bearing a stamp indicating its fineness and quantity, probably made upon it by the Phoenician merchants. Silver was, in very ancient times, employed as money in preference to gold-of the use of which in pecuniary negotiations Scripture furnishes no instance before the reign of David. (2 Samuel 24:24; 1 Chronicles 21:25). The price, amounting to fifty pounds, which, notwithstanding the professedly proffered generosity of Ephron, was probably an exorbitant sum-far above the real value of the property-was paid in presence of the assembled witnesses; and it was weighed. The practice of weighing money, which is often in lumps or rings stamped each with their weight, is still common in many parts of the East; and every merchant at the gates or the bazaar has his scales at his girdle. The Hittites, being of Phoenician origin, were acquainted with the usages of trade; and hence, we find that, while at a time long subsequent to this-in the days of Jacob-barter was the simple method of exchange practised in Mesopotamia, in Canaan the natives made payments in money 'current with the merchant.'