Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

Genesis 23:7-9

‘And Abraham rose up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the people of Heth, and he entered negotiations with them saying, “If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron, the son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me for the full price among you for the possession of a burial place”.'

Abraham already knows the land that he wants to buy and specifically describes it. In typical fashion he speaks of being ‘given' the cave. Talking of buying and selling would have been frowned on. But he also makes clear that he expects to pay a fair price and none of them would have doubted it for a moment.

“The full price.” It has been claimed that this represents a Hittite techncial term.

Continues after advertising

See also Genesis 23:7-9 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - 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.”...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 23 THE DEATH OF SARAH _ 1. Sarah dies (Genesis 23:1)_ 2. The grave obtained (Genesis 23:3) 3. The burial of Sarah (Genesis 23:19) We call the attention to the typical meaning of the death

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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 characteristi...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _bowed himself_ Abraham's humble demeanour towards the people of the land doubtless conforms to the elaborate usages of Oriental bargaining. But it is also probably here emphatically recorded as indic...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PART THIRTY-FIVE THE STORY OF ABRAHAM: HIS PROVISIONS FOR POSTERITY Genesis 23:1 to Genesis 25:18 1. _Provision of a Burial Place_ (Genesis 23:1-20) 1 And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND ABRAHAM STOOD UP, AND BOWED HIMSELF TO THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND, EVEN TO THE CHILDREN OF HETH._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DEATH OF SARAH AND PURCHASE OF THE BURYINGPLACE OF MACHPELAH BY ABRAHAM This section is from the Priestly source and dwells on the legal transaction....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 23 ABRAHAM BUYS A FIELD V1 Sarah lived for 127 years. That was the number of years of her life. V2 Sarah died in Kiriath-arba in the country that...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יָּ֧קָם אַבְרָהָ֛ם וַ יִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ לְ עַם

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    PURCHASE OF MACHPELAH Genesis 23:1 IT may be supposed to be a needless observation that our life is greatly influenced by the fact that it speedily and certainly ends in death. But it might be intere...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    ABRAHAM BUYS A BURIAL PLACE Genesis 23:1 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...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    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 th...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    SARAH'S DEATH Sarah died in Kirjath Arba, which was known to the Jews as Hebron, at the age of one hundred twenty-seven (Genesis 23:1-2). Peter considers her to be the mother of all faithful women who...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Bowed down to the people. Adoravit, literally, adored. But this word here, as well as in many other places in the Latin Scriptures, is used to signify only an inferior honour and reverence paid to me...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. Observe, Abraham considered himself but a wayfaring man, whilst others thought him a prince. See Luke...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have had hitherto God's account of that which He had made; then the trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine mercy in Christ the Lord. We have had in fine the judgment of...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    7._And Abraham stood up_. He declines the favor offered by the Hittites, as, some suppose, with this design, that he might not lay himself under obligation to them in so small a matter. But he rather...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 22, 23, AND 24. But on this introduction of the heir, he necessarily becomes the main subject; and chapter 22 opens with it: "It came to pass after these thin...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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 persona...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, [even] to the children of Heth. Ver. 7. _Abraham stood up and bowed himself, &c._] It is very comely in Christians to salute willing...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Abraham bowed himself_ Thus returning them thanks for their kind offer, with all proper decency and respect. Religion not only allows, but requires civility and good manners, and those gestures which...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The age and death of Sarah. 3 The purchase of Machpelah, 19 where Sarah was buried. 1 AND Sarah was an hundred and seuen and twenty yeeres olde: these were the yeeres of the life of Sarah. 2 And...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. This ceremonial, rising and bowing, on the part of Abraham signified that he deeply appreciated their co...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    ABRAHAM NEGOTIATES FOR A BURIAL-PLACE....

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    ELEVENTH SECTION _The 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....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF SARAH The time arrives for Sarah's death at the age of 127 years. This illustrates another lesson as regards the aftermath of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. Sarah is typical...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-13 The longest life must shortly come to a close. Blessed be God that there is a world where sin, death, vanity, and vexation cannot enter. Blessed be his name, that even death cannot part believer...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    i.e. Showed a civil respect to them in testimony of his thankfulness. Religion allows and requires civility, and those gestures which express it. TO THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND; to the governors of the peo...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    This little section of inspiration furnishes much sweet and profitable instruction to the soul. In it the Holy Spirit sets before us a beautiful exhibition of the mode in which the man of faith should...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 23:7 Abraham H85 up H6965 (H8799) bowed H7812 (H8691) people H5971 land H776 sons H1121 Heth...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Death of Sarah. Burial in cave of Machpelah. CHARACTERS: Sarah, Abraham, sons of Heth, Ephron. CONCLUSION: Although the man of faith knows that in the resurrection glory he shall be heir to...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 23:4. _A burying-place._ Abraham believed in a future state; therefore he, as well as the other patriarchs, buried his dead. Joseph, actuated by this belief, gave commandment for his bones to...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Abraham buried Sarah his wife_ ABRAHAM BURYING HIS DEAD I. CONSIDER HIM AS A MAN. II. CONSIDER HIM AS A MAN OF BUSINESS. 1. His independence (Genesis 23:4; Genesis 23:6). 2. His exactness ...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 23:1 Upon the death of Sarah, Abraham buys a cave in Hebron as a burial place. By acquiring this land, Abraham confirms that his descendants are to be associated with the land...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    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 Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 23:1 AND SARAH WAS AN HUNDRED AND SEVEN AND TWENTY YEARS OLD (literally, and _the lives of Sarah were an hundred and twenty and seven years_);_ _so that Isaac must have been thirty...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And so Sarah was a hundred and twenty-seven years old. And she died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah (Genesis 23:1-2), Now evidently Abrah...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Genesis 18:2 Genesis 19:1 Proverbs 18:24 Romans 12:17 Romans 12:18

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Abraham returns them thanks for their kind offer, with all possible decency and respect. Religion teaches good manners, and those abuse it that place it in rudeness and clownishness....

Continues after advertising