Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Genesis 23:17

So the field of Ephron This and the following verses contain, in language of legal minuteness, the description of the purchase. The sentence probably represents the form of a deed of sale, such as was included in Hebrew contracts. Similar minute details are found in Babylonian legal deeds of sale. Notice the particular mention of "the field," "the cave," "all the trees," "all the border," "made sure," "in the presence of," "all that went in at the gate of his city."

before Mamre i.e. "in front of" = "to the east of," as in Genesis 23:19, cf. Genesis 16:12; Genesis 25:18; Numbers 21:11; Deuteronomy 32:49 ("over against"). For Mamre, a locality either identified with, or contiguous to, Hebron, cf. Genesis 13:18; Genesis 35:27.

Continues after advertising

See also Genesis 23:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 23:17. _ALL THE TREES THAT WERE IN THE FIELD_] It is possible that all these were specified in the agreement....

  • 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...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 38 ABRAHAM PURCHASING A BURYING-PLACE IN CANAAN Genesis 23:17. And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the care which was therein, and all th...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    WHICH WAS IN MACHPELAH— Houbigant is of opinion, that the original word rendered Machpelah, refers to the field, not to the cave; and he renders the passage, _possessio agri Ephron, qui erat in eo fle...

  • 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 THE FIELD OF EPHRON, WHICH WAS IN MACHPELAH, WHICH WAS BEFORE MAMRE, THE FIELD, AND THE CAVE WHICH WAS THEREIN, AND ALL THE TREES THAT WERE IN THE FIELD, THAT WERE IN ALL THE BORDERS ROUND ABOUT,...

  • 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...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BEFORE MAMRE. — That is, opposite to it. The Haram wherein the bodies of Abraham and Sarah lie, is situated on the eastern side of the valley, so that Abraham’s oak-grove must have been on its western...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יָּ֣קָם ׀ שְׂדֵ֣ה עֶפְרֹ֗ון אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּ †...

  • 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...

  • 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 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 THE FIELD OF EPHRON, WHICH [WAS] IN MACHPELAH,.... This clearly shows that Machpelah is the proper name of a place or tract of ground, and not an appellative, or to be rendered the double cave, si...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And the field of Ephron, which [was] in Machpelah, which [was] before Mamre, the field, and the cave which [was] therein, and all the trees that [were] in the field, that [were] in all the borders rou...

  • 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

    The Burial of Sarah...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about,...

  • 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

    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 f...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    No text from Poole on this verse....

  • 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 23:17 field H7704 Ephron H6085 Machpelah H4375 before H6440 Mamre H4471 field H7704 cave H4631 trees H6086

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the border of it round about,...

  • 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 23:17 MAMRE. See note on 13:18. ⇐...

  • 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

    the field. Genesis 23:20 Genesis 25:9 Genesis 49:30 Genesis 50:13 Acts 7:1

Continues after advertising