Free Bible Commentary
“Genesis 23:10-16”
Categories: Genesis“Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth; even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, 'No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you; bury your dead.' And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, 'If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field, accept it from me that I may bury my dead there.' Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 'My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.' Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, commercial standard.'”
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“Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth...” (verse 10) Abraham had his sights set on a certain cave in the in the field of Machpelah as a burial plot for his dearly departed wife, and it was owned by a man named “Ephron the son of Zohar” (verses 8-9) “The Bible rarely records the father's name in the case of a non-Israelite. The present exception suggests that Ephron was a man of nobility.” (Nahum Sarna) “Note that Ephron refers to 'my people,' and that the city is called 'his city' (Genesis 23:10,11). Ephron must be understood as one of the city fathers.” (James Burton Coffman)
The Cave of Machpelah – “That is, the double cave, consisting probably of an outer and an inner compartment. As the land around is also called 'the field of Machpelah' (Genesis 49:30; Genesis 50:13), some imagine that it was the valley that was double; but more probably it took its name from the cavern.” (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers) “Machpelah, which seems to be the proper name of the place, Genesis 23:17,19, so called from its duplicity, because the cave was double, either one for men, and another for women; or the one served only for an entrance into the other, which was the burying-place.” (Matthew Poole's Commentary)
“'No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it.” (verse 11) Ephron, out of respect for Abraham or as a means to open up the bargaining process, offered to give the patriarch not only the cave as a burial site for Sarah, but also the field in which it was located. “And Abraham bowed before the people of the land” (verse 12), most likely as a gesture of mutual respect and great appreciation for the generous offer.
“He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land...” (verse 12) This transaction was not only witnessed by the whole community, but they actually participated in the proceedings. The selling or exchange of a plot of land directly impacted the surrounding community, and especially when the recipient was a foreigner such as Abraham was. “At work there is a profound and complex emotional attachment to the estate, an emotion that is shaped by a powerful feeling of continuity with one's forebears and a compelling sense of responsibility toward one's family, clan, and posterity. The land is looked upon as an ancestral trust. All this is reinforced by the strong influence of communal solidarity, the consciousness that disposal of real estate to an alien may upset the local demographic balance, impair social cohesion, and weaken the community in its relationship with neighboring cities and tribes.” (Nahum Sarna)
Verses 13-15 – “Abraham wishes to ensure that his purchase is final and irrevocable, his ownership absolute and incontestable. For these reasons, he refuses a gift: donations are notoriously insecure in law. They may be challenged by heirs or by other members of the family or community, or even by the donor himself should his goodwill wane. Only a payment that is manifestly accepted by the seller of his own volition ensures the unchallengeable nature of the transaction. This is why Ephron, not Abraham, must first state the price and why, once that is done, there is no further bargaining.” (Nahum Sarna)
“Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, commercial standard.” (verse 16) Ephron said to Abraham concerning the price he offered in a nonchalant way, “what is that between me and you” (verse 15). Even if this amount had constituted a large sum of money, it was of no great significance between two distinguished, wealthy and influential men such as these two princely figures and friends. The shekel was a unit of weight and not a specimen of coinage, so Abraham weighed out the silver in accordance with the standardized weight for typical business transactions carried out at that particular place and time. The great matriarch of our faith now had a suitable burial sight for a woman of her stature and significance, and Abraham now had a personal and private stake in the promised land and a foothold for future generations of God's people to rightfully expand upon. This episode provided for a burial and so much more! This seemingly insignificant event was a pivotal procedure in the implementation of God's greater plans for all humanity!
Please read Genesis 23:17-20 for tomorrow.
- Louie Taylor
