Genesis 23:17

Genesis 23:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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, were made sure
• New International Version (NIV)So Ephron’s field in Machpelah near Mamre—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded
• English Standard Version (ESV)So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over
• New King James Version (NKJV)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, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded

Context of Genesis 23:17

15‘Listen to me, sir. The land is worth 400 shekels of silver. But the price is not important, because we are friends. Now bury your dead wife there.’ 16Abraham agreed to the price that Ephron had asked for. He weighed the correct amount of silver to give to Ephron. The Hittites there knew that it had been done properly. The weight of 400 shekels agreed with the weights that people used at that time. In that way, Ephron's field in Machpelah, near Mamre, now belonged to Abraham. This included the field, the cave in the field and all the trees in the field as far as its edge. 18All the Hittite people who were sitting there at the city gate agreed that Abraham was the new owner. 19After this, Abraham buried his wife, Sarah, in the cave in the field of Machpelah. This field was near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. That place is also called Hebron.

Genesis 23:17 word by word

וַיָּ֣קָם׀ שְׂדֵ֣ה עֶפְר֗וֹן אֲשֶׁר֙ בַּמַּכְפֵּלָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר לִפְנֵ֣י מַמְרֵ֑א הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְהַמְּעָרָ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־בּ֔וֹ וְכָל־הָעֵץ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּכָל־גְּבֻל֖וֹ סָבִֽיב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
• of Ephronעֶפְרוֹן‛ephrôn · EphronH6085
• in Machpelahמַכְפֵּלָהmakpêlâh · MachpelahH4375
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: eastH6440
• Mamreמַמְרֵאmamrê' · MamreH4471
• and the caveמְעָרָהme‛ârâh · caveH4631
• therein, and all the treesעֵץ‛êts · treeH6086
• in all the bordersגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
• round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · around: wholeH5439
• were made sureקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965

Cross-references for Genesis 23:17

• Genesis 23:20That is how Abraham bought the field and the cave that was in it from the Hittite people. He bought it so that he could bury there his family who died.
• Genesis 25:9His sons, Isaac and Ishmael, buried his body in the cave of Machpelah. That was near Mamre. The cave is in the field that belonged to Zohar's son, Ephron. He was a Hittite.
• Genesis 49:30The cave is at Machpelah, near Mamre in Canaan. Abraham bought this cave from Ephron as a place to bury his family.
• Genesis 50:13They carried his body to Canaan. They buried him there in the cave, in the field at Machpelah, near Mamre. That is the cave that Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite. He had bought it as a grave for him and for his family.
• Acts 7:16When the people of Israel left Egypt, they carried with them the dead bodies of Joseph and his family. They took them back to Shechem and they buried them in a hole for dead people there. Abraham had bought that ground in Shechem from the family of a man called Hamor. He had paid Hamor the right money for it.’
• Ruth 4:7In Israel at this time, when somebody agreed to sell land, he removed his shoe. He gave it to the man who was buying the land. Then everyone could see that they both agreed. They could not change their minds.
• Psalms 112:5People who are kind and lend money to others, and who work in an honest way, will enjoy a good life.
• Jeremiah 32:7‘Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, will come to visit you. He will say to you, “I want you to buy my field in Anathoth. The law says that I should offer it to you first, because you are my relative.” ’
• Matthew 10:16Jesus then said to his disciples, ‘Listen well. I am sending you to people who will want to kill you. You will be like sheep among wild animals. You must watch carefully, like snakes do. But you must also be good and kind like doves.
• Ephesians 5:15So you must be very careful how you live. Live like people who are wise. Do not live like fools.
• Colossians 4:5When you are with people who do not believe in Christ, be careful how you live. Use every chance to do good things.

Commentaries on Genesis 23:17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17All the trees that were in the field - It is possible that all these were specified in the agreement.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-20Verses 1-20 - 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.” צחר tshochar “Tsochar, whiteness.” 9. מכפלה makpêlâh “Makpelah, doubled.” The death and burial of Sarah are here recorded. This occasions the purchase of the field of Makpelah, in the cave of which is her sepulchre. Genesis 23:1-2 Sarah is the only woman whose age is recorded…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-20Verses 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 full, without keeping any part back; and by weight, current money with the merchant, without deceit. See how anciently money was used for the help of trade, and how honestly it should be paid when it is due. Though all the land of Canaan was Abraham by…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-20Abraham paid the full amount and completed the deal. He avoided debt by not accepting gifts from the people (compare 14:21–24). The Hittite elders witnessed the deal, ensuring no one could dispute Abraham's ownership of the land. The transaction happened at the city gate, where they conducted public legal and business matters (see 19:1). The land became Abraham's permanent property, a first step toward God's promise to give him the land. God had not yet…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-203. Abraham stood up, &c.--Eastern people are always provided with family burying-places; but Abraham's life of faith--his pilgrim state--had prevented him acquiring even so small a possession (Ac 7:5). spake unto the sons of Heth--He bespoke their kind offices to aid him in obtaining possession of a cave that belonged to Ephron--a wealthy neighbor.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 23:17

• Abraham
• Cave
• Ephron
• Hittites
• Land
• Machpelah
• Property
• Witness

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Burial
• Cave
• Choice
• Cunning
• Ephron
• Field
• Hebron
• Hittites
• Machpelah

Commentaries on Genesis 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings