English Standard Version
Genesis 23:6
6"Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb to hinder you from burying your dead."
Genesis 23:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.
- New International Version (NIV)“Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“Listen, my lord, you are an honored prince among us. Choose the finest of our tombs and bury her there. No one here will refuse to help you in this way.”
Context of Genesis 23:6
4"I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight." 5The Hittites answered Abraham, "Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb to hinder you from burying your dead." 7Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. 8And he said to them, "If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar,
Read all of Genesis 23Genesis 23:6 word by word
שְׁמָעֵ֣נוּ׀ אֲדֹנִ֗י נְשִׂ֨יא אֱלֹהִ֤ים אַתָּה֙ בְּתוֹכֵ֔נוּ בְּמִבְחַ֣ר קְבָרֵ֔ינוּ קְבֹ֖ר אֶת־מֵתֶ֑ךָ אִ֣ישׁ מִמֶּ֔נּוּ אֶת־קִבְר֛וֹ לֹֽא־יִכְלֶ֥ה מִמְּךָ֖ מִקְּבֹ֥ר מֵתֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Hear usשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- a mightyאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- princeנָשִׂיאnâώîy' nâώi' · leaderH5387
- among usתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- in the choiceמִבְחָרmibchâr · bestH4005
- of our sepulchresקֶ֫בֶרqeber qibrâh · graveH6913
- buryקָבַרqâbar · to buryH6912
- thy deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- noneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- noneלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- of us shall withholdכָּלָאkâlâ' · to restrainH3607
Cross-references for Genesis 23:6
- Genesis 18:12So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?"
- Genesis 24:18She said, "Drink, my lord." And she quickly let down her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink.
- Genesis 31:35And she said to her father, "Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me." So he searched but did not find the household gods.
- Genesis 32:4instructing them, "Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, 'I have sojourned with Laban and stayed until now.
- Genesis 42:10They said to him, "No, my lord, your servants have come to buy food.
- Genesis 44:5Is it not from this that my lord drinks, and by this that he practices divination? You have done evil in doing this.'"
- Exodus 32:22And Aaron said, "Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
- Ruth 2:13Then she said, "I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants."
- Genesis 21:22At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do.
- Isaiah 45:14Thus says the Lord: "The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: 'Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him.'"
- 1 John 3:1See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
- Genesis 13:2Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
- Genesis 14:14When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
- Genesis 24:35The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys.
Commentaries on Genesis 23:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Thou art a mighty prince - אלהים נשיא nesi Elohim, a prince of God - a person whom we know to be Divinely favored, and whom, in consequence, we deeply respect and reverence.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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5-6sir. You are God's chosen one (or prince; Hebrew my lord, you are a lifted up one of God): Either Abraham was well-respected by these people, or they were politely asking for his generosity. Bury your dead in the finest: They were ready to fulfill his request, especially if it meant they could legally bind him to themselves (23:11).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 23:6
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries