God’s Word Translation
Genesis 23:3
3Then Abraham left the side of his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites,
Genesis 23:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,
- New International Version (NIV)Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said,
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
Context of Genesis 23:3
1Sarah lived to be 127 years old. This was the length of her life. 2She died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to cry about her death. Then Abraham left the side of his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites, 4“I’m a stranger with no permanent home. Let me have some of your property for a tomb so that I can bury my dead wife.” 5The Hittites answered Abraham,
Read all of Genesis 23Genesis 23:3 word by word
וַיָּ֙קָם֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֣י מֵת֑וֹ וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אֶל־בְּנֵי־חֵ֖ת לֵאמֹֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 23:3
- Genesis 23:5The Hittites answered Abraham,
- Genesis 10:15Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, then Heth,
- Genesis 25:10This was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah.
- Genesis 27:46Rebekah said to Isaac, “I can’t stand Hittite women! If Jacob marries a Hittite woman like one of those from around here, I might as well die.”
- Genesis 49:30Abraham bought the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, east of Mamre in Canaan, from Ephron the Hittite to use as a tomb.
- 1 Samuel 26:6David asked Ahimelech the Hittite and Abishai, who was Zeruiah’s son and Joab’s brother, “Who will go with me to Saul in the camp?” Abishai answered, “I’ll go with you.”
- 2 Samuel 23:39Uriah the Hittite— 37 in all.
Commentaries on Genesis 23:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Abraham stood up from before his dead - He had probably sat on the ground some days in token of sorrow, as the custom then was, (see Tobit 2:12, 13; Isaiah 47:1; and Genesis 37:35;); and when this time was finished he arose and began to treat about a burying place.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. 3-4Abraham negotiated with local Hittite elders to buy land for a burial site. These Hittites had moved south to Canaan from the large Hittite empire in what is now Turkey (compare 10:15). Abraham was a foreigner and an outsider among them. But he trusted God's promise that he would eventually own the land.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 23:3
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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