Genesis 23:4

Genesis 23:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
• New International Version (NIV)“I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)"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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)“I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

Context of Genesis 23:4

2Then she died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife and said to the sons of Heth, “I am a temporary settler among you. Grant me ownership of a burial site among you so that I may bury my dead.” 5The sons of Heth answered Abraham, 6“Listen, sir, you are a mighty prince among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you from burying your dead.”

Genesis 23:4 word by word

גֵּר־וְתוֹשָׁ֥ב אָנֹכִ֖י עִמָּכֶ֑ם תְּנ֨וּ לִ֤י אֲחֻזַּת־קֶ֙בֶר֙ עִמָּכֶ֔ם וְאֶקְבְּרָ֥ה מֵתִ֖י מִלְּפָנָֽי׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• a strangerגֵּרgêr gêyr · sojournerH1616
• and a sojournerתּוֹשָׁבtôshâb tôshâb · sojournerH8453
• with you: giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• me a possessionאֲחֻזָּה'ăchûzzâh · possessionH272
• of a buryingplaceקֶ֫בֶרqeber qibrâh · graveH6913
• with you, that I may buryקָבַרqâbar · to buryH6912
• my deadמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• out of my sightפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440

Cross-references for Genesis 23:4

• Genesis 17:8I will give the whole land of Canaan – the land where you are now residing – to you and your descendants after you as a permanent possession. I will be their God.”
• Genesis 47:9Jacob said to Pharaoh, “All the years of my travels are 130. All the years of my life have been few and painful; the years of my travels are not as long as those of my ancestors.”
• Leviticus 25:23The land must not be sold without reclaim because the land belongs to me, for you are foreigners and residents with me.
• 1 Chronicles 29:15For we are resident foreigners and nomads in your presence, like all our ancestors; our days are like a shadow on the earth, without security.
• Psalms 39:12Hear my prayer, O Lord! Listen to my cry for help! Do not ignore my sobbing! For I am dependent on you, like one residing outside his native land; I am at your mercy, just as all my ancestors were.
• Psalms 105:12When they were few in number, just a very few, and resident aliens within it,
• Psalms 119:19I am like a foreigner in this land. Do not hide your commands from me!
• Hebrews 11:9By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise.
• 1 Peter 2:11Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul,
• Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return.”
• Genesis 49:30It is the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought for a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite.
• Genesis 50:13His sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. This is the field Abraham purchased as a burial plot from Ephron the Hittite.
• Job 30:23I know that you are bringing me to death, to the meeting place for all the living.
• Ecclesiastes 6:3Even if a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years – even if he lives a long, long time, but cannot enjoy his prosperity – even if he were to live forever – I would say, “A stillborn child is better off than he is!”
• Ecclesiastes 12:5and they are afraid of heights and the dangers in the street; the almond blossoms grow white, and the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caper berry shrivels up – because man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about in the streets –
• Acts 7:5He did not give any of it to him for an inheritance, not even a foot of ground, yet God promised to give it to him as his possession, and to his descendants after him, even though Abraham as yet had no child.

Commentaries on Genesis 23:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4I am a stranger and a sojourner - It appears from Hebrews 11:13-16; 1 Peter 2:11, that these words refer more to the state of his mind than of his body. He felt that he had no certain dwelling place, and was seeking by faith a city that had foundations. Give me a possession of a burying place - It has been remarked that in different nations it was deemed ignominious to be buried in another's ground; probably this prevailed in early times in the east, and…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 23:4

• Abraham
• Land

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Burial
• Cave
• Choice
• Cunning
• Field
• Hittites
• Machpelah
• Mourn
• Stranger

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