New English Translation
Genesis 23:6
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 23:6 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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)"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."
- 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.”
Context of Genesis 23:6
4“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, “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.” 7Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people, the sons of Heth. 8Then he said to them, “If you agree that I may bury my dead, then hear me out. Ask 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, thinking, “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?”
- Genesis 24:18“Drink, my lord,” she replied, and quickly lowering her jug to her hands, she gave him a drink.
- Genesis 31:35Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord. I cannot stand up in your presence because I am having my period.” So he searched thoroughly, but did not find the idols.
- Genesis 32:4He commanded them, “This is what you must say to my lord Esau: ‘This is what your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban until now.
- Genesis 42:10But they exclaimed, “No, my lord! Your servants have come to buy grain for food!
- Genesis 44:5Doesn’t my master drink from this cup and use it for divination? You have done wrong!’”
- Exodus 32:22Aaron said, “Do not let your anger burn hot, my lord; you know these people, that they tend to evil.
- Ruth 2:13She said, “You really are being kind to me, sir, for you have reassured and encouraged me, your servant, even 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 45:14This is what the Lord says: “The profit of Egypt and the revenue of Ethiopia, along with the Sabeans, those tall men, will be brought to you and become yours. They will walk behind you, coming along in chains. They will bow down to you and pray to you: ‘Truly God is with you; he has no peer; there is no other God!’”
- 1 John 3:1(See what sort of love the Father has given to us: that we should be called God’s children – and indeed we are! For this reason the world does not know us: because it did not know him.
- Genesis 13:2(Now Abram was very wealthy in livestock, silver, and gold.)
- Genesis 14:14When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he mobilized his 318 trained men who had been born in his household, and he pursued the invaders as far as Dan.
- Genesis 24:35“The Lord has richly blessed my master and he has become very wealthy. The Lord has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and 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
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