New International Version
Genesis 23:6
6“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.”
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.
- 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.”
- 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 foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.” 5The Hittites replied to Abraham, “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.” 7Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. 8He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf
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 as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
- Genesis 24:18“Drink, my lord,” she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
- Genesis 31:35Rachel said to her father, “Don’t be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I’m having my period.” So he searched but could not find the household gods.
- Genesis 32:4He instructed them: “This is what you are to say to my lord Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now.
- Genesis 42:10“No, my lord,” they answered. “Your servants have come to buy food.
- Genesis 44:5Isn’t this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.’ ”
- Exodus 32:22“Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil.
- Ruth 2:13“May I continue to find favor in your eyes, my lord,” she said. “You have put me at ease by speaking kindly to your servant—though I do not have the standing of one of your servants.”
- Genesis 21:22At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do.
- Isaiah 45:14This is what the Lord says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and those tall Sabeans— they will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you, coming over to you in chains. They will bow down before you and plead with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.’ ”
- 1 John 3:1See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
- Genesis 13:2Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.
- Genesis 14:14When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
- Genesis 24:35The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He 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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