Genesis 23:18

Genesis 23:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.
• New International Version (NIV)to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city.
• English Standard Version (ESV)to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
• New Living Translation (NLT)It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate.

Context of Genesis 23:18

16And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants. 17So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.

Genesis 23:18 word by word

לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְמִקְנָ֖ה לְעֵינֵ֣י בְנֵי־חֵ֑ת בְּכֹ֖ל בָּאֵ֥י שַֽׁעַר־עִירֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Unto Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
• for a possessionמִקְנָהmiqnâh · purchaseH4736
• in the presenceעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: before(the eyes)H5869
• of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Hethחֵתchêth · HethH2845
• before all that went inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• at the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• of his cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892

Cross-references for Genesis 23:18

• Genesis 34:20And Hamor and Shechem his son came to the gate of their city, and spoke with the men of their city, saying:
• Ruth 4:1Now Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there; and behold, the close relative of whom Boaz had spoken came by. So Boaz said, “Come aside, friend, sit down here.” So he came aside and sat down.
• Jeremiah 32:12and I gave the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison.

Commentaries on Genesis 23:18

• 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
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-20Verses 14-20 Prudence, as well as justice, directs us to be fair and open in our dealings; cheating bargains will not bear the light. Abraham, without fraud or delay, pays the money. He pays it at once in full, without keeping any part back; and by weight, current money with the merchant, without deceit. See how anciently money was used for the help of trade, and how honestly it should be paid when it is due. Though all the land of Canaan was Abraham by…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-20Abraham paid the full amount and completed the deal. He avoided debt by not accepting gifts from the people (compare 14:21–24). The Hittite elders witnessed the deal, ensuring no one could dispute Abraham's ownership of the land. The transaction happened at the city gate, where they conducted public legal and business matters (see 19:1). The land became Abraham's permanent property, a first step toward God's promise to give him the land. God had not yet…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 23:18

• Abraham
• Cave
• Contracts
• Heth
• Hittites
• Land
• Machpelah
• Property
• Witness

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Burial
• Cave
• Choice
• Cunning
• Field
• Hebron
• Heth
• Hittites
• Machpelah

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