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Genesis 23:9-11
New English Translation
Genesis 23:9-11
New English Translation
9 if he will sell[a] me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me publicly[b] for the full price,[c] so that I may own it as a burial site.”
10 (Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth.) Ephron the Hittite[d] replied to Abraham in the hearing[e] of the sons of Heth—before all who entered the gate[f] of his city— 11 “No, my lord! Hear me out. I sell[g] you both the field and the cave that is in it.[h] In the presence of my people[i] I sell it to you. Bury your dead.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 23:9 tn Heb “give.” This is used here (also a second time later in this verse) as an idiom for “sell”; see the note on the word “grant” in v. 4.
- Genesis 23:9 tn Heb “in your presence.”
- Genesis 23:9 tn Heb “full silver.”
- Genesis 23:10 tn The Hebrew term is “Hittite,” but see the note on the name “Heth” in v. 3.
- Genesis 23:10 tn Heb “ears.” By metonymy the “ears” stand for the presence or proximity (i.e., within earshot) of the persons named.
- Genesis 23:10 sn On the expression all who entered the gate see E. A. Speiser, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate,” BASOR 144 (1956): 20-23; and G. Evans, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate: A Discussion of Professor Speiser’s Paper,” BASOR 150 (1958): 28-33.
- Genesis 23:11 tn Heb “give.” The perfect tense has here a present nuance; this is a formal, legally binding declaration. Abraham asked only for a burial site/cave within the field; Ephron agrees to sell him the entire field.
- Genesis 23:11 tn The Hebrew text adds “to you I give [i.e., sell] it.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 23:11 tn Heb “in the presence of the sons of my people.”
New English Translation (NET)
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