Genesis 23:9-11

New English Translation

⁹if 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.”

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Footnotes

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.”

Genesis 23:9-11

New International Version

⁹so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah,^(A) which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”

¹⁰Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites^(B) who had come to the gate^(C) of his city. ¹¹“No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give^[a]^(D) you the field, and I give^[b] you the cave that is in it. I give^[c] it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”