Genesis 23:10 kjv
And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,
Genesis 23:10 nkjv
Now Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the presence of the sons of Heth, all who entered at the gate of his city, saying,
Genesis 23:10 niv
Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city.
Genesis 23:10 esv
Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city,
Genesis 23:10 nlt
Ephron was sitting there among the others, and he answered Abraham as the others listened, speaking publicly before all the Hittite elders of the town.
Genesis 23 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 23:4 | "I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury..." | Abraham's initial request for land |
| Gen 23:16 | "Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing..." | Actual exchange of money with witnesses |
| Gen 49:29-32 | "...bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite...the cave of the field of Machpelah..." | Jacob's command for burial in the same cave |
| Gen 50:13 | "...carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought..." | Burial of Jacob in Machpelah |
| Josh 20:4 | "...when he flees to one of these cities, he shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain his case..." | City gate as a place of legal declaration |
| Deut 21:19 | "...then his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of his city," | City gate as the location for judicial assembly |
| Deut 22:15 | "...then the father of the young woman and her mother shall take and bring out the evidence of the young woman’s virginity to the elders of the city at the gate." | City gate for public legal testimony |
| Ruth 4:1-11 | "Now Boaz had gone up to the gate and sat down there... So Boaz said to the elders and all the people, 'You are witnesses this day..." | Redemption of land and marriage conducted at the city gate |
| 2 Sam 15:2-6 | "And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate... Whenever anyone had a grievance for judgment..." | City gate as a public forum for justice and disputes |
| Prov 31:23 | "Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land." | Respectable man's place among city elders |
| Job 29:7-9 | "When I went out to the gate, through the city, when I took my seat in the public square, the young men saw me and hid themselves..." | High status of those seated at the city gate |
| Zech 8:16 | "These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace." | Call for righteous judgment at the city gates |
| Jer 32:6-15 | "Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is in Anathoth...' and I bought the field from Hanameel..." | Jeremiah's public land purchase with witnesses |
| Lev 25:25-34 | (Laws concerning redemption of land and property) | Background on ancient Israelite land laws |
| Acts 7:16 | "...they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem." | Stephen referencing Abraham's land purchases |
| Heb 11:9-10 | "By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations..." | Abraham as a sojourner, contrast to earthly land |
| Psa 105:13 | "when they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people," | Israel's early history as sojourners |
| Gen 13:14-17 | "Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you..." | God's promise of the whole land to Abraham |
| 1 Cor 6:1-6 | (Admonition against suing believers before pagan judges) | Principle of public, just dispute resolution |
| Exod 18:13-26 | (Jethro's advice to Moses about establishing judges for the people) | System of local judges for disputes |
Genesis 23 verses
Genesis 23 10 Meaning
Genesis 23:10 describes the setting for a formal transaction. It specifies that Ephron the Hittite was seated among the elders and prominent citizens of Hebron at the city gate. This public assembly served as witnesses to the negotiation and ultimate sale of the cave of Machpelah from Ephron to Abraham. The verse highlights the legal transparency and communal approval necessary for such a significant land purchase in the ancient world.
Genesis 23 10 Context
Genesis chapter 23 recounts the death of Sarah, Abraham's wife, and his subsequent desire to acquire a proper burial place for her. Abraham, a sojourner in the land God had promised him, had no land of his own. He approached the local inhabitants, the Hittites (specifically the "children of Heth"), requesting to purchase a burying ground. The verse directly follows Abraham's petition and introduces Ephron, the landowner, as he prepares to respond in a publicly witnessed manner. The historical context involves ancient Near Eastern legal and social customs, where public transactions, especially land sales, were conducted at the city gate before elders and citizens to ensure legitimacy, transparency, and enforceability of the agreement.
Genesis 23 10 Word analysis
- Now Ephron: The proper name "Ephron" (עֶפְרוֹן, ‘ephron) is the owner of the desired land and the cave of Machpelah. His prominence among his people is implied.
- was sitting: The Hebrew word for "sitting" (יֹשֵׁב, yōshēv) suggests a posture of authority, or a formal position within a public assembly or council. Elders and officials would sit to conduct legal and civic affairs.
- among the children of Heth: (בְּנֵי־חֵת, b’nei-ḥeth) refers to the "sons of Heth," which denotes the Hittites. This phrase indicates the general assembly of prominent citizens, perhaps the elders or the ruling body of the community, serving as an audience and potential witnesses for public agreements.
- and Ephron the Hittite: Reinforces his identity and ethnic belonging to the group present.
- answered Abraham: Indicates Ephron's direct reply to Abraham's previous request (Gen 23:4). The negotiation process begins here.
- in the audience of / in the hearing of: (בְּאָזְנֵי, b'oznei, literally "in the ears of"). This emphasizes the public nature of the discussion. It means the transaction was not clandestine but transparently conducted with witnesses.
- the children of Heth: Repeated for emphasis, underscoring that this formal body or public group was indeed the primary audience and witnesses.
- even of all that went in at the gate of his city: (כֹּל בָּאֵי שַׁעַר עִירוֹ, kol ba'ei sha'ar 'iro) refers to the collective body of citizens or elders who frequented the city gate. The "city gate" was not just an entrance; it was the focal point of civic life in ancient Near Eastern cities, functioning as the primary location for legal judgments, commercial transactions, and public assemblies. This phrase indicates the highest level of public and legal scrutiny.
Genesis 23 10 Bonus section
The detailed account of this land transaction, particularly its public nature, contrasts with any possibility of fraudulent or secretive dealings. The narrative takes great pains to validate Abraham's legitimate purchase, which was essential for the inheritance claims of his descendants. The cave of Machpelah thus becomes a profoundly significant site, not merely for personal burial but as the first purchased possession of the Abrahamic line in the land promised by God. This legal acquisition served as an initial fulfillment of God's promise to give Abraham and his offspring all the land (Gen 13:15, Gen 15:18). It is a spiritual marker for future generations, rooting their claim to the land in an honorable and publicly witnessed deed. The etiquette displayed between Abraham and the Hittites also reflects the sophisticated diplomacy common in ancient cultures.
Genesis 23 10 Commentary
Genesis 23:10 is pivotal in establishing the legality and permanence of Abraham's acquisition of the cave of Machpelah. It vividly portrays the formal, public manner in which land transactions were conducted in the ancient Near East, particularly among the Hittites. Ephron's prominent position "sitting among" his people and his subsequent address "in the audience... of all that went in at the gate of his city" signifies that the sale was no private affair but a binding public act witnessed by the community's leading figures. This meticulously recorded detail validates Abraham's ownership and his legal foothold in the Promised Land, even if only a small plot for burial. It demonstrates Abraham's respect for local customs and his meticulous adherence to legal propriety, securing the lineage's claim to this specific piece of ground, a precursor to the nation of Israel's full inheritance.