Genesis 23:9 kjv
That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.
Genesis 23:9 nkjv
that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, as property for a burial place among you."
Genesis 23:9 niv
so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, 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."
Genesis 23:9 esv
that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as property for a burying place."
Genesis 23:9 nlt
to let me buy his cave at Machpelah, down at the end of his field. I will pay the full price in the presence of witnesses, so I will have a permanent burial place for my family."
Genesis 23 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD... | God's promise of the land to Abraham's descendants. |
| Gen 13:15 | "For all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever." | Reaffirmation of the perpetual land promise. |
| Gen 15:18-21 | On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your offspring I give this land..." | Formal covenant grant of the land. |
| Gen 17:8 | "And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession..." | Land as an everlasting possession. |
| Gen 23:4 | "I am a sojourner and resident alien among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight." | Abraham's status as an alien needing to purchase land. |
| Gen 23:16 | Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named... | Abraham paying the precise amount requested. |
| Acts 7:5 | "Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession..." | Stephen's sermon on Abraham having no inherited land. |
| Heb 11:9-10 | By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign country, living in tents... For he was looking forward to the city... | Abraham's faith as a sojourner awaiting God's city. |
| Heb 11:13 | These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar... | Patriarchs as pilgrims not yet possessing promises. |
| Gen 49:29-32 | "I am about to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite... | Jacob's specific instruction to be buried in Machpelah. |
| Gen 50:13 | They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah... | Fulfillment of Jacob's burial in Machpelah. |
| Gen 25:9 | Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah... | Abraham's burial in the purchased tomb. |
| Gen 35:29 | And Isaac breathed his last and died...and Esau and Jacob his sons buried him. | Isaac buried near his parents (implied Machpelah). |
| Jer 32:6-9 | "Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, 'Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours... | Jeremiah purchasing a field to demonstrate future hope and ownership. |
| Ruth 4:7-10 | Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging... Boaz bought all that belonged to Elimelech... | Illustration of ancient Near Eastern land transfer and redemption. |
| Lev 25:23 | "The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with me." | Theological statement on God's ultimate ownership of land. |
| Phil 3:20 | But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ... | Believer's ultimate citizenship is heavenly, resonating with Abraham's pilgrimage. |
| Eph 2:19 | So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God... | Believers are integrated into God's family, no longer sojourners. |
| 1 Cor 6:19-20 | Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you... you are not your own, for you were bought with a price... | Our bodies "bought with a price" - reflecting costly possession. |
| Gen 33:19 | From the sons of Hamor, Shechem's father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he pitched his tent. | Jacob also purchased a plot of land for dwelling/burial. |
Genesis 23 verses
Genesis 23 9 Meaning
Genesis 23:9 records Abraham's formal request to the sons of Heth for a specific piece of land—the cave of Machpelah—located at the end of Ephron's field. He explicitly offers to pay the "full price" for this cave, intending it to serve as a permanent burial ground, an "ahuzat qever" (a possession for a burying place), within their territory. This act underscores Abraham's need for a dedicated, legally owned burial plot for Sarah, and implicitly for himself and his descendants, establishing the very first land ownership for his lineage in the promised land.Genesis 23 9 Context
Genesis chapter 23 recounts the death of Sarah, Abraham's beloved wife, in Hebron (also called Kirjath-arba). At 127 years old, she is the only woman in Scripture whose age at death is specified. Her passing compels Abraham, who is described as a "sojourner and resident alien" (Gen 23:4) in the land God promised him, to secure a burial place. The preceding verses highlight Abraham's mourning and his formal approach to the local inhabitants, the Hittites, requesting to purchase a specific property for a permanent family tomb. This verse, Gen 23:9, details Abraham's clear and explicit proposition to Ephron the Hittite, setting the stage for a formal negotiation and land transaction that establishes the first actual piece of promised land legally owned by Abraham's family. It foreshadows the eventual fulfillment of God's land promise, beginning with a personal, costly purchase.Genesis 23 9 Word Analysis
- That he may give me: (וְיִתֶּן־לִ֛י - ve-yitten-li) From the Hebrew verb nathan (נָתַן), "to give." This indicates Abraham's humble, deferential request, rather than a demand. It aligns with ancient Near Eastern customs of polite, indirect negotiation for land, showing respect to the landholders.
- the cave of Machpelah: (מְעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֗ה - m'arat ha-Machpelah)
m'arat(מְעָרַת): "cave," specifically a grotto or underground cavity, often used for burial in ancient times.Machpelah(הַמַּכְפֵּלָה): A proper noun, likely meaning "double" or "portion." Its precise architectural meaning is debated (perhaps a double cave, or a cave with an antechamber). It became the sacred burial place for Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah. This specific identification is crucial as it would become a permanent landmark of Abraham's presence in the land.
- which he has: (אֲשֶׁר־ל֥וֹ - asher-lo) "which is his," confirming ownership. Abraham knows precisely whose property he is seeking to acquire, showing an awareness of property rights and the owner's legal claim.
- which is at the end of his field: (אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּקְצֵ֖ה שָׂדֵ֑הוּ - asher biqtseh sadehahu)
biqtseh(בִּקְצֵה): "at the end," "at the extremity of." This detail specifies the exact location within Ephron's larger property. This level of detail in a transaction ensured clear boundaries and prevented future disputes.sadeh(שָׂדֵהוּ): "field." The field implies the agricultural land surrounding the cave, making it part of a larger valuable estate. This suggests that the cave was not an isolated feature but integral to a larger piece of property.
- For its full price: (בְּכֶ֨סֶף מָלֵ֜א - b'keseph maleh)
keseph(כֶּסֶף): "silver," which was the common currency for significant transactions.maleh(מָלֵא): "full," "complete." This emphasizes Abraham's insistence on paying the entire, fair market value without seeking a discount or gift. It underscores his integrity and desire for undisputed, legal ownership, not a benefaction that could later be revoked. It set a precedent of just payment for property.
- he shall give it to me: (יִתְּנֶ֤נָּה לִּי֙ - yitnenna li) "he should give it to me." Repetition of the verb "to give," solidifying the request for transfer of ownership.
- as a possession: (לַאֲחֻזַּת־קֶ֖בֶר - la'ahuzat-qever)
'ahuzah(אֲחֻזַּת): "a possession," "permanent holding," "property," often used for a permanent family inheritance. This term is weighty. Abraham sought not merely temporary use, but lasting ownership that would descend through his family, foundational for his descendants inheriting the broader land.qever(קֶבֶר): "grave," "burial place."
- for a burying place: (לַאֲחֻזַּת־קֶ֖בֶר - la'ahuzat-qever) "as a possession for a grave." This clarifies the specific purpose of the acquisition. It was not for agricultural use, but for a permanent family sepulchre, highlighting the significance of ancestral burial in ancient Near Eastern culture and its spiritual importance for the future.
- in your midst: (בְּתוֹכְכֶֽם - b'tokh'chem) "in your midst," "among you." This indicates that Abraham sought this possession specifically within the existing landholding and legal framework of the local Hittite community. It publicly cements his family's right to this specific parcel within their established territory.