Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land New Living Translation Abraham again bowed low before the citizens of the land, English Standard Version Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. Berean Standard Bible Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land King James Bible And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. New King James Version Then Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land; New American Standard Bible And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. NASB 1995 And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. NASB 1977 And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. Legacy Standard Bible And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. Amplified Bible Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. Christian Standard Bible Abraham bowed down to the people of the land Holman Christian Standard Bible Abraham bowed down to the people of the land American Standard Version And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. Contemporary English Version Once again, Abraham bowed down English Revised Version And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. GOD'S WORD® Translation Abraham bowed down again in front of the people of that region. Good News Translation But Abraham bowed before the Hittites International Standard Version Abraham bowed before the people of the land Majority Standard Bible Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land NET Bible Abraham bowed before the local people New Heart English Bible Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. Webster's Bible Translation And Abraham bowed himself before the people of the land. World English Bible Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd Abraham bows himself before the people of the land, Young's Literal Translation And Abraham boweth himself before the people of the land, Smith's Literal Translation And Abraham will bow himself down before the face of the people of the land. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAbraham bowed down before the people of the land, Catholic Public Domain Version Abraham reverenced in the sight of the people of the land. New American Bible But Abraham, after bowing low before the people of the land, New Revised Standard Version Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. Brenton Septuagint Translation And Abraam did obeisance before the people of the land. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Death and Burial of Sarah…11“No, my lord. Listen to me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.” 12Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land 13and said to Ephron in their presence, “If you will please listen to me, I will pay you the price of the field. Accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there.”… Cross References Genesis 18:2 And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground. Genesis 33:3 But Jacob himself went on ahead and bowed to the ground seven times as he approached his brother. Genesis 44:14 When Judah and his brothers arrived at Joseph’s house, he was still there, and they fell to the ground before him. Genesis 50:18 His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!” Exodus 18:7 So Moses went out to meet his father-in-law and bowed down and kissed him. They greeted each other and went into the tent. Ruth 2:10 At this, she fell on her face, bowing low to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you should take notice of me, even though I am a foreigner?” 1 Samuel 24:8 After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence 1 Samuel 25:23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him. 2 Samuel 14:4 When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell facedown in homage and said, “Help me, O king!” 2 Samuel 24:20 When Araunah looked out and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, he went out and bowed facedown before the king. 1 Kings 1:16 And Bathsheba bowed down in homage to the king, who asked, “What is your desire?” 2 Kings 4:37 She came in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground. Then she picked up her son and went out. Matthew 2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 8:2 Suddenly a leper came and knelt before Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Matthew 18:26 Then the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Have patience with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ Treasury of Scripture And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. See Genesis 23:7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. Genesis 18:2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, Genesis 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; Jump to Previous Abraham Bowed Boweth FaceJump to Next Abraham Bowed Boweth FaceGenesis 23 1. The age and death of Sarah.3. The purchase of the field and cave of Machpelah; 19. where Sarah is buried. Again Abraham bowed down This phrase indicates a repeated action, emphasizing Abraham's humility and respect. In the cultural context of the ancient Near East, bowing was a common gesture of respect and submission, especially in negotiations or when seeking favor. Abraham's repeated bowing shows his earnestness and sincerity in his dealings with the Hittites. This act of bowing can also be seen as a reflection of Abraham's character, demonstrating his humility despite his wealth and status. It is reminiscent of other biblical figures who showed humility, such as Joseph before Pharaoh (Genesis 41:16) and Daniel before King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2:27-28). before the people of the land Persons / Places / Events 1. AbrahamThe patriarch of the Israelites, known for his faith and obedience to God. In this chapter, he is negotiating for a burial site for his wife, Sarah. 2. The People of the Land Refers to the Hittites, the inhabitants of the region where Abraham is residing. They are involved in the negotiation for the burial site. 3. Sarah's Death The event that prompts Abraham to seek a burial site, marking a significant moment in the account of Abraham's life. 4. The Land of Canaan The promised land where Abraham is living as a foreigner, highlighting the tension between God's promises and Abraham's current reality. 5. The Cave of Machpelah The burial site Abraham seeks to purchase, which becomes a significant family burial place for the patriarchs. Teaching Points Humility in NegotiationAbraham's act of bowing down shows respect and humility, even when he is in a position to demand. This teaches us the importance of humility in our interactions with others. Faith in God's Promises Despite owning no land, Abraham's actions demonstrate his faith in God's promise. We are reminded to trust in God's promises, even when they seem distant. Respect for Others Abraham's respectful approach to the Hittites highlights the importance of treating others with dignity, regardless of our own status or God's promises to us. The Significance of Burial The care Abraham takes in securing a burial site for Sarah underscores the importance of honoring our loved ones in death, reflecting our hope in the resurrection. Living as Foreigners Abraham's status as a foreigner in Canaan parallels the Christian experience of living in the world but not being of it, encouraging us to live with an eternal perspective.(12) Abraham bowed down.--This obeisance on the patriarch's part is the Oriental method of returning thanks for the granting of a request; and so in Genesis 23:7. The next step is to fix the price.Verses 12, 13. - And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. To express his sense of their kindness, and appreciation of Ephron's offer in particular; aider which he courteously but firmly urged forward the contemplated purchase. And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me. Literally, if thou, I would that thou wouldst hear me, the two particles אִם and לוּ being conjoined to express the intensity of the speaker's desire. I will give thee money for the field. Literally, money of the field, i.e. the value of the field in money. This seems to indicate that Abraham at least imagined Ephron's offer of the field and cave as a gift to be not wholly formal. Had he regarded Ephron as all the while desirous of a sale, he would not have employed the language of entreaty. Take it of me, and I will bury my dead there. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Again Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֔ם (’aḇ·rā·hām) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 85: Abraham -- 'exalted father', the father of the Jewish nation bowed down וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ (way·yiš·ta·ḥū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7812: To depress, prostrate before לִפְנֵ֖י (lip̄·nê) Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct Strong's 6440: The face the people עַ֥ם (‘am) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock of the land הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (hā·’ā·reṣ) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land Links Genesis 23:12 NIVGenesis 23:12 NLT Genesis 23:12 ESV Genesis 23:12 NASB Genesis 23:12 KJV Genesis 23:12 BibleApps.com Genesis 23:12 Biblia Paralela Genesis 23:12 Chinese Bible Genesis 23:12 French Bible Genesis 23:12 Catholic Bible OT Law: Genesis 23:12 Abraham bowed himself down before the people (Gen. Ge Gn) |
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