Genesis 23:14
New International Version
Ephron answered Abraham,

New Living Translation
Ephron answered Abraham,

English Standard Version
Ephron answered Abraham,

Berean Standard Bible
Ephron answered Abraham,

King James Bible
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

New King James Version
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

New American Standard Bible
Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

NASB 1995
Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

NASB 1977
Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

Amplified Bible
Ephron replied to Abraham,

Christian Standard Bible
Ephron answered Abraham and said to him,

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Ephron answered Abraham and said to him, “

American Standard Version
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

English Revised Version
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Ephron answered Abraham,

Good News Translation
Ephron answered,

International Standard Version
So Ephron answered Abraham,

Majority Standard Bible
Ephron answered Abraham,

NET Bible
Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

New Heart English Bible
Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

Webster's Bible Translation
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

World English Bible
Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Ephron answers Abraham, saying to him,

Young's Literal Translation
And Ephron answereth Abraham, saying to him,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Ephron will answer Abraham, saying to him,
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Ephron answered:

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Ephron responded: “My lord, hear me.

New American Bible
Ephron replied to Abraham, “Please,

New Revised Standard Version
Ephron answered Abraham,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Ephron answered Abraham and said,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Aphron answered and said to Abraham,
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him:

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But Ephron answered Abraam, saying,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Death and Burial of Sarah
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.” 14Ephron answered Abraham, 15“Listen to me, my lord. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”…

Cross References
Genesis 50:13
They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave at Machpelah in the field near Mamre, which Abraham had purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site.

Genesis 49:29-32
Then Jacob instructed them, “I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my fathers in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite. / The cave is in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, in the land of Canaan. This is the field Abraham purchased from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. / There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, there Isaac and his wife Rebekah are buried, and there I buried Leah. ...

Genesis 33:19
And the plot of ground where he pitched his tent, he purchased from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, for a hundred pieces of silver.

Genesis 25:9-10
His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite. / This was the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites. Abraham was buried there with his wife Sarah.

Genesis 47:30
but when I lie down with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me with them.” Joseph answered, “I will do as you have requested.”

Genesis 12:7
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 13:15
for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.

Genesis 15:18
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—

Genesis 17:8
And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.”

Genesis 24:7
The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there.

Acts 7:16
Their bones were carried back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a price he paid in silver.

Hebrews 11:9-10
By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. / For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Hebrews 11:13
All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

Hebrews 11:16
Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Acts 7:5
He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a child.


Treasury of Scripture

And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

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Abraham Ephron
Genesis 23
1. The age and death of Sarah.
3. The purchase of the field and cave of Machpelah;
19. where Sarah is buried.














Ephron answered Abraham,
In the context of Genesis 23, Abraham is negotiating the purchase of a burial site for his wife, Sarah, who has just passed away. Ephron the Hittite is the owner of the field and cave that Abraham desires. This interaction takes place in the region of Hebron, specifically in the land of Canaan, which is significant as it is part of the land promised to Abraham and his descendants by God (Genesis 12:7). The Hittites were a prominent group in the region, and their presence here indicates the diverse cultural and ethnic landscape of Canaan during this period.

Ephron's response to Abraham is part of a formal negotiation process typical of ancient Near Eastern customs. The dialogue reflects the cultural norms of hospitality and respect, as well as the legal practices of the time. In this era, property transactions were often conducted at the city gate in the presence of witnesses, ensuring the legitimacy and public acknowledgment of the agreement.

The interaction between Ephron and Abraham also highlights the theme of faith and promise. Although Abraham is a sojourner in the land, he acts with the assurance that God will fulfill His promise to give this land to his descendants. This purchase of a burial site is a tangible expression of Abraham's faith in God's covenant.

In a broader biblical context, this passage foreshadows the eventual possession of the land by the Israelites. It also connects to the theme of God's faithfulness in providing for His people, as seen throughout the Old Testament. Additionally, the purchase of the cave of Machpelah becomes a significant ancestral burial site, later used for Abraham himself, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Leah, underscoring the continuity of God's promises through generations.

From a typological perspective, Abraham's actions can be seen as a precursor to the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises through Jesus Christ. Just as Abraham secured a place in the promised land for his family, Christ secures an eternal inheritance for believers. The negotiation and purchase signify the certainty and permanence of God's covenant, which is fully realized in the New Testament through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Persons / Places / Events
1. Ephron
A Hittite who owned the field and cave of Machpelah, which Abraham sought to purchase as a burial site for his wife, Sarah. Ephron's interaction with Abraham is a key part of the negotiation process.

2. Abraham
The patriarch of the Israelites, known for his faith and obedience to God. In this chapter, he is negotiating the purchase of a burial site for Sarah, demonstrating his respect and love for her.

3. Sarah
Abraham's wife, whose death prompts the events of this chapter. Her burial site becomes significant in the history of the patriarchs.

4. Hittites
A group of people living in Canaan during Abraham's time. They are the people from whom Abraham seeks to purchase the burial site.

5. Machpelah
The field and cave that Abraham wishes to buy from Ephron. It becomes the family burial site for the patriarchs and matriarchs of Israel.
Teaching Points
Respect for the Dead
Abraham's actions demonstrate the importance of honoring loved ones in death, reflecting a deep respect for family and tradition.

Integrity in Transactions
Abraham's negotiation with Ephron shows the value of conducting business with integrity and fairness, even when dealing with those outside one's faith community.

Faith in God's Promises
Abraham's purchase of land in Canaan, despite not yet possessing the promised land, is an act of faith in God's promises for the future.

Community Relations
The interaction between Abraham and the Hittites illustrates the importance of maintaining respectful and peaceful relationships with those of different backgrounds and beliefs.Verses 14, 15. - And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. The word "shekel," from shakal, to weigh, here used for the first time, was not a stamped coin, but a piece of metal of definite weight, according to Exodus 30:13, equal to twenty gerahs, or beans, from garar, to roll. Coined money was unknown to the Hebrews until after the captivity. In the time of the Maccabees (1 Macc. 15:6) silver coins were struck bearing the inscription שקל ישראל. According to Josephus (Ant., iii. 8, 2) the shekel in use in his day was equal to four Athenian drachmae; and if, as is believed, these were one-fifth larger than the old shekels coined by Simon Maccabeus, the weight of the latter would be equal to three and one-third drachms, or two hundred grains, reckoning sixty grains to a drachm. It is impossible to ascertain the weight of the shekel current with the merchant in the time of Abraham; but reckoning it at a little less than 2s. 6d. sterling, the price of Ephron's field must have been somewhat under £50; a very consider able sum of money, which the Hittite merchant begins to depreciate by representing as a trifle, saying, What is that betwixt me and thee? - words which are still heard in the East on similar occasions (vide ' Land and Book,' p. 578) - bury therefore thy dead.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Ephron
עֶפְר֛וֹן (‘ep̄·rō·wn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6085: Ephron -- a Hittite, also a mountain and a place in Israel

answered
וַיַּ֧עַן (way·ya·‘an)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond

Abraham,
אַבְרָהָ֖ם (’aḇ·rā·hām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 85: Abraham -- 'exalted father', the father of the Jewish nation


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OT Law: Genesis 23:14 Ephron answered Abraham saying to him (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 23:13
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