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Genesis 23:10

in Genesis 23

Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth. So in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city, Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham,

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of 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,

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,

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This verse in Genesis 23

Commentary

6 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth - And Ephron ישב yosheb, was sitting among the children of Heth, but, as was before conjectured, was personally unknown to Abraham; he therefore answered for himself, making a free tender of the field, etc., to Abraham, in the presence of all the people, which amounted to a legal conveyance of the whole property to the patriarch.

This site's exposition

Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth

on Genesis 23:10-11

Ephron has been sitting among the sons of Heth the whole time, at the gate where a sale was made binding. He offers the ground as a gift in the presence of his people, saying I give you three times in one verse, and where Abraham asked for the cave Ephron adds the field. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read it as generosity expecting payment.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Note, If those that profess religion adorn their profession by eminent civility and serviceableness to all, they shall find it will rebound to their own comfort and advantage, as well as to the glory of God.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

Ephron dwelt--literally, was "sitting" among the children of Heth in the gate of the city where all business was transacted. But, though a chief man among them, he was probably unknown to Abraham.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

Ephron dwelt--literally, was "sitting" among the children of Heth in the gate of the city where all business was transacted. But, though a chief man among them, he was probably unknown to Abraham.

The words behind it

18 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וְעֶפְר֥וֹןand Ephron

    veefronH6085 →14 times

  • יֹשֵׁ֖ב[was] sitting

    yoshevH3427 →1079 times

  • בְּת֣וֹךְin among

    betokhH8432 →418 times

  • בְּנֵי־[the] people of

    benei-H1121 →4930 times

  • חֵ֑תHeth

    chetH2845 →14 times

  • וַיַּעַן֩and he answered

    vaiyaanH6030 →331 times

  • עֶפְר֨וֹןEphron

    efronH6085 →14 times

  • הַחִתִּ֤יthe Hethite

    hachitiH2850 →48 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • אַבְרָהָם֙Abraham

    ʾavrahamH85 →175 times

  • בְּאָזְנֵ֣יin [the] ears of

    beazeneiH241 →187 times

  • בְנֵי־[the] people of

    venei-H1121 →4930 times

  • חֵ֔תHeth

    chetH2845 →14 times

  • לְכֹ֛לto all

    lekholH3605 →5413 times

  • בָּאֵ֥י[those who were] entering

    baeiH935 →2568 times

  • שַֽׁעַר־<of> [the] gate of

    shaar-H8179 →374 times

  • עִיר֖וֹcity his

    iroH5892 →1090 times

  • לֵאמֹֽר׃<to> saying

    lemorH559 →5305 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

9 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Genesis 34:24All the men who went out of the city gate listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male of the city was circumcised.5 worksGenesis 34:20So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city and addressed the men of their city:5 worksGenesis 23:18to Abraham’s possession in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city.3 worksJob 29:7When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,2 worksRuth 4:1–4Meanwhile, Boaz went to the gate and sat down there. Soon the kinsman-redeemer of whom he had spoken came along, and Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went over and sat down.2 worksGenesis 24:10Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.2 works
The other 3 cross-references, with their words ▾
Matthew 9:1Jesus got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own town.2 worksIsaiah 28:6a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, and a strength to those who repel the onslaught at the gate.2 worksLuke 2:3–4And everyone went to his own town to register.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Genesis 34:20

    So Hamor and his son Shechem went to the gate of their city and addressed the men of their city:

    it leads to

    • Ruth 4:1

      Meanwhile, Boaz went to the gate and sat down there. Soon the kinsman-redeemer of whom he had spoken came along, and Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Amos 5:12

      For I know that your transgressions are many and your sins are numerous. You oppress the righteous by taking bribes; you deprive the poor of justice in the gate.

    • Job 29:7

      When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,

  • Through

    Job 29:7

    When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,

    it leads to

    • Zechariah 8:16

      These are the things you must do: Speak truth to one another, render true and sound judgments in your gates,

    • Ruth 4:1–2

      Meanwhile, Boaz went to the gate and sat down there. Soon the kinsman-redeemer of whom he had spoken came along, and Boaz said, “Come over here, my friend, and sit down.” So he went…

    • Deuteronomy 16:18

      You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.

    • Ruth 4:11

      “We are witnesses,” said the elders and all the people at the gate. “May the LORD make the woman entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel.…

  • Through

    Genesis 34:24

    All the men who went out of the city gate listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male of the city was circumcised.

    it leads to

    • 1 Corinthians 7:19

      Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.

Where this verse is studied

About Genesis

The Burial of Sarah — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
The Burial of Sarah — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
Genesis: the study guide →Read Genesis 23 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in Genesis 23 →