Genesis 23:12
in Genesis 23Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
KJV
And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.
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This verse in Genesis 23
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Ephron answered, Nay, my lord, &c.--Here is a great show of generosity, but it was only a show; for while Abraham wanted only the cave, he joins "the field and the cave"; and though he offered them both as free gifts, he, of course, expected some costly presents in return, without which, he would not have been satisfied.
This site's exposition
Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land
on Genesis 23:12-13
He bows a second time and turns the gift down. He asks to pay silver for the field, so the only ground he will ever hold in the land of promise is bought at a witnessed price. Henry draws the rule that grace gives no man title to another man's land. The promise of Canaan gave Abraham no claim on Hittite ground.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. Showing hereby great respect, and giving much honour both to them and Ephron; and signifying that he had something to say, and desired audience of them, and humbly submitted to them what he should say.
And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. Showing hereby great respect, and giving much honour both to them and Ephron; and signifying that he had something to say, and desired audience of them, and humbly submitted to them what he should say.
It was not in pride that Abraham refused the gift, or because he scorned to be beholden to Ephron; but, 1. Abraham was rich in silver and gold ( ch. xiii. 2 ) and was able to pay for the field, and therefore would not take advantage of Ephron's generosity.
It was not in pride that Abraham refused the gift, or because he scorned to be beholden to Ephron; but, 1. Abraham was rich in silver and gold ( ch. xiii. 2 ) and was able to pay for the field, and therefore would not take advantage of Ephron's generosity.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Abraham bowed before Ephron in the presence of the people of the land in order to honor him.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
‘LU’ (IF) THOU WILT HEAR ME. This is equivalent to saying, “If you, if you will hear me,” and the purport thereof is like, “if you, if you would hear me,” the redundancy being for the purpose of emphasizing the matter.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
5 Hebrew wordsEvery 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.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ | vaiyishtachu | and he bowed down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| אַבְרָהָ֔ם | ʾavraham | Abraham | H85 → | 175 times |
| לִפְנֵ֖י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| עַ֥ם | ʾam | [the] people of | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙and he bowed down
vaiyishtachuH7812 →172 times
אַבְרָהָ֔םAbraham
ʾavrahamH85 →175 times
לִפְנֵ֖י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
עַ֥ם[the] people of
ʾamH5971 →1873 times
הָאָֽרֶץ׃the land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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 18:2And 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.
it leads to
- Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 19:1
Now the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them, bowed facedown,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Judges 13:3
The angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “It is true that you are barren and have no children; but you will conceive and give birth to a son.
- Genesis 23:7
Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.
- Hebrews 13:2
Through
Genesis 19:1Now the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them, bowed facedown,
it leads to
- Genesis 18:22
And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 18:1–5
Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.
- Job 31:32
but no stranger had to lodge on the street, for my door has been open to the traveler—
- Genesis 18:22
Through
Genesis 23:7Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.
it leads to
- Hebrews 12:14
Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
- Hebrews 12:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.