Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that [is] therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
11. the field give I thee, &c.] As in Gen 23:6, we have here the complimentary style of bargaining. Observe the successive stages: Abraham in Gen 23:9 asks to buy the cave only; Ephron in Gen 23:11 offers to give the whole field and the cave in it for nothing; Abraham in Gen 23:13 offers to pay for the field; Ephron in Gen 23:15 mentions the price for the land; Abraham in Gen 23:16 duly pays for the field and the cave ( Gen 23:17).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
11-15. Ephron answered, Nay, mylord, c.Here is a great show of generosity, but it was only ashow for while Abraham wanted only the cave, he joins “the fieldand the cave”; and though he offered them both as free gifts,he, of course, expected some costly presents in return, withoutwhich, he would not have been satisfied. The patriarch, knowing this,wished to make a purchase and asked the terms.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Nay, my lord, hear me,…. Or not so, my lord, as Aben Ezra paraphrases it; not that he denied his request entirely, or refused him the cave at any rate, but that he should not buy it of him, he would give it to him, and therefore he desires he would hear what he had to say further:
the field give I thee, and the cave that [is] therein I give it thee; which was more than Abraham asked to purchase; he only desired to have the cave, which lay in one corner of the field, but Ephron proposes both to give him the cave, and the field also:
in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee; both field and cave; three times he says, “I give it thee”, to show that he freely gave it, and that Abraham was welcome to it, and for the confirmation of the grant:
bury thy dead; in the cave, at once, immediately, without any more ado.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
11. Hear me. Although Ephron earnestly insisted upon giving the field freely to Abraham, the holy man adheres to his purpose, and at length compels him, by his entreaties, to sell the field. Ephron, in excusing himself, says that the price was too small for Abraham to insist upon giving; yet he estimates it at four hundred shekels. Now, since Josephus says that the shekel of the sanctuary was worth four Attic drachms, if he is speaking of these, we gather from the computation of Budaeus that the price of the field was about two hundred and fifty pounds of French money; if we understand the common shekel, it will be half that amount. Abraham was not so scrupulous but that he would have received a greater gift, if there had not been a sufficient reason to prevent him. He had been presented with considerable gifts both by the king of Egypt and the king of Gerar, but he observed this rule; that he would neither receive all things, nor in all places, nor from all persons. And I have lately explained, that he bought the field, in order that he might not possess a foot of land, by the gift of any man.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(11) The field give I thee.Only the cave had! been mentioned, but for its quiet possession the land around was necessary. In the thrice repeated give I it thee, there is the same courtly idea as in Gen. 23:6, that they were not buying and selling, but making mutual presents.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. Give I thee Three times over this princely son of Zohar offers to give field, cave, and all. And yet, doubtless, like the modern sheik, he would expect a splendid present in return, or, by his show of kindness and profuse liberality, prevent Abraham from objecting to his price when once named.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 23:11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that [is] therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
Ver. 11. The field give I thee, &c. ] A brave speech of a bountiful spirit, to a stranger especially; and in that respect beyond that of Araunah the noble Jebusite to David, his liege lord; “All these things did Araunah as a king give to the king”. 2Sa 24:23 Indeed, to give is a kingly employment; making men like to “the Father of lights, from whom comes every good gift and perfect giving”. Jam 1:17 Kings are styled benefactors; a and of the ancient kings of Egypt it is recorded, and was rehearsed among other of their praises, that they were , , “willing to distribute, ready to communicate,” which are the apostle’s two words in 1Ti 6:18 . Cyrus took more delight in giving than possessing, as his soldiers could say of him in Xenophon. b It is not only better, but sweeter to do good, than to receive good, said Epicurus. c It is a “more blessed” thing, saith our Saviour. Titus would say, when he had done no good, he had lost a day: et molestius erat Severo Imperatori nihil peti, quam dare . Our General Norrice, like that Bishop of Lincoln, never thought he had that thing, which he did not give. Few such now-a-days.
a . – Diodor. Sic., lib. i. Luk 22:25
b D
c , . – Epicur.
give I. Hebrew have I given. Figure of speech Antimereia (of Verb), past for present.
my lord: Gen 23:6, 2Sa 24:20-24, 1Ch 21:22-24, Isa 32:8
in the: Gen 23:18, Num 35:30, Deu 17:6, Deu 19:15, Rth 4:1, Rth 4:4, Rth 4:9, Rth 4:11, Jer 32:7-12, Luk 19:24
Reciprocal: Lev 2:12 – the oblation 2Sa 24:22 – Let my lord
Gen 23:11. The field I give thee Thus Ephron manifests his generosity. So far was he from needing to be entreated to sell it, that, upon the first mention, he freely gives it. In the presence of my people Grants, or contracts, were then made before all the people, or their representatives. And the gates of cities were in those days, and for many centuries after, the places of judicature and common resort, for transacting business. We may observe that Abraham finds favour in the sight of every people wherever he goes. And we need not wonder at this, considering of what a noble, candid, upright, and generous character he was. Undoubtedly, however, the peculiar favour he found among all people was chiefly owing to the providence of God: for the Scriptures always teach us to ascribe our finding favour with men to the divine blessing.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments