And he spoke unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou [wilt give it], I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take [it] of me, and I will bury my dead there.
13. But if thou wilt ] Abraham answers in short, broken sentences, acknowledging the generous offer, but insisting on the payment of the price. Here, however, he makes an offer for “the field,” not merely for “the cave in the end of the field”; cf. Gen 23:9. He politely declines to notice the suggestion of a gift, but offers to buy.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 13. If thou wilt give it] Instead of, if thou wilt give it, we should read, But if thou wilt sell it, I will give thee money for the field; keseph, silver, not coined money, for it is not probable that any such was then in use.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
But if thou wilt give it; it is a short speech, and something must be supplied; either if thou wilt give or resign it to me; or, if thou be the man of whom I speak; for though Abraham knew his name, he might not know him by face, nor that he was then present. He prudently chose rather to buy it than to receive it as a gift, partly because it would be the surer to him and his, Gen 23:17,20, and partly because he would not have too great obligations to his pagan neighbours.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land,…. He addressed himself to Ephron who spoke last, with an audible voice, so that all could hear him:
saying, but if thou [wilt give it], I pray thee, hear me; the words are very concise, and in the original text are only “if thou”, and differently supplied; by some, “if thou art he” c, Ephron, whom it is supposed Abraham knew not by face, or that he was present; which is not likely, since Abraham had lived in those parts now so as to be well known himself, and must know his neighbours; and had lived formerly here, and could not but know so great a prince as Ephron, whose city he dwelt in. The Targum of Jonathan is,
“if thou art willing to do me a kindness, hear me;”
it will be taken as a favour to admit me to speak once more, and to grant what shall be desired. Others read the words thus,
“if thou wilt hear me, or I pray thee hear me, or if thou, if (I say) thou wilt hear me d:”
then follows his proposal,
I will give thee the money for the field; Abraham did not choose to receive it as a free gift, but to make a purchase of it, that it might be sure to him and his posterity; for though Ephron was now in this generous mood, he might change his mind, or hereafter upbraid Abraham with it, should he fall out with him, or his posterity might claim it again, and dispute his right to it:
take [it] of me: the purchase money, the full worth of the field:
and I will bury my dead there, or “then will I bury”, c. e and not before.
c “si tu is es”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator so Ainsworth. d “Auscultares”, so Tigurine version; “si tu”, Schmidt. e “et tum sepeliam”, Tigurine version, Junius Tremellius, Piscator “tunc”, Schmidt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(13) But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me.Heb., But if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me. It expresses simply a strong desire that Ephron will listen to and grant his next request.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. But if thou wilt Hebrews, only if thou would that thou wouldst hear me . There is a tender emotionality about his words . He is in no mood to parley long .
I will give thee money Or, I have given thee money; that is, I have purposed in heart to buy the field for money; I will have it in no other way .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Gen 23:13 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: I will give thee money for the field; take [it] of me, and I will bury my dead there.
Ver. 13. I will give thee money. ] Full money, as he had said, Gen 23:7 or as much money as it is worth. Such is the care of the conscientious, that they had rather lose of their own, than usurp of another’s. And that he gives a just price for the field, was an act of great wisdom; for hereby he provided that his posterity might not hereafter be put beside it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
wilt give. Figure of speech Ellipsis. Supply “hast given” from Gen 23:11.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I will: Gen 14:22, Gen 14:23, 2Sa 24:24, Act 20:35, Rom 13:8, Phi 4:5-8, Col 4:5, Heb 13:5
Reciprocal: 1Ch 21:24 – Nay
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 23:13. I will give thee money Abraham was rich in silver and gold, and therefore thought it unjust to take advantage of Ephrons generosity. Perhaps, also, there may be weight in Le Clercs observation: The orientals, says he, seem to have had the same notions about burying- places, which prevailed among the Greeks and Romans, namely, that it was ignominious to be buried in another persons ground: and therefore every family, the poorer sort excepted, had a sepulchre of their own, in which they would not suffer others to be interred.
Gen 23:15-16. Four hundred shekels of silver A shekel is computed to be of about the value of two shillings and four pence farthing; so that the sum mentioned here amounted to about forty-six pounds of our money. What a noble and amiable pattern of a generous behaviour between friends, free from selfishness, have we in Abraham and Ephron! The one earnestly presses to give, while the other as generously declines to receive. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver For in those times money (or, more properly, silver or gold, for it was not coined) was paid by weight, (Gen 43:21; Jer 32:10,) and continued to be so till the Babylonish captivity.