translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: GEN

label: NET translator note

text: Heb “And the years of Sarah were one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.”


text: Heb “Sarah.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“she”) for stylistic reasons.


text: 149-50). They would have been carried out in the presence of the corpse, probably in Sarah’s tent. So Abraham came in to mourn; then he rose up to go and bury his dead (v. 3 ).


text: Heb “And Abraham arose from upon the face of his dead.”


text: Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (also in vv. 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20 ), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15 ), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World , 152-53.


text: Heb “a resident alien and a settler.”


text: Heb “give,” which is used here as an idiom for “sell” (see v. 9 ). The idiom reflects the polite bartering that was done in the culture at the time.


text: Or “possession.”


text: Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose.


text: Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “answered Abraham saying to him.”


text: Heb “Hear us, my lord.”


text: Heb “prince of God.” The divine name may be used here as a means of expressing the superlative, “mighty prince.” The word for “prince” probably means “tribal chief” here. See M. H. Gottstein, “ Nasi ’ ‘ elohim ( Gen 23:6 ),” VT 3 (1953) 298-99; and D. W. Thomas, “Consideration of Some Unusual Ways of Expressing the Superlative in Hebrew,” VT 3 (1953) 215-16.


text: The phrase “to prevent you” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “to the people of the land” (also in v. 12 ).


text: Heb “If it is with your purpose.” The Hebrew noun נֶפֶשׁ ( nefesh ) here has the nuance “purpose” or perhaps “desire” (see BDB 661 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ ).


text: Or “hear me.”


text: Heb “intercede for me with.”


text: Heb “give.” This is used here (also a second time later in this verse) as an idiom for “sell”; see the note on the word “grant” in v. 4 .


text: Heb “in your presence.”


text: Heb “silver.”


text: Or perhaps “Hittite,” but see the note on the name “Heth” in v. 3 .


text: Heb “ears.” By metonymy the “ears” stand for the presence or proximity (i.e., within earshot) of the persons named.


text: Heb “give.” The perfect tense has here a present nuance; this is a formal, legally binding declaration. Abraham asked only for a burial site/cave within the field; Ephron agrees to sell him the entire field.


text: The Hebrew text adds “to you I give [i.e., sell] it.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “in the presence of the sons of my people.”


text: Heb “give.”


text: After the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose or result.


text: The word “worth” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “listened to Ephron.”


text: Heb “and Abraham weighed out.”


text: Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “passing for the merchant.” The final clause affirms that the measurement of silver was according to the standards used by the merchants of the time.


text: Heb “And it was conveyed.” The recipient, Abraham (mentioned in the Hebrew text at the beginning of v. 18 ) has been placed here in the translation for stylistic reasons.


text: Heb “his city”; the referent (Ephron) has been specified in the translation for clarity. sn See G. M. Tucker, “The Legal Background of ,” JBL 85 (1966):77-84; and M. R. Lehmann, “Abraham’s Purchase of Machpelah and Hittite Law,” BASOR 129 (1953): 15-18.


text: Heb “possession of a grave.”