Genesis 23:14-16
New English Translation
14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “Hear me, my lord. The land is worth[a] 400 pieces of silver,[b] but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”
16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price[c] and weighed out[d] for him[e] the price[f] that Ephron had quoted[g] in the hearing of the sons of Heth—400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time.[h]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 23:15 tn The word “worth” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 23:15 sn 400 pieces of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 4.6 kilograms, or 160 ounces (about 10 pounds).
- Genesis 23:16 tn Heb “listened to Ephron.”
- Genesis 23:16 tn Heb “and Abraham weighed out.”
- Genesis 23:16 tn Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 23:16 tn Heb “silver.”
- Genesis 23:16 tn Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
- Genesis 23:16 tn 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.
Genesis 23:14-16
New International Version
14 Ephron answered Abraham, 15 “Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels[a] of silver,(A) but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”
16 Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver,(B) according to the weight current among the merchants.(C)
Footnotes
- Genesis 23:15 That is, about 10 pounds or about 4.6 kilograms
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