Genesis 23:5

23:5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, ¹ 

Genesis 23:7

23:7 Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people, ²  the sons of Heth.

Genesis 23:10

23:10 (Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth.) Ephron the Hethite ³  replied to Abraham in the hearing ⁴  of the sons of Heth – before all who entered the gate ⁵  of his city –

Genesis 23:16

23:16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price ⁶  and weighed ⁷  out for him ⁸  the price ⁹  that Ephron had quoted ¹⁰  in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time. ¹¹ 

Genesis 23:18

23:18 as his property in the presence of the sons of Heth before all who entered the gate of Ephron’s city. ¹² 

Genesis 23:20

23:20 So Abraham secured the field and the cave that was in it as a burial site ¹³  from the sons of Heth.

¹ tn Heb “answered Abraham saying to him.”

² tn Heb “to the people of the land” (also in v. 12).

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

⁴ tn Heb “ears.” By metonymy the “ears” stand for the presence or proximity (i.e., within earshot) of the persons named.

⁵ sn On the expression all who entered the gate see E. A. Speiser, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate,” BASOR 144 (1956): 20-23; and G. Evans, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate: A Discussion of Professor Speiser’s Paper,” BASOR 150 (1958): 28-33.

⁴ tn Heb “listened to Ephron.”

⁵ tn Heb “and Abraham weighed out.”

⁶ tn Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.

⁷ tn Heb “silver.”

⁸ tn Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.

⁹ 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.

⁵ tn Heb “his city”; the referent (Ephron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁶ tn Heb “possession of a grave.”