Genesis 23:5-7

Context

23:5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham,¹ 23:6 “Listen, sir,² you are a mighty prince³ among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you⁴ from burying your dead.”

23:7 Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people,⁵ the sons of Heth.

[23:5] ¹tn Heb “answered Abraham saying to him.”

[23:6] ²tn Heb “Hear us, my lord.”

[23:6] ³tn 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.

[23:6] ⁴tn The phrase “to prevent you” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[23:7] ⁵tn Heb “to the people of the land” (also in v. 12).