Genesis 23:6

23:6 “Listen, sir, ¹  you are a mighty prince ²  among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you ³  from burying your dead.”

Genesis 50:5

50:5 ‘My father made me swear an oath. He said, ⁴  “I am about to die. Bury me ⁵  in my tomb that I dug for myself there in the land of Canaan.” Now let me go and bury my father; then I will return.’”

[23:6]  ¹ tn Heb “Hear us, my lord.”

[23:6]  ² tn 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]  ³ tn The phrase “to prevent you” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[50:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “saying.”

[50:5]  ⁵ tn The imperfect verbal form here has the force of a command.