Genesis 23 · Verse 15

Genesis 23:15

My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
Genesis 23:15, King James Version

Genesis 23:15 in other translations

BSB“Listen to me, my lord. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”
WEB“My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.”
ASVMy lord, hearken unto me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
YLT‘My lord, hear me: the land--four hundred shekels of silver; between me and thee, what is it? --thy dead bury.'
DARBYMy lord, hearken to me. A field of four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
BBEMy lord, give ear to me: the value of the land is four hundred shekels; what is that between me and you? so put your dead to rest there.
WebsterMy lord, hearken to me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

What does Genesis 23:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 23:11-15

11-15. Ephron answered, Nay, my lord, &c.--Here is a great show of generosity, but it was only a show; for while Abraham wanted only the cave, he joins "the field and the cave"; and though he offered them both as free gifts, he, of course, expected some costly presents in return, without which, he would not have been satisfied. The patriarch, knowing this, wished to make a purchase and asked the terms.

Read the full comment on Genesis 23:11-15 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver - Though the words is worth are not in the text, yet they are necessarily expressed here to adapt the Hebrew to the idiom of our tongue. A shekel, according to the general opinion, was equal to two shillings and sixpence; but according to Dr. Prideaux, whose estimate I shall follow, three shillings English, four hundred of which are equal to sixty pounds sterling; but it is evident that a certain weight is intended, and not a coin, for in Gen 23:16 it is said, And Abraham weighed וישקל vaiyishkol, the silver, and hence it appears that this weight itself passed afterwards as a current coin, for the word שקל is not only used to express a coin or piece of silver, but also to weigh; See note on Gen 20:16.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 23:14-20

Prudence, as well as justice, directs us to be fair and open in our dealings; cheating bargains will not bear the light. Abraham, without fraud or delay, pays the money. He pays it at once in full, without keeping any part back; and by weight, current money with the merchant, without deceit. See how anciently money was used for the help of trade, and how honestly it should be paid when it is due. Though all the land…

Read the full comment on Genesis 23:14-20 →

Genesis 23:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אֲדֹנִ֣י'a.do.NiO lord myH113
שְׁמָעֵ֔נִיshe.ma.'E.nilisten to meH8085
אֶרֶץ֩'e.Retzland ofH776
אַרְבַּ֨ע'ar.Ba'fourH702
מֵאֹ֧תme.'Othundred<s>H3967
שֶֽׁקֶל\־she.kel-shekel[s] ofH8255
כֶּ֛סֶףKe.sefsilverH3701
בֵּינִ֥יbei.Nibetween meH996
וּבֵֽינְךָ֖u.vei.ne.Khaand between youH996
מַה\־mah-what?H4100
הִ֑ואhi'[is] itH1931
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
מֵתְךָ֖me.te.Khadead yourH4191
קְבֹֽר\׃ke.VorburyH6912

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 23:15

  • Ezekiel 45:12

    And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.

  • Exodus 30:13

    This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord.

  • Exodus 30:15

    The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
is worth.Though the words "is worth" are not in the Text, yet they are clearly implied, to adapt the Hebrew to the English idiom. A shekel, according to the general opinion, was equal in value to about 2s. 6d. of our money, but according to Dr. Prideaux, 3s. English. In those early times, money was given in weight; for it is said (ver. 16.) that "Abraham weighed," {wayishkal,} the silver; and hence, we find that it was a certain weight which afterwards passed as a current coin; for the word shekel is not only used to denote a piece of sliver, but also to weigh.
shekels.
Ex 30:15; Eze 45:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 23:14

    And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

  • Genesis 23:15

    My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

  • Genesis 23:16

    And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.

Read all of Genesis 23

Genesis 23:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Señor mío, escúchame: la tierra vale cuatrocientos siclos de plata: ¿qué es esto entre mí y ti? entierra pues tu muerto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mon seigneur, écoute-moi: Une terre de 400 sicles d’argent, qu’est-ce que cela entre moi et toi? Enterre donc ton mort.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Mein Herr, höre mich! Ein Land von vierhundert Sekel Silber, was ist das zwischen mir und dir? So begrabe deine Tote.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Domine mi, audi me: terra, quam postulas, quadringentis siclis argenti valet: istud est pretium inter me et te: sed quantum est hoc? sepeli mortuum tuum.