Genesis 23:15

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13 and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If you will give it, please hear me. I will give you money for the field; take it from me and I will bury my dead there.”

14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

15 “My lord, listen to me; the land is worth four hundred ^ashekels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.”

16 And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham ^aweighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants.

17 So ^athe field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded

18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.

Commentaries:

Adam Clarke

<< Genesis 23:14

Genesis 23:16 >>

Genesis 23:15

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 Genesis 23:16 it is said, And Abraham weighed vaiyishkol , the silver, and hence it appears that this weight itself passed afterwards as a current coin, for the word is not only used to express a coin or piece of silver, but also to weigh; See note on Genesis 20:16.

**Other Adam Clarke entries containing Genesis 23:15:**

Genesis 20:16
Exodus 21:32
Leviticus 27:25
Acts 7:5

<< Genesis 23:14

Genesis 23:16 >>

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