Genesis 23:6

“Listen to us, sir. You are God’s chosen one among us. Bury your dead in the finest of our tombs. None of us will withhold his tomb for burying your dead.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Hittite landowners address Abraham, offering him the use of their burial sites to inter his deceased wife Sarah. They speak this proposal to him during active negotiations over land purchase in Canaan.

The words — נְשׂיא אֱלֹהִים (ne.Si' 'E.lo.Him) = prince of God, a title the local leaders use to acknowledge Abraham’s elevated standing among them.

The thread — The Hittites’ recognition of Abraham’s prosperity aligns with the repeated scriptural notes of his wealth in Genesis 13:2 and Genesis 24:35.

Why it lands — The passage records a concrete offer of land rights that requires Abraham to respond with a formal purchase rather than accept a gift. A reader must acknowledge that covenant inheritance proceeds through legal acquisition, not merely divine promise.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.

Cross-references

Genesis 24:35 “The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become rich. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, camels and donkeys.
Genesis 14:14 And when Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men born in his household, and they set out in pursuit as far as Dan.
Genesis 13:2 And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold.
Genesis 18:12 So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
Genesis 21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do.
Genesis 24:18 “Drink, my lord,” she replied, and she quickly lowered her jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
Genesis 31:35 Rachel said to her father, “Sir, do not be angry that I cannot stand up before you; for I am having my period.” So Laban searched but could not find the household idols.
Genesis 32:4 He instructed them, “You are to say to my master Esau, ‘Your servant Jacob says: I have been staying with Laban and have remained there until now.
Genesis 32:18 then you are to say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a gift, sent to my lord Esau. And behold, Jacob is behind us.’”
Genesis 42:10 “Not so, my lord,” they replied. “Your servants have come to buy food.