Genesis 23:8

“If you are willing for me to bury my dead,” he said to them, “listen to me, and approach Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Abraham addresses the assembled Hittites immediately after bowing to them, asking them to intervene with Ephron to secure a burial plot.

The words — The clause יֵשׁ אֶת־נַפְשְׁכֶם (yesh et-nafshechem, "there is with your desire") literally establishes the transaction as contingent on the locals' willingness rather than Abraham's authority.

The thread — This petition structure recurs in Genesis 25:9, where the same cave becomes the burial site, and in 1 Kings 2:17 and Luke 7:3, where third parties carry requests to those in power.

Why it lands — The text records a formal request for mediation and explicitly ties the outcome to the consent of the landowners, requiring the reader to note that covenant fulfillment proceeds through documented negotiation rather than immediate possession.

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

וַיְדַבֵּ֥רva/y.da.Berand/ he spoke אִתָּ֖ם'i.Ta/mwith/ them לֵאמֹ֑רle./Mor<to>/ saying אִם־'im-if יֵ֣שׁyeshthere אֶֽת־'et-with נַפְשְׁכֶ֗םnaf.she./Khemdesire/ your לִקְבֹּ֤רli/k.Borto/ bury אֶת־'et-<obj.>מֵתִי֙me.T/idead/ my מִלְּפָנַ֔יmi./le./fa.Na/ifrom/ to/ before/ me שְׁמָע֕וּנִיshe.ma.'U./nilisten to/ me וּפִגְעוּ־u./fig.'u-and/ entreatלִ֖יl/ifor <the>/ meבְּעֶפְר֥וֹןbe./'ef.Ron<in>/ Ephron בֶּן־ben-[the] son of צֹֽחַר׃Tzo.charZohar

King James Version

And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,

Cross-references

Genesis 25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite.
1 Kings 2:17 Adonijah replied, “Please speak to King Solomon, since he will not turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”
Luke 7:3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to ask Him to come and heal his servant.
Hebrews 7:26 Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

People named

EphronZohar