12
Abrahamאַבְרָהָםbowed downוַיִּשְׁתַּחוּbeforeלִפְנֵיthe peopleעַםof the land,הָאָרֶץ
Genesis 23:12
Study it in the app“Abraham bowed down before the people of the land,”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 23:12, word by word
- Abrahamאַבְרָהָםavraham
Abraham
Abraham, the name God gave to Abram; it sounds like "father of a multitude" (Genesis 17:5). The father of the people of Israel, to whom God promised the land and blessing for all the families of the earth.
Where else “avraham” appears- bowed downיִּשְׁתַּחוּyishtachu
bow down
To bow to the ground before someone in respect.
Where else “yishtachu” appears- beforeפְנֵיfene
before
Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.
Where else “fene” appears- the peopleעַםam
crowd
The people gathered in a place: the crowd, or the troops that go out to war.
Where else “am” appears- of the landאָרֶץarets
land
A region or nation, above all Israel's.
Where else “arets” appears
The context
11“No, my lord, hear me: the field I give you, and the cave that is in it I give it to you. In the sight of the sons of my people I give it to you; bury your dead.”
12 · This verse (above)
13and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If only you would hear me! I give the silver for the field; take it from me, and let me bury my dead there.”
To study Genesis 23 in a group
1. What it says
What did Abraham do when Sarah died, and how did he obtain a place to bury her (vv. 2-16)?
2. What it means
What does the conversation at the city gate show about how Abraham treats the sons of Heth and Ephron (vv. 7-16)?
3. How I live it
How can you walk with someone who is grieving this week?