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.

GENESIS 23:6KJV
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Genesis 23:6 (KJV)

What does Genesis 23:6 mean?

Genesis 23:6 shows the Hittites respectfully addressing Abraham, calling him a "mighty prince" and offering him the freedom to bury his dead in any of their tombs, assuring him that none of them will refuse him this right. This verse highlights the honor and respect Abraham held among the local people, as well as their willingness to help him in his time of mourning.

In this scene, the Hittites are responding to Abraham after he asks to buy a burial place for his wife Sarah. They recognize Abraham's status and influence by calling him a "mighty prince" and make it clear that he can choose any tomb he wishes. The verse sets the tone for the respectful negotiations that follow and shows Abraham's good standing in the community.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 23:6

  • The word "mighty" here is אֱלֹהִים (’elohim), often translated as "God" but also used for someone of great power or status; calling Abraham a "prince of God" suggests deep respect.
  • The word "prince" is נָשִׂיא (nasi’), meaning a leader or chief, showing that Abraham was seen as a person of high rank among the Hittites.
  • The word "sepulchres" is קֶבֶר (qeber), meaning a tomb or burial place, emphasizing the offer of access to family tombs, which was a significant gesture.
  • The phrase "none...shall withhold" uses לֹא (lo’) and אִישׁ (ish), meaning "no man," stressing that every member of the community is willing to cooperate, not just a few.

Why Genesis 23:6 matters

  • This verse clarifies that Abraham was not a stranger or outsider to the Hittites but was highly respected and trusted by them.
  • The Hittites' offer shows the cultural importance of burial and family tombs in the ancient world, and how unusual it was for a foreigner to be given such access.
  • The respectful tone and generous offer set the stage for the negotiation that follows, highlighting both Abraham's humility and the community's esteem for him.

Where else these words appear

“choice” Hebrew H4005 · used in 12 verses

  • Exodus 15:4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
  • Isaiah 37:24 By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel.
  • Ezekiel 24:4 Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.

“withhold” Hebrew H3607 · used in 17 verses

  • Genesis 8:2 The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;
  • Psalms 40:9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
  • Isaiah 43:6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;

“sepulchres” Hebrew H6913 · used in 62 verses

  • Genesis 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
  • 1 Kings 14:13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.
  • Job 17:1 My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me.

“none” Hebrew H3808 · used in 73 verses

  • Genesis 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
  • Numbers 19:2 This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:
  • Psalms 17:1 A Prayer of David. Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.