Genesis 23:16
Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's easy to miss is that Abraham didn't just hand over a lump sum; he weighed the silver. This emphasizes that coinage wasn't yet common, and transactions relied on the intrinsic value of precious metal, measured precisely by weight for fair exchange among merchants.
After Sarah's death, Abraham addressed the local Hittites to secure a burial place for her, emphasizing his status as a sojourner. Ephron the Hittite offered a field and cave, but Abraham insisted on paying the stated price of four hundred shekels of silver, weighing it out publicly to finalize the transaction. This careful transaction secured the cave of Machpelah, the first piece of land Abraham owned in Canaan, for his family's burial.
Why did Abraham insist on paying for the cave, even when offered it as a gift? It wasn't just about the land itself.
Abraham's purchase of the cave of Machpelah is more than a simple real estate transaction; it's an act of faith in God's promises.
A Place for the Faithful
Even though the Hittites offered Abraham a burial place freely, he insisted on paying the full price. This wasn't about haggling or distrust; it was about claiming the land as a possession given by God.
Anchored in God's Word
Abraham was a sojourner, a pilgrim with no permanent home. By purchasing this piece of land, he was acting on God's promise that this land would one day belong to his descendants. The act of purchase symbolized his deep-seated faith in that future inheritance. It was a tangible step of faith, looking beyond his current circumstances to God's eternal plan.
Abraham 'weighed out' silver. What does this tell us about the economic practices of his day and the nature of his transaction?
The way Abraham paid for the cave reveals a lot about the ancient world and the specific nature of this significant purchase.
Silver by Weight, Not by Count
Before coinage became common, precious metals like silver were the primary medium of exchange. They weren't counted out in predetermined units like modern coins. Instead, the silver was weighed on scales to ensure the correct amount was transferred.
'Current Money with the Merchant'
This phrase means the silver was of a standard quality, recognized and accepted by traders. It wasn't just any scrap of silver; it was valuable metal, likely in the form of bars or rings, that held its worth in commercial dealings. Abraham ensured the payment was legitimate and valuable, demonstrating integrity in his dealings with Ephron and the Hittites, who acted as witnesses.
Understand the original words
Avraham · Hebrew Proper Noun
A reference to the patriarch of the Jewish people and the father of all who believe. He is the central figure in the early chapters of Genesis, defined by his faith in God’s promises and his role as the recipient of the Abrahamic Covenant.
kesef · Hebrew Noun
A precious metal often used as currency in the ancient Near East. In a biblical context, it frequently represents value, redemption, or the material wealth used in trade and temple construction.
sheqel · Hebrew Noun
A unit of weight or currency used in the ancient Near East. It was standard for trade and legal transactions, representing a specific value of precious metal.
Hitti · Hebrew Proper Noun/Adjective
The transaction described in Genesis 23:16 highlights an ancient economic practice where silver was paid by weight, not by coinage, underscoring Abraham's role as a sojourner in a land with established, yet different, customs of trade.
c. 2000-1800 BC
Hammurabi's Code in Mesopotamia
This period saw the flourishing of Mesopotamian civilizations, with established legal and economic systems. Evidence suggests that by this time, stamped shekels might have been used for trade, though weighing metal was still common.
Early 2nd Millennium BC
Patriarchal Era Begins
Abraham's life falls within this era, marked by nomadic or semi-nomadic existence for the early patriarchs. They were 'strangers and sojourners' in the land of Canaan, not yet possessing landed property.
Mid-2nd Millennium BC
Trade and Barter in Canaan
The land of Canaan was inhabited by various peoples, including the Hittites. Trade was conducted through barter and the exchange of precious metals, weighed for their value, rather than coined currency.
Abraham's Lifetime— this verse
Purchase of the Cave of Machpelah
Abraham, after the death of Sarah, negotiates with Ephron the Hittite for the burial cave at Machpelah. The transaction is conducted publicly, with silver weighed out according to current merchant standards.
This passage parallels Abraham's careful transaction by describing Jeremiah weighing out silver to buy a field, demonstrating this practice was a recognized way to secure property.
Acts 7:16Stephen recounts Abraham's purchase of the field at Machpelah, confirming the event and highlighting that it was a 'plot of ground' bought from the sons of Hamor (Heth's descendants), thus linking this event to the broader narrative of Israel's ancestral land.
2 Kings 12:13This verse speaks of money being poured into a chest for temple repairs, with no mention of 'basins for the money,' implying that when transactions occurred between individuals, payment was often by weight rather than by specific coin denominations.
Matthew 13:44Jesus' parable of the hidden treasure, where a man sells all he has to buy the field, echoes Abraham's immense value placed on this land, not just for burial but as a divine promise.
cambridgeGenesis 23:16: "And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant."
16 . weighed ] The scales were ready. “Weighed” is the appropriate word for the payment of money in days when money was not coined. Coined money seems not to have been in use among the Israelites before the Exile. The price of an article was reckoned by the weight of metal—silver or…
ellicottGenesis 23:16: "And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant."
(16) Abraham weighed . . . current money with the merchant. —Shekel literally means weight, and money was not coined until long afterwards. In the last clause, by inserting money our version antedates facts. According to the Hebrew, it was the silver that was current with the merchan…
What's easy to miss is that Abraham didn't just hand over a lump sum; he weighed the silver. This emphasizes that coinage wasn't yet common, and transactions relied on the intrinsic value of precious metal, measured precisely by weight for fair exchange among merchants.
After Sarah's death, Abraham addressed the local Hittites to secure a burial place for her, emphasizing his status as a sojourner. Ephron the Hittite offered a field and cave, but Abraham insisted on paying the stated price of four hundred shekels of silver, weighing it out publicly to finalize the transaction. This careful transaction secured the cave of Machpelah, the first piece of land Abraham owned in Canaan, for his family's burial.
After Sarah's death, Abraham addressed the local Hittites to secure a burial place for her, emphasizing his status as a sojourner. Ephron the Hittite offered a field and cave, but Abraham insisted on paying the stated price of four hundred shekels of silver, weighing it out publicly to finalize the transaction. This careful transaction secured the cave of Machpelah, the first piece of land Abraham owned in Canaan, for his family's burial.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Genesis 23:16 is available in the Sola app.
A member of the people group inhabiting the land of Canaan during the time of the patriarchs. They are presented as a settled society with established legal, economic, and social customs.
Late 2nd Millennium BC
Hittite Empire Flourishes
The Hittites were a significant power in Anatolia and the Levant during the Late Bronze Age. Their presence in Canaan as documented in Genesis reflects historical realities of the period.
Post-Exilic Period (after 539 BC)
Development of Coinage in Judah
Following the return from Babylonian exile, the use of coined money became more widespread among the Israelites. This marks a significant shift from the ancient practice of weighing metals for transactions.
"Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants." — What's easy to miss is that Abraham didn't just hand over a lump sum; he weighed the silver. This emphasizes that coinage wasn't yet common, and transactions relied on the intrinsic value of precio…
