King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
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.
Complete Jewish Bible:
"I am a foreigner living as an alien with you; let me have a burial site with you, so that I can bury my dead wife.
Berean Standard Bible:
“I am a foreigner and an outsider among you. Give me a burial site among you so that I can bury my dead.”
American Standard Version:
I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
I am a stranger{H1616} and a sojourner{H8453} with you: give{H5414} me a possession{H272} of a buryingplace{H6913} with you, that I may bury{H6912} my dead{H4191} out of my sight{H6440}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Hebrews 11:9
- By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as [in] a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
1 Chronicles 29:15
- For we [are] strangers before thee, and sojourners, as [were] all our fathers: our days on the earth [are] as a shadow, and [there is] none abiding.
Genesis 17:8
- And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
Psalms 119:19
- ¶ I [am] a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.
Acts 7:5
- And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not [so much as] to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when [as yet] he had no child.
Hebrews 11:13
- These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Hebrews 11:16
- But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 23:4
Genesis 23:4 is a verse that captures a pivotal moment in the narrative of Abraham, a patriarchal figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The historical context of this verse is set in the land of Canaan, where Abraham has been living after his journey from his birthplace, Ur of the Chaldeans. In this verse, Abraham speaks to the Hittites, the inhabitants of the land, expressing his desire to purchase a burial site for his wife Sarah, who has just died.
The themes present in this verse include the concepts of land ownership, burial customs, and the status of foreigners. Abraham's identification as a "stranger and a sojourner" underscores his outsider status in Canaan, highlighting the precarious position of immigrants and travelers in ancient societies. Despite his wealth and status as a man blessed by God, Abraham does not own any land in Canaan and thus must negotiate with the Hittites to secure a final resting place for his deceased wife.
The verse also touches on the ancient Near Eastern custom of burying the dead in family tombs, which were often located on privately owned land. Abraham's request for a burial place is not just for the immediate needs of interring Sarah, but it also signifies his intent to establish a tangible connection to the land for his family's future generations.
In summary, Genesis 23:4 reflects the themes of ancestral burial customs, the challenges faced by immigrants, and the establishment of familial heritage. It provides insight into the social practices of the time regarding land and burial rights, and it marks a significant step in the patriarchal narratives, as Abraham begins to secure a physical foothold in the land that God had promised to him and his descendants.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1616
There are 83 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: גֵּר
Transliteration: gêr
Pronunciation: gare
Description: or (fully) geyr (gare); from גּוּר; properly, a guest; by implication, a foreigner; alien, sojourner, stranger. - Strong's Number: H8453
There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: תּוֹשָׁב
Transliteration: tôwshâb
Pronunciation: to-shawb'
Description: or תֹּשָׁב; (1 Kings 17:1), from יָשַׁב; a dweller (but not outlandish (נׇכְרִי)); especially (as distinguished from a native citizen (active participle of יָשַׁב) and a temporary inmate (גֵּר) or mere lodger (לוּן)); resident alien; foreigner, inhabitant, sojourner, stranger. - Strong's Number: H5414
There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: נָתַן
Transliteration: nâthan
Pronunciation: naw-than'
Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. - Strong's Number: H272
There are 190 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֲחֻזָּה
Transliteration: ʼăchuzzâh
Pronunciation: akh-ooz-zaw'
Description: feminine passive participle from אָחַז; something seized, i.e. a possession (especially of land); possession. - Strong's Number: H6913
There are 62 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קֶבֶר
Transliteration: qeber
Pronunciation: keh'-ber
Description: or (feminine) קִבְרָה; from קָבַר; a sepulchre; burying place, grave, sepulchre. - Strong's Number: H6912
There are 122 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָבַר
Transliteration: qâbar
Pronunciation: kaw-bar'
Description: a primitive root; to inter; [idiom] in any wise, bury(-ier). - Strong's Number: H4191
There are 694 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מוּת
Transliteration: mûwth
Pronunciation: mooth
Description: a primitive root; to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill; [idiom] at all, [idiom] crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), [idiom] must needs, slay, [idiom] surely, [idiom] very suddenly, [idiom] in (no) wise. - Strong's Number: H6440
There are 1890 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פָּנִים
Transliteration: pânîym
Pronunciation: paw-neem'
Description: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.); [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you.