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sight, hear me, and entreat for me is in the end of his field; for as to Ephron the son of Zohar, much money as it is worth he shall 9 That he may give me the cave give it me, for a possession of a buof Machpelah, which he hath, which rying-place among you.

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self. Heb. ishtahu, bowed or princes at his pleasure;' Heb. At his did obeisance, thesoul

εκυνησε.

same word as that 9. That he may give me the cave of often rendered 'wor- Machpelah. Heb. mban na meaship,' and importing rath hammakpelah. Gr. rо σпndaιov тo an act of respectful dirλovv, the twofold cave. Chal. 'The cave reverence. Gr. poσ- of doubleness.' It is a much disputed The pos- point among biblical critics whether the ture is no doubt term is to be understood as a proper correctly represent-name or as an appellative. The Jewed in the cut, which ish commentators maintain the latter, is exactly that des- deriving b Macpelah, from cribed by Herodotus kaphal, to be double, as if the cave conas practised among sisted of two separate chambers, or the ancient Egypt- were furnished with two distinct enians, and which continues, as a devotional trances. Others, we think with better attitude, in the East to the present day. reason, upon comparing vss. 17, 19, 'The politeness of Abraham may be make it a proper name, although there seen exemplified among the highest and can be little doubt that there was the lowest of the people of the East: was some peculiarity in the topography in this respect nature seems to have of the place which first gave rise to the done for them what art has done for appellation. This is perhaps most satisothers. With what grace do all classes factorily explained by the extracts from bow on receiving a favor, or in paying Purchas in a subsequent note.-¶ At their respects to a superior! Sometimes the end of his field. That is, in one exthey bow down to the ground; at other tremity of his territory; the original times they put their hands on their bo- word for 'field' denoting a far larger soms, and gently incline the head; they region than this term does with us. Inalso put the right hand on the face deed, it answers much more nearly to a in a longitudinal position; and some-modern township or county than to the times give a long and graceful sweep little tract of land which we usually dewith the right hand, from the forehead to miate' a field.' In Hos. 12. 13, it is taker the ground. Roberts.

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Chal.

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in a still more extensive sense; 'Jacol fled into the country of Syria (D18 712 field of Syria.)' For as much money as it is worth. Heb. b 9900 bukkeseph male, for full silver, i. e. full money. Silver is often used by the sacred writers for money, and full for full weight, as it is evident from v. 16, that money was formerly thus computed. A similar phraseology occurs 1 Chron. 21. 24, will verily buy it

8. If it be your mind. Heb. Nim yesh eth naphshekem, if it be with your soul. Gr. εi EXETE Tn vpwv if ye have it in your soul. If it be the pleasure of your soul.' 'Soul' often occurs in the sacred writings in the sense of will, desire, prevailing inclination. Thus, Ps. 27. 12, 'Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies.' Heb. Unto the soul. Deut. 21. 14, 'Go for the whither she will.' Heb. Go according to full silver;' where the parallel passage her soul. Ps. 105. 22, 'To bind his 2 Sam. 24 24, relates the same fact thus

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I will surely buy it of thee

11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.

* See 2 Sam. 24. 21–24.

beozne, in the ears of

a more commodious medium of traffic. a price.' It is worthy of observation From that period to the present the that this is the first money transaction precious metals have been mostly emwhich we read of in the world. Till ployed by all civilized and commercial then and long after, both among the nations for the same purpose. posterity of Abraham and other nations, 10 Ephron answered Abraham in the wealth was estimated by the number audience of the children of Heth. Heb. and quality of cattle, and cattle were -T All the principal instruments of commerce. that went in at the gates of the city. BarThus we read in many places of Homer gains and covenants used anciently to of a coat of mail worth an hundred be entered into and solemnly ratified in oxen; a caldron worth twenty sheep; a the gates of cities, from the ease of procup or goblet worth twelve lambs; and curing witnesses among the crowds that the like.. The words belonging to com- resorted thither, written documents bemerce or exchange of commodities, in ing then but little in vogue. It was esthe Greek language, are mostly derived pecially of importance to Abraham that from the names of certain animals, by this purchase should be known and ratimeans of which that exchange was ori-fied. Had he accepted the sepulchre as ginally carried on. Thus the word a present, or bought it in a private way, which signifies to barter, traffic, or com- his title to it might at some subsequent mute one kind of goods for another period have been disputed, and his de(apvvoðat) is derived from that which sig-scendants been deprived of that which nifies a lamb; the verb translated to sell (Twλε) comes from a noun signifying a

he was desirous of securing to them. But all fears of this kind were effectually prevented by the publicity of the transaction. The chief persons of the city were not only witnesses of it, but agents, by whose mediation Fphron was induced to conclude the bargain. Being witnessed, moreover, by all who went in or out of the gate of the city, there was little likelihood, after possession was once taken, that any doubt could ever

colt; the Greek word for buy wveioba) comes from that which signifies an ass; while the term denoting rent or revenue (πpobaois), and that which signifies a sheep (poẞarov), are of kindred origin and import. A criminal, according to the magnitude of his offence, was anciently condemned to pay a fine of four, twelve, or an hundred oxen. A wealthy person was said to be a person of many arise respecting the transfer of the prolambs. Two rival brothers are repre-perty, or the title of Abraham's posterisented in Hesiod as fighting with each ty to possess it. other about the sheep of their father; 11. Nay, my lord, hear me. 'Respectathat is, contending who should be his ble people are always saluted with the But from the present narrative dignified title My lord;' hence English it appears, that as early as the time of gentlemen, on their arrival, are apt to Abraham, silver was employed as a suppose they are taken for those of very |

heir.

VOL. II.

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12 And Abraham bowed down land, saying, But if thou wilt give himself before the people of the it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field: take 13 And he spake unto Ephron in it of me, and I will bury my dead the audience of the people of the there.

land.

be a

high rank. The man of whom Abra-sence of the sons of my people give I it ham offered to purchase Machpelah, af- thee.' This is exquisitely oriental, as will fected to give the land. Nay, my lord, be seen by the following extract from hear me, the field I give thee.' And Mr. Frazer's 'Journey into Khorasan:'this fully agrees with the conduct of 'The least a Persian says when he rethose who are requested to dispose of a ceives you is, that he is your slave; that thing to a person of superior rank. Let his house, and all it contains-nay, the latter go and ask the price, and the the town and country-are all yours; owner will say, 'My lord, it will to dispose of at your pleasure. Every great favor if you will take it.' 'Ah, thing you accidentally notice-his callelet me have that pleasure, my lord. eons (water smoking-pipes', his horse, Should the possessor believe he will one equipage, clothes-are all Peshcush-eday need a favor from the great man, Sahib-presents for your acceptance.' nothing will induce him to sell the arti- This mode of address, as Francklin obcle, and he will take good care (through serves, is not confined to the great; but the servants or a friend) it shall soon be the meanest artisan will not hesitate to in his house. Should he, however, have offer the city of Shiraz, with all its apno expectation of a favor in future, he | purtenances, as a present to a stranger will say as Ephron, 'The thing is worth on his arrival. All this is understood to so much; your pleasure, my lord.'-Ro- | mean no more than 'Your obedient, humberts.—¶ The field I give thee, &c. In ble servant,' at the end of our letters. after-times we find that the Hittites were But it often happens, that if the stranger not at all a popular people with the Is- be a person of wealth or influence, the raelites. This Ephron is the first of that man is really anxious to force upon his nation who comes under our notice; acceptance any article he happens and his tone and manner on this occa- to admire, or expresses a wish to sion do no great credit to his tribe. We purchase. But if the stranger is inare not surprised that Ephron's respect- considerate enough to accept it, it will ful and seemingly liberal conduct has not be long before he discovers that by been beheld favorably in Europe, for this act he is considered to have given only one who has been in the East can the person a claim either upon his good properly appreciate the rich orientalism offices and favor, or for a present of it exhibits. We will therefore state the much more than equal value in return. transaction as illustrated by what we If, like Abraham, he understands these have ourselves seen in Persia. Abra- matters, and is not disposed to receive ham wishes to purchase of Ephron a such obligation, his best course is either certain field containing a cave: Ephron, not to admire' at all, or to insist on at feeling the value of the opportunity of once paying the value of that which atlaying, or seeming to lay, under obliga-tracts his admiration. In the latter case, tion so great a person as Abraham, the man will name the price, like Ephron, makes a parade of his readiness to give in a slight way, as a thing of no conseit :-' The field give I thee, and the cave quence: 'It is worth so much; what is that is therein, I give it thee; in the pre- that betwixt me and thee?' But when

14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred h shekels of silver: what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

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.

17 ¶ And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders 1ound about, were made sure

k ch. 25. 9 & 49. 30, 31, 32. & 50. 13. Acts

b Exod. 30. 15. Ezek. 45. 12. i Jer. 32. 9. 7. 16. the money is produced, he counts it and thee' (1 Sam. xxv. 12). This was carefully, and transfers it to the pocket not therefore considered disrespectful or bosom of his vest in a business-like even in an inferior; nor is it now in the manner, without any indication that East--at least not in Persia-where the shekels of silver are undervalued by strict and minutely regulated etiquette him.' Pict. Bible. of society does not regard this practice

16. Four hundred shekels. Heb. pas improper.' Pict. Bible. shekel, from shakal, to weigh,

17. Were made sure. Heb. bp yakom, whence we have by transposition of stood, or stood up; i. e. were made staletters the Eng. 'scale,' an instrument ble, sure, confirmed. The same term v. of weighing. It is so called from the 20, rendered by the Gr. ɛxvpwŷn, was confact that the value of money was in firmed. Throughout the above transacthose early ages reckoned by weight. tion, there was much more in the mind For this reason the word shekel is at of Abraham than was known to the peoonce the name of a weight and a coin. ple with whom he was dealing. The imThe value of the Jewish shekel was not mediate and ostensible reason for making far from fifty cents, American money. the purchase was, to procure a place of The price, therefore, that Ephron set up-interment for his wife. But he had others on his field, may be fixed at about two no less important. One of these, as we hundred dollars; consequently it could have already intimated, was to express his not have been a very small tract which confidence in the divine promise. God had in that age could have brought so con- promised to him and to his seed the land siderable a sum. What is that be- wherein he sojourned. But Abraham had ¶ twixt me and thee? • We all know what continued there till this time without a proof of arrogance or ignorance it is gaining in it so much as one foot of land. considered for a person to name himself Yet it was not possible that the promise before another, even though that other could fail. He was as much assured that should be an inferior; and what odium it should be fulfilled, as if he had seen its Cardinal Wolsey incurred by writing actual accomplishment. Under this conhimself before the king,- Ego et rex viction he purchased the field as a pledge meus, I and my king.' Yet here Ephron and earnest of his future inheritance. A mentions himself before Abraham, to similar compact, made with precisely whom he nevertheless speaks with great the same view, occurs in the prophecies respect and David, while he continues of Jeremiah, ch. 33 6-16, 42-44. The to treat Saul as his sovereign, and ap- prophets had foretold the speedy desopears before him in a most submissive | lation of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, attitude, uses the same expression, me and the restoration of the Jews to their

18 Unto Abraham for a posses-re; the same is Hebron in the sion in the presence of the children land of Canaan.

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of Heth, before all that went in at 20 And the field, and the cave the gate of his city. that is therein were made sure 19 And after this, Abraham bu- unto Abraham for a possession of a ried Sarah his wife in the cave of burying-place, by the sons of Heth. the field of Machpelah, before Mam

1 See Ruth 4. 7, 8, 9, 10. Jer. 32. 10, 11. out of the land of Egypt to possess the land of Canaan, they should carry up his bones with them, and bury them in the sepulchre of his progenitors.

own land after a captivity of seventy years. His uncle's son, alarmed, as it should seem, by the approach of the Chaldean army, determined to sell his estate; and offered it to Jeremiah first, 19. Buried Sarah his wife, in the cave, because the right of redemption belong- &c. This chapter affords the earliest ed to him. By God's command, Jere- notice of the practice, which was formiah bought the inheritance, and hav- merly very prevalent in the East, of deing had the transfer signed and sealed positing the dead in natural or artificial in a public manner, he buried the writ- caves, great numbers of which are still ings in an earthen vessel, that, being pre- to be found in Palestine, Syria, Egypt, served to the expiration of the Babylo- and Persia. In the mountainous counnish captivity, they might be an evi- try of southern Palestine there are dence of his title to the estate. This abundance of natural caves in the rocks, was done, not that the prophet or his which might easily be formed into comheirs might be enriched by the purchase, modious sepulchral vaults; and where but that his conviction of the truth of such natural caves are wanting, sepulhis own prophecies might be made man- chres were hewn in the rock for such ifest. But in addition to this, and close- families as were able to incur the necesly connected with it, Abraham designed sary expense; for this was the mode of to perpetuate among his posterity the ex- sepulchre decidedly preferred by those pectation of the promised land. It was who could obtain it. The arrangement to be four hundred years before his seed and extent of these caves varied with were to possess the land of Canaan. circumstances. Those in the declivity In that length of time it was probable of a mountain were often cut in horizon that without some memento, the prom- tally; but to others there was usually a ise itself would be forgotten; and more | descent by steps from the surface. The especially during their Egyptian bond-roofs of the vaults are commonly arched; age. But their having a burying-place and sometimes, in the more spacious in Canaan, where their bones were to vaults, supported by colonnades. These be laid with the bones of their father rocky chambers are generally spacious, Abraham, was the most likely means of being obviously family vaults, intended keeping alive in every succeeding gen- to receive several dead bodies. Niches, eration the hope of ultimately possessing about six or seven feet deep, are usually the whole land. Accordingly we find cut in the sides of the vault, each adaptit did produce this very effect; for as ed to receive a single corpse; but in Abraham and Sarah were buried in that some vaults small rooms are cut in the cave, so were Isaac and Rebekah, and same manner; and in others, stone Jacob and Lean, notwithstanding Jacob slabs of the same length are fixed horidied in Egypt. And Joseph also, though | zontally against the walls, or cut out of buried in Egypt, gave commandment the rock, one above another, serving as that when the Israelites should depart shelves on which the corpses were de

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