Genesis 23:6

23:6 “Listen, sir, 1  you are a mighty prince 2  among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you 3  from burying your dead.”

1 tn Heb “Hear us, my lord.”

2 tn Heb “prince of God.” The divine name may be used here as a means of expressing the superlative, “mighty prince.” The word for “prince” probably means “tribal chief” here. See M. H. Gottstein, “Nasi’ ‘elohim (Gen 23:6),” VT 3 (1953) 298-99; and D. W. Thomas, “Consideration of Some Unusual Ways of Expressing the Superlative in Hebrew,” VT 3 (1953) 215-16.

3 tn The phrase “to prevent you” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.