Discovery BoxGenesis 23:16-18 
Context23:16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price 1 and weighed 2 out for him 3 the price 4 that Ephron had quoted 5 in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time. 6
23:17 So Abraham secured 7 Ephron’s field in Machpelah, next to Mamre, including the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and all around its border, 23:18 as his property in the presence of the sons of Heth before all who entered the gate of Ephron’s city. 8
1 tn Heb “listened to Ephron.”
2 tn Heb “and Abraham weighed out.”
3 tn Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
4 tn Heb “silver.”
5 tn Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
6 tn Heb “passing for the merchant.” The final clause affirms that the measurement of silver was according to the standards used by the merchants of the time.
7 tn Heb “And it was conveyed.” The recipient, Abraham (mentioned in the Hebrew text at the beginning of v. 18) has been placed here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
8 tn Heb “his city”; the referent (Ephron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
sn See G. M. Tucker, “The Legal Background of Genesis 23,” JBL 85 (1966):77-84; and M. R. Lehmann, “Abraham’s Purchase of Machpelah and Hittite Law,” BASOR 129 (1953): 15-18.
