Genesis 23:18

Genesis 23:18

 Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.

a. NLT: It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate.

b. NIV: to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city.

c. YLT: to Abraham by purchase, before the eyes of the sons of Heth, among all entering the gate of his city.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: As a possession to Abraham in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at his city gate.

e. Septuagint: to Abraam for a possession, before the sons of Chet, and all that entered into the city.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: as Abraham’s purchase in the view of the children of Heth, among all who came to the gate of his city.

1. “Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth…”

a. Abraham [85 * 'Abraham] [Strong: contracted from 1 and an unused root (probably meaning to be populous); father of a multitude; Abraham, the later name of Abram:--Abraham.]

b. for a possession [4736 * miqnah mik-naw' feminine of 4735; properly, a buying, i.e. acquisition; concretely, a piece of property (land or living); also the sum paid:--(he that is) bought, possession, piece, purchase.]

c. in the presence [5869 * `ayin] [Strong: probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, + think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, + displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, + think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).]

d. of the children [1121 * ben] [Strong: from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

e. of Heth [2845 * Cheth] [Strong: from 2865; terror; Cheth, an aboriginal Canaanite:--Heth.]

2. “…before all that went in at the gate of his city.”

a. before all that went in [935 * bow] [Strong: a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, + besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken (in age), X surely, take (in), way.]

b. at the gate [8179 * sha`ar shah'-ar from 8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or gate:--city, door, gate, port (X -er).]

c. of his city [5892 * `iyr; or (in the plural) par; or ayar] [Strong: from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.]

1). The gate of a city was a place where legal business was done. In Israel, the determination of guilt or innocence was done at the gate.

a). Deuteronomy 22:15 Then the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel’s virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate:

2). Executions were carried out there.

a). Deuteronomy 22:24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbor’s wife: so thou shalt put evil from among you.

3). When Boaz wanted to legally marry Ruth, he went to the gate of the city of Bethlehem.

a). Ruth 4:1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat down there, and, behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spoke came by, unto whom he said, Ho, such a one! Turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat down.

4). There are numerous examples in Scripture that shows the importance of the gate of the city. Here are some other examples

a). 1 Kings 22:10   And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

b). Jeremiah 38:7 Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;

 c). See also Amos 5:10-15.