The Meaning of Genesis 25:9 Explained

Genesis 25:9

KJV: And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;

YLT: And Isaac and Ishmael his sons bury him at the cave of Machpelah, at the field of Ephron, son of Zoar the Hittite, which is before Mamre --

Darby: And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which was opposite to Mamre --

ASV: And Isaac and Ishmael his sons buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And his sons  Isaac  and Ishmael  buried  him in the cave  of Machpelah,  in the field  of Ephron  the son  of Zohar  the Hittite,  which [is] before  Mamre; 

What does Genesis 25:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 25:1-18 - Abraham's Death And Burial
After being for sixteen years contemporary with his grandsons, Esau and Jacob, Abraham died without owning a foot of land except the cave for which he had paid, as a stranger might. But all was his. He was persuaded of God's faithfulness, and earnestly reached out his hands toward the City with foundations. See Hebrews 11:13. He was full. Those who had known him in Ur might have looked on his life as a huge failure, and have spoken of him as a fanatic who had sacrificed all for nothing. But he was satisfied. He was gathered to his people, a phrase which does not refer to the body, for his people were far away across the desert, but to the recognition and welcome that awaited him on the other side of death. His sons, Isaac and Ishmael, differed widely. The one dwelled by the well, engaged in pastoral pursuits, while the other lived by his own strong hand, in the desert expanse. But they met in their common respect and grief. Births and deaths unite families. We all stand today in thankfulness at Lincoln's cradle. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 25

1  The sons of Abraham by Keturah
5  The division of his goods
7  His age, death, and burial
11  God blesses Isaac
12  The generations of Ishmael
17  His age and death
19  Isaac prays for Rebekah, being barren
22  The children strive in her womb
24  The birth of Esau and Jacob
27  Their different characters and pursuits
29  Esau sells his birthright

What do the individual words in Genesis 25:9 mean?

And buried him Isaac and Ishmael his sons in the cave of Machpelah the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite which [is] upon the face of Mamre
וַיִּקְבְּר֨וּ אֹת֜וֹ יִצְחָ֤ק וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל֙ בָּנָ֔יו אֶל־ מְעָרַ֖ת הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֑ה שְׂדֵ֞ה עֶפְרֹ֤ן בֶּן־ צֹ֙חַר֙ הַֽחִתִּ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־ פְּנֵ֥י מַמְרֵֽא

וַיִּקְבְּר֨וּ  And  buried 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָבַר  
Sense: to bury.
יִצְחָ֤ק  Isaac 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִצְחָק  
Sense: son of Abraham by Sarah his wife and father of Jacob and Esau.
וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל֙  and  Ishmael 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׁמָעֵאל  
Sense: son of Abraham and Sarah’s handmaid Hagar and the progenitor of the Arabian peoples.
בָּנָ֔יו  his  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
מְעָרַ֖ת  the  cave 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מְעָרָה  
Sense: cave, den, hole.
הַמַּכְפֵּלָ֑ה  of  Machpelah 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַכְפֵּלָה  
Sense: the location of a burial cave for the patriarchs, near Hebron.
שְׂדֵ֞ה  the  field 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׂדֶה 
Sense: field, land.
עֶפְרֹ֤ן  of  Ephron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֶפְרֹון 
Sense: a Hittite, son of Zohar and the one from whom Abraham bought the field and cave of Machpelah.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
צֹ֙חַר֙  of  Zohar 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֹחַר  
Sense: a Judaite, son of Ashur by wife Helah.
הַֽחִתִּ֔י  the  Hittite 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חִתִּי  
Sense: the nation descended from Heth, the 2nd son of Canaan; once inhabitants of central Anatolia (modern Turkey), later in north Lebanon.
אֲשֶׁ֖ר  which  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
פְּנֵ֥י  the  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
מַמְרֵֽא  of  Mamre 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַמְרֵא 
Sense: an Amorite who allied himself with Abram.