Genesis 23:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In the Hebrew scripture, the name appears first as ‘Ephron’ (עֶפְרוֹן֒) and subsequently as ‘Efran’ (עֶפְרֹ֔ן). These variations are the forms I refer to here. The truth is that, after he was enticed by the monetary reward for selling the burial site, albeit under Abraham's insistence, the letter vau, which the Jews utilize to represent the sound ‘o,’ was removed from his name, resulting in Ephron being called Efran. This alteration signifies that one who is willing to commodify the memory of the deceased lacks complete integrity. Thus, those who sell burial plots without external coercion, and who instead seize payment from those who give it grudgingly, should recognize that they diminish their own name. Consequently, a portion of the good reputation they have built is lost, for even one who accepts money with reluctance faces implicit condemnation.

Abraham swiftly chose to purchase the burial site, even though it was offered to him without cost. He sought to ensure that we do not need to construct graves for our loved ones in distant lands, but rather in our own. This is particularly significant because, when land is transferred, often the accompanying burial sites are included as well. Abraham acted with this understanding, as at that time, there were no temples of God where the bodies of the faithful could find rest.

He assessed its weight. This indicates that the value of the coin, at that moment, was based solely on its mass rather than the metal from which it was made.