Genesis 23:5

Gen 23:5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,

Ver. 5. And the children of Heth answered Abraham.] "With good words and comfortable". {as Zec 1:13} "Be pitiful, be courteous". {1Pe 3:8}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen 23:5. The children of Heth answered — From Abraham’s treating with the people of Heth, and from many other transactions related in the Scriptures, it seems as if kings and magistrates in those days did nothing of a public nature, but in conjunction with the people; and that the people had a great share in the management of all affairs.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23:5-6 my lord, you are an honored prince: Either Abraham was highly regarded by these people, or they were politely appealing to his generosity. • Choose the finest. . . . No one here will refuse: They were willing to accommodate his request, especially if they could legally obligate him to themselves (23:11).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And the children of Heth answered Abraham,.... In a very civil and respectful manner:

saying unto him, as follows:

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Vers. 5, 6. And the children of Heth answered. Abraham, saying unto him, Hear us, my lord. My lord (Adoni) = sir, monsieur, or mein herr. One acts as the spokesman of all; the number changing from plural to singular. The LXX, reading alo instead of wOl, after the Samaritan Codex, render mhrie, Not so, my lord; but hear us. Thou art a mighty prince among us. Literally, a prince of Elohim; not of Jehovah, since the speakers were heathen whose ideas of Deity did not transcend those expressed in the term Elohim. According to a familiar Hebrew idiom, the phrase might be legitimately translated as in the A.V cf. "mountains of God," i.e. great mountains, Psa_36:6; "cedars of God," i.e. goodly cedars, Psa_80:10 (Calvin, Kimchi, Rosenm "Speaker"s Commentary"); but, as employed by the Hittite chieftains, it probably expressed that they regarded him as a prince or phylarch, not to whom God had given an elevated aspect (Lange), but either whom God had appointed (Gesenius), or whom God manifestly favored (Kalisch, Murphy). This estimate of Abraham strikingly contrasts with that which the patriarch had formed (Ver. 4) of himself. In the choice of our sepulchers bury thy dead; none of us will withhold from thee his sepulcher, but that thou mayest bury thy dead. This remarkable offer on the part of the Hittites Thomson ("Land and Book," p. 578) regards as having been merely compliment, which Abraham was too experienced an Oriental not to understand. But, even if dictated by true kindness and generosity, the proposal was one to which for many reasons faith in God, love for the dead, and respect for himself being among thestrongest the patriarch could not accede. With perfect courtesy, therefore, though likewise with respectful firmness, he declines their offer.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The sons of Heth

Here "sons" stands for those who descended from Heth. See how you translated this in Genesis 23:3. AT: "The descendants of Heth" (See: How to Translate Names)

my master

This phrase is used to show respect to Abraham.

a prince of God

This is an idiom. This probably means "a powerful man" or "a mighty leader." (See: Idiom)

your dead

The nominal adjective "dead" can be stated as a verb or simply as "wife." AT: "your wife who has died" or "your wife" (See: Nominal Adjectives)

the choicest of our tombs

"the best of our burial places"

refuse you his tomb

"withhold his burial place from you" or "refuse to give to you his tomb"

translationWords

Abraham

lord

God

grave

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

ויענו, they agreed by telling him so.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.