Genesis 23:7

7 Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land.

Genesis 23:7 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 23:7

And Abraham stood up
For, having made his speech to the children of Heth, he sat down waiting for an answer; or rather perhaps they obliged him to sit down, out of reverence to so great a personage; and when they had done speaking, he rose up: and bowed himself to the people of the land;
the principal of them, in token of the grateful sense he had of the honour they had done him, and of the great civility with which they had used him: [even] to the children of Heth;
this seems to be added to distinguish them from the common people, and as an explanation of the preceding clause; (See Gill on Genesis 23:3).

Genesis 23:7 In-Context

5 The Hittites answered Abraham,
6 "Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold from you any burial ground for burying your dead."
7 Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land.
8 He said to them, "If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron son of Zohar,
9 so that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.