Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that [is] therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
Ver. 11. The field give I thee, &c.] A brave speech of a bountiful spirit, to a stranger especially; and in that respect beyond that of Araunah the noble Jebusite to David, his liege lord; "All these things did Araunah as a king give to the king". 2Sa 24:23 Indeed, to give is a kingly employment; making men like to "the Father of lights, from whom comes every good gift and perfect giving". Jam 1:17 Kings are styled benefactors; a and of the ancient kings of Egypt it is recorded, and was rehearsed among other of their praises, that they were ευμεταδοτοι, και κοινωνικοι, "willing to distribute, ready to communicate," which are the apostle's two words in 1 Timothy 6:18. Cyrus took more delight in giving than possessing, as his soldiers could say of him in Xenophon. b It is not only better, but sweeter to do good, than to receive good, said Epicurus. c It is a "more blessed" thing, saith our Saviour. Titus would say, when he had done no good, he had lost a day: et molestius erat Severo Imperatori nihil peti, quam dare. Our General Norrice, like that Bishop of Lincoln, never thought he had that thing, which he did not give. Few such now-a-days.
a ευεργεκαι. - Diodor. Sic., lib. i. Luk 22:25
b Dιδους μαλλον η κτωμενος ηδεται
c του ευ παχειν το ευ ποιειν, ου καλλιον μονον αλλα κια ηδιον. - Epicur.