Genesis 23
1 Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life.
Sarah lived to be 127,
2 Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
and then she died at Kiriath-arba (or Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went in to mourn her death and to weep over her.
3 Abraham rose up from before his dead and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,
Then Abraham got up from beside his wife's body and went to talk with the leaders of the Hittites.
4 “I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
“I am a foreigner, a stranger living among you,” he said. “Please let me buy a burial site so I can bury my dead wife.”
5 The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
The Hittites answered Abraham, telling him,
6 “Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead.”
“Listen, my lord, you are a highly-respected prince among us. Choose the very best of our burial sites to bury your dead. None of us will say no to you.”
7 Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth.
Abraham got up and bowed low before the Hittites, the local people,
8 He talked with them, saying, “If you agree that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
and said to them, “If you agree to help me bury my dead, listen to my proposal. Could you please ask Ephron, son of Zohar,
9 that he may sell me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him sell it to me among you as a possession for a burial place.”
to sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him, down at the end of his field. I'm willing to pay him the full price here in your presence so I can have my own burial site.”
10 Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,
Ephron the Hittite was sitting there among his people. He replied to Abraham in the presence of the Hittites who were there at the town gate.
11 “No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”
“No, my lord,” he said. “Please listen to me. I give you the field and the cave that is there. I give it to you and my people are my witnesses. Please go and bury your dead.”
12 Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
Abraham bowed low before the local people,
13 He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.”
and said to Ephron so everyone could hear, “Please listen to me. I will pay the price for the field. Take the money and let me go and bury my dead there.”
14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
Ephron replied to Abraham, telling him,
15 “My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.”
“My lord, please listen to me. The land is worth four hundred pieces of silver. But what's that between us? Go and bury your dead.”
16 Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants’ standard.
Abraham accepted Ephron's offer. Abraham weighed out and gave to Ephron the four hundred pieces of silver he'd mentioned, using the standard weights used by merchants, and with the Hittites acting as witnesses.
17 So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded
So the property was legally transferred. It comprised Ephron's field in Machpelah near Mamre, both the field and the cave there, as well as all the trees in the field, and all the area up to the existing boundaries.
18 to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
This all became Abraham's property, and the transaction was witnessed by the Hittites who were there at the town gate.
19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
Then Abraham went and buried Sarah his wife in the cave in the field at Machpelah near Mamre (or Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
20 The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham by the children of Heth as a possession for a burial place.
Ownership of the field and the cave there was transferred from the Hittites to Abraham to serve as his burial place.
