< Genesis 23 >

1 Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life.
And Sarah was a hundred and twenty-seven years old: [these were] the years of the life of Sarah.
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 Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same [is] Hebron in the land of Canaan: And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3 Abraham rose up from before his dead and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,
And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
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 stranger and a sojourner with you; give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
5 The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to 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.”
Hear us, my lord; thou [art] a mighty prince among us: 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.
7 Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth.
And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth.
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 he communed with them, saying, If it is your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the 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.”
That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which [is] in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me, for a possession of a burying-place among you.
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,
And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, of all that entered the gates of his city, saying,
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.”
Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I to thee, and the cave that [is] in it, I give it to thee; in the presence of the sons of my people I give it to thee: bury thy dead.
12 Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
And Abraham bowed himself before the people of the land.
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 he spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou [wilt give it], I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field: take [it] of me, and I will bury my dead there.
14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to 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, hearken to me: the land [is worth] four hundred shekels of silver; what [is] that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy 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.
And Abraham hearkened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current [money] with the merchant.
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
And the field of Ephron, which [was] in Machpelah, which [was] before Mamre, the field and the cave which [was] in it, and all the trees that [were] in the field, that [were] in all the borders round about, were made sure
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.
To Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that entered the gate of his city.
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.
And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre: the same [is] 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.
And the field, and the cave that [is] in it were made sure to Abraham for a possession of a burying-place, by the sons of Heth.

< Genesis 23 >