Genesis 23
1 Now Sarah lived for one hundred and twenty-seven years.
Sarah lived a hundred and twenty-seven years. These were the years of the life of Sarah.
2 And she died in the city of Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn and weep for her.
Sarah died in Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham mourned and wept for Sarah.
3 And when he had risen up from the funeral duties, he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying:
Then Abraham rose up and went from his dead wife, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
4 “I am a newcomer and a sojourner among you. Give me the right of a sepulcher among you, so that I may bury my dead.”
“I am a foreigner among you. Please grant me a property for a burial place among you, so that I may bury my dead.”
5 The sons of Heth responded by saying:
The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying,
6 “Hear us, O lord, you are a leader of God among us. Bury your dead in our chosen sepulchers. And no man shall be able to prohibit you from burying your dead within his memorial.”
“Listen to us, my master. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb, so that you may bury your dead.”
7 Abraham arose, and he reverenced the people of the land, namely, the sons of Heth.
Abraham arose and bowed down to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth.
8 And he said to them: “If it pleases your soul that I should bury my dead, hear me, and intercede on my behalf with Ephron, the son of Zohar,
He spoke to them, saying, “If you agree that I should bury my dead, then hear me and plead with Ephron son of Zohar, for me.
9 so that he may give me the double cave, which he has at the far end of his field. He may transfer it to me for as much money as it is worth in your sight, for the possession of a sepulcher.”
Ask him to sell me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns, which is at the end of his field. For the full price let him sell it to me publicly as a property for a burial place.”
10 Now Ephron dwelt in the midst of the sons of Heth. And Ephron responded to Abraham in the hearing of everyone who was entering at the gate of his city, saying:
Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth, of all those who had come into the gate of his city, saying,
11 “Let it never be so, my lord, but you should pay greater heed to what I say. The field I will transfer to you, and the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people, bury your dead.”
“No, my master, hear me. I give you the field, and the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I give it to you to bury your dead.”
12 Abraham reverenced in the sight of the people of the land.
Then Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
13 And he spoke to Ephron, standing in the midst of the people: “I ask you to hear me. I will give you money for the field. Take it, and so I will bury my dead in it.”
He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “But if you are willing, please hear me. I will pay for the field. Take the money from me, and I will bury my dead there.”
14 And Ephron responded: “My lord, hear me.
Ephron answered Abraham, saying,
15 The land that you request is worth four hundred shekels of silver. This is the price between me and you. But how much is this? Bury your dead.”
“Please, my master, listen to me. A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and you? Bury your dead.”
16 And when Abraham had heard this, he weighed out the money that Ephron had requested, in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, of the approved public currency.
Abraham listened to Ephron and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the amount of silver that he had spoken in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the standard measurement of the merchants.
17 And having confirmed that the field, in which there was a double cave overlooking Mamre, formerly belonged to Ephron, both it and the sepulcher, and all its trees, with all its surrounding limits,
So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was next to Mamre, that is, the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and all around its border, passed
18 Abraham took it as a possession, in the sight of the sons of Heth and of everyone who was entering at the gate of his city.
to Abraham by purchase in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all those who had come into the gate of his city.
19 So then, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the double cave of the field that overlooked Mamre. This is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which is next to Mamre, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan.
20 And the field was confirmed to Abraham, with the cave that was in it, as a memorial possession before the sons of Heth.
So the field and the cave in it passed to Abraham as a property for a burial place from the sons of Heth.
