Genesis 23
1 Sarah lived to be 127,
And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.
2 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.
And Sarah died in Kiriatharba — the same is Hebron — in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3 Then Abraham got up from beside his wife's body and went to talk with the leaders of the Hittites.
And Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke unto the children of Heth, saying:
4 “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.”
'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 Hittites answered Abraham, telling him,
And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him:
6 “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.”
'Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us; in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.'
7 Abraham got up and bowed low before the Hittites, the local people,
And Abraham rose up, and bowed down to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
8 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,
And he spoke with them, saying: 'If it be 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 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.”
that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for the full price let him give it to me in the midst of you for a possession of a burying-place.'
10 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.
Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the children of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying:
11 “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.”
'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.'
12 Abraham bowed low before the local people,
And Abraham bowed down before the people of the land.
13 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.”
And he spoke unto Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying: 'But if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me: I will give the price of the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.'
14 Ephron replied to Abraham, telling him,
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him:
15 “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.”
'My lord, hearken unto me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.'
16 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.
And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.
17 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.
So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the border thereof round about, were made sure
18 This all became Abraham's property, and the transaction was witnessed by the Hittites who were there at the town gate.
unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.
19 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.
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 Ownership of the field and the cave there was transferred from the Hittites to Abraham to serve as his burial place.
And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying-place by the children of Heth.
