Genesis 23
1 When Sarah was an hundreth twentie and seuen yeere olde (so long liued she).
Now Sarah lived for one hundred and twenty-seven years.
2 Then Sarah dyed in Kiriath-arba: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. and Abraham came to mourne for Sarah and to weepe for her.
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.
3 Then Abraham rose vp from the sight of his corps, and talked with the Hittites, saying,
And when he had risen up from the funeral duties, he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying:
4 I am a stranger, and a forreiner among you, giue me a possession of buriall with you, that I may burie my dead out of my sight.
“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.”
5 Then the Hittites answered Abraham, saying vnto him,
The sons of Heth responded by saying:
6 Heare vs, my lorde: thou art a prince of God among vs: in the chiefest of our sepulchres bury thy dead: none of vs shall forbid thee his sepulchre, but thou mayest bury thy dead therein.
“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.”
7 Then Abraham stoode vp, and bowed him selfe before the people of the land of the Hittites.
Abraham arose, and he reverenced the people of the land, namely, the sons of Heth.
8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be your minde, that I shall bury my dead out of my sight, heare me, and intreate for me to Ephron the sonne of Zohar,
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,
9 That he would giue me ye caue of Machpelah, which he hath in the ende of his field: that he would giue it me for as much money as it is worth, for a possession to bury in among you.
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.”
10 (For Ephron dwelt among the Hittites) Then Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of all the Hittites that went in at the gates of his citie, saying,
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:
11 No, my Lord, heare me: the fielde giue I thee, and the caue, that therein is, I giue it thee: euen in the presence of the sonnes of my people giue I it thee, to bury thy dead.
“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.”
12 Then Abraham bowed himselfe before the people of the land,
Abraham reverenced in the sight of the people of the land.
13 And spake vnto Ephron in the audience of the people of the countrey, saying, Seeing thou wilt giue it, I pray thee, heare me, I will giue the price of the fielde: receiue it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
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.”
14 Ephron then answered Abraham, saying vnto him,
And Ephron responded: “My lord, hear me.
15 My lord, hearken vnto me: ye land is worth foure hundreth shekels of siluer: what is that betweene me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
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.”
16 So Abraham hearkened vnto Ephron, and Abraham weyed to Ephron the siluer, which he had named, in the audience of the Hittites, euen foure hundreth siluer shekels of currant money among marchants.
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.
17 So the fielde of Ephron which was in Machpelah, and ouer against Mamre, euen the field and the caue that was therein, and all the trees that were in the fielde, which were in all the borders round about, was made sure
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,
18 Vnto Abraham for a possession, in ye sight of the Hittites, euen of all that went in at the gates of his citie.
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.
19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the caue of the fielde of Machpelah ouer against Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
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.
20 Thus the fielde and the caue, that is therein, was made sure vnto Abraham for a possession of buriall by the Hittites.
And the field was confirmed to Abraham, with the cave that was in it, as a memorial possession before the sons of Heth.
