Genesis 23
1 Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah's life.
Now Sarah lived for one hundred and twenty-seven years.
2 Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep 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 Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, 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 foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may remove my dead for burial."
“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 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
The sons of Heth responded by saying:
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 to prevent you from burying your dead."
“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 Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth.
Abraham arose, and he reverenced the people of the land, namely, the sons of Heth.
8 He talked with them, saying, "If you agree that I may remove my dead for burial, hear me, and approach Ephron the son of Zohar for me,
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 may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a burial place."
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 Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth. Ephron the Hethite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, 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, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you. Bury your 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 Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
Abraham reverenced in the sight of 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, 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 answered Abraham, saying to him,
And Ephron responded: “My lord, hear me.
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."
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 Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants' standard.
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 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 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 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
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 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.
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 The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham as a possession for a burial place by the sons of Heth.
And the field was confirmed to Abraham, with the cave that was in it, as a memorial possession before the sons of Heth.
