Genesis 23
1 Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah's life.
Now Sarah lived to be 127 years old.
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.
She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her.
3 Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
Then Abraham got up from beside his dead wife and said to the Hittites,
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 foreigner and an outsider among you. Give me a burial site among you so that I can bury my dead.”
5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
The Hittites replied to Abraham,
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."
“Listen to us, sir. You are God’s chosen one among us. Bury your dead in the finest of our tombs. None of us will withhold his tomb for burying your dead.”
7 Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth.
Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.
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,
“If you are willing for me to bury my dead,” he said to them, “listen to me, and approach Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf
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."
to sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me in your presence for full price, so that I may have a burial site.”
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 was sitting among the sons of Heth. So in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city, Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham,
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."
“No, my lord. Listen to me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”
12 Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
Again Abraham bowed down 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 said to Ephron in their presence, “If you will please listen to me, I will pay you the price of the field. Accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there.”
14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
Ephron answered Abraham,
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."
“Listen to me, my lord. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? 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.
Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the standard of the merchants.
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
So Ephron’s field at Machpelah near Mamre, the cave that was in it, and all the trees within the boundaries of the field were deeded over
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.
to Abraham’s possession in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to 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.
After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that 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.
So the field and its cave were deeded by the Hittites to Abraham as a burial site.
