Genesis 23
1 And Sarah was a hundred and twenty-seven years old: [these were] the years of the life of Sarah.
Now Sarah lived to be 127 years old.
2 And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba; the same [is] Hebron in the land of Canaan: And 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 And Abraham stood 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 sojourner with you; give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
“I am a foreigner and an outsider among you. Give me a burial site among you so that I can bury my dead.”
5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
The Hittites replied to Abraham,
6 Hear us, my lord; thou [art] a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchers bury thy dead: none of us will withhold from thee his sepulcher, but that thou mayest bury thy 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 And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth.
Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.
8 And he communed with them, saying, If it is your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
“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 hath, which [is] in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me, for a possession of a burying-place among you.
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 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, of all that entered the gates 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 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I to thee, and the cave that [is] in it, I give it to thee; in the presence of the sons of my people I give it to thee: bury thy 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 And Abraham bowed himself before the people of the land.
Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land
13 And he spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou [wilt give it], I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field: take [it] of 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 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
Ephron answered Abraham,
15 My lord, hearken to me: the land [is worth] four hundred shekels of silver; what [is] that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy 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 And Abraham hearkened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current [money] with the merchant.
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 And the field of Ephron, which [was] in Machpelah, which [was] before Mamre, the field and the cave which [was] in it, and all the trees that [were] in the field, that [were] in all the borders round about, were made sure
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 for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that entered 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 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.
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 And the field, and the cave that [is] in it were made sure to Abraham for a possession of a burying-place, by the sons of Heth.
So the field and its cave were deeded by the Hittites to Abraham as a burial site.
