Genesis 23
1 And the life of Sarah is a hundred and twenty and seven years — years of the life of Sarah;
Sarah lived to be 127,
2 and Sarah dieth in Kirjath-Arba, which [is] Hebron, in the land of Caanan, and Abraham goeth in to mourn for Sarah, and to bewail her.
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.
3 And Abraham riseth up from the presence of his dead, and speaketh unto the sons of Heth, saying,
Then Abraham got up from beside his wife's body and went to talk with the leaders of the Hittites.
4 'A sojourner and a settler I [am] with you; give to me a possession of a burying-place with you, and I bury my dead from before me.'
“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.”
5 And the sons of Heth answer Abraham, saying to him,
The Hittites answered Abraham, telling him,
6 'Hear us, my lord; a prince of God [art] thou in our midst; in the choice of our burying-places bury thy dead: none of us his burying-place doth withhold from thee, from burying thy dead.'
“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.”
7 And Abraham riseth and boweth himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth,
Abraham got up and bowed low before the Hittites, the local people,
8 and he speaketh with them, saying, 'If it is your desire to bury my dead from before me, hear me, and meet for me with Ephron, son of Zoar;
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,
9 and he giveth to me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which [is] in the extremity of his field; for full money doth he give it to me, in your midst, for a possession of a burying-place.'
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.”
10 And Ephron is sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answereth Abraham in the ears of the sons of Heth, of all those entering the gate of his city, saying,
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.
11 'Nay, my lord, hear me: the field I have given to thee, and the cave that [is] in it, to thee I have given it; before the eyes of the sons of my people I have given it to thee — bury thy dead.'
“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.”
12 And Abraham boweth himself before the people of the land,
Abraham bowed low before the local people,
13 and speaketh unto Ephron in the ears of the people of the land, saying, 'Only — if thou wouldest hear me — I have given the money of the field — accept from me, and I bury my dead there.'
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.”
14 And Ephron answereth Abraham, saying to him,
Ephron replied to Abraham, telling him,
15 'My lord, hear me: the land — four hundred shekels of silver; between me and thee, what [is] it? — thy dead bury.'
“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.”
16 And Abraham hearkeneth unto Ephron, and Abraham weigheth to Ephron the silver which he hath spoken of in the ears of the sons of Heth, four hundred silver shekels, passing with the merchant.
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.
17 And established are the field of Ephron, which [is] in Machpelah, which [is] before Mamre, the field and the cave which [is] in it, and all the trees which [are] in the field, which [are] in all its border round about,
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.
18 to Abraham by purchase, before the eyes of the sons of Heth, among all entering the gate of his city.
This all became Abraham's property, and the transaction was witnessed by the Hittites who were there at the town gate.
19 And after this hath Abraham buried Sarah his wife at the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (which [is] Hebron), in the land of Canaan;
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.
20 and established are the field, and the cave which [is] in it, to Abraham for a possession of a burying-place, from the sons of Heth.
Ownership of the field and the cave there was transferred from the Hittites to Abraham to serve as his burial place.
