B'resheet (Gen) 23
23
Parashah 5: Hayyei-Sarah (Sarah’s life) 23:1–25:18
1Sarah lived to be 127 years old; these were the years of Sarah’s life. 2Sarah died in Kiryat-Arba, also known as Hevron, in the land of Kena‘an; and Avraham came to mourn Sarah and weep for her. 3Then he got up from his dead one and said to the sons of Het, 4“I am a foreigner living as an alien with you; let me have a burial site with you, so that I can bury my dead wife.” 5The sons of Het answered Avraham, 6“Listen to us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us, so choose any of our tombs to bury your dead — not one of us would refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”
7Avraham got up, bowed before the people of the land, the sons of Het, 8and spoke with them. “If it is your desire to help me bury my dead, then listen to me: ask ‘Efron the son of Tzochar 9to give me the cave of Makhpelah, which he owns, the one at the end of his field. He should sell it to me in your presence at its full value; then I will have a burial site of my own.”
10‘Efron the Hitti was sitting among the sons of Het, and he gave Avraham his answer in the presence of the sons of Het who belonged to the ruling council of the city: 11“No, my lord, listen to me: I’m giving you the field, with its cave — I’m giving it to you. In the presence of my people I give it to you.” 12Avraham bowed before the people of the land 13and spoke to ‘Efron in their hearing: “Please be good enough to listen to me. I will pay the price of the field; accept it from me, and I will bury my dead there.” 14But ‘Efron answered Avraham, 15“My lord, listen to me. A plot of land worth 400 silver shekels — what is that between me and you? Just bury your dead.” 16Avraham got the point of what ‘Efron had said, so he weighed out for ‘Efron the amount of money he had specified in the presence of the sons of Het, 400 silver shekels of the weight accepted among merchants [ten pounds].
(ii) 17Thus the field of ‘Efron in Makhpelah, which is by Mamre — the field, its cave and all the trees in and around it — were deeded 18to Avraham as his possession in the presence of the sons of Het who belonged to the ruling council of the city.
19Then Avraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Makhpelah, by Mamre, also known as Hevron, in the land of Kena‘an. 20The field and its cave had been purchased by Avraham from the sons of Het as a burial-site which would belong to him.
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B'resheet (Gen) 23: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish BibleGenesis 23
23
1 Now Sarah lived for one hundred and twenty-seven years.
2 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 And when he had risen up from the funeral duties, he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying:
4 "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 responded by saying:
6 "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 arose, and he reverenced the people of the land, namely, the sons of Heth.
8 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 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 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 "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 reverenced in the sight of the people of the land.
13 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 And Ephron responded: "My lord, hear me.
15 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 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 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 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 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 And the field was confirmed to Abraham, with the cave that was in it, as a memorial possession before the sons of Heth.
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