Genesis 23
23
1And Sarah [Princess] was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: [these were] the years of the life of Sarah [Princess].
2Sarah [Princess] died in Kiryat-Kiryat-Arba [City of Arba (fourth)] (Village of the Rich; Wealthy; long necked) the same [is] Hevron in the land of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues) and Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] came to mourn for Sarah [Princess], and to weep for her.
3And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] stood up from before his dead, and spoke unto the sons of Het (terror), saying,
4I [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.
5And the children of Het (terror) answered Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], saying unto him,
6Hear us, my lord: youi [are] a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchers bury youri dead; none of us shall withhold from youi his sepulcher, but that youi may bury youri dead.
7And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, [even] to the children of Het (terror).
8And he communed with them, saying, If it be yourf mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and entreat for me to ‘Efron (fawn-like) the son of Tzochar (shining oil; brightness),
9That he may give me the cave of Makhpelah (portion; double cave), which he has, 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 amongst you.
10And ‘Efron (fawn-like) dwelt among the children of Het (terror): and ‘Efron (fawn-like) the Hitti (terrorists) answered Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] in the audience of the children of Het (terror), [even] of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,
11No, my lord, hear me: the field give I youi, and the cave that [is] in it, I give it youi; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it youi: bury youri dead.
12And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] bowed down himself before the people of the land.
13And he spoke unto ‘Efron (fawn-like) in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if youi [will give it], I pray youi, hear me: I will give youi money for the field; take [it] of me, and I will bury my dead there.
14And ‘Efron (fawn-like) answered Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], saying unto him,
15My lord, hearken unto me: the land [is worth] four hundred shekels of silver; what [is] that between me and youi? bury therefore youri dead.
16And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] listened unto ‘Efron (fawn-like); and Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] weighed to ‘Efron (fawn-like) the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Het (terror), four hundred shekels of silver, current [money] with the merchant.
17And the field of ‘Efron (fawn-like), which [was] in Makhpelah (portion; double cave), which [was] before Mamre (firmness; fatling (fat cattle) offering), 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
18Unto Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] for a possession in the presence of the children of Het (terror), before all that went in at the gate of his city.
19And after this, Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] buried Sarah [Princess] his wife in the cave of the field of Makhpelah (portion; double cave) before Mamre (firmness; fatling (fat cattle) offering): the same [is] Hevron (Place/Town Of Alliance) in the land of Kena’an (merchant; trader; or that humbles and subdues).
20And the field, and the cave that [is] in it, were made sure unto Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] for a possession of a burying place by the sons of Het (terror).
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Genesis 23: NMV
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Genesis 23
23
The Death of Sarah
1Sarah lived to be one hundred and twenty-seven. # 23:1 This reference to Sarah is the only time that Scripture mentions a woman’s age at death. 2She died in the land of Canaan at Kiriath Arba, # 23:2 Kiriath Arba means “the city of the four [giants].” See Josh. 14:15. Some Jewish scholars believe “the city of the four” refers to the four couples buried there: Adam and Eve, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah. See also the first footnote on Gen. 23:9 on “Machpelah.” now known as Hebron. There Abraham mourned and wept for her. 3After his time of mourning was over, Abraham got up from where her body lay, and went to speak with the Hittites. He said to them, 4“I live as an alien and stranger among you. Sell me some of your property so I can use it as a burial site for my wife.”
5-6“Hear us, my lord,” the Hittites answered, “you are a mighty prince of God # 23:5–6 Or “king of God” (LXX). The Hebrew reads “a mighty chief among us,” with the generic term for “god” likely being used as the superlative for “mighty.” among us. You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us would withhold our burial ground from you.”
7Then Abraham bowed respectfully before the Hittites, the people of the land 8and he said to them, “If you are willing to allow my wife a proper burial, then please hear me out. On my behalf please persuade your countryman, Ephron the son of Zohar, 9to sell me the cave he owns at Machpelah # 23:9 Machpelah means “double” or “doubling.” Everyone buried in this cave would be as one of a couple: Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah (see Gen. 23:19; 25:9; 49:29–32; 50:13). Death for the patriarchs was a gateway into the resurrection. This cave was more like a bedroom to rest in than a tomb, more an altar than a grave. It was an altar to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who is not a God of the dead but of the living (see Matt. 22:31–32). According to Jewish tradition, Adam and Eve were also buried in this cave. See Jerusalem Talmud, Ta’anit 4:2; Babylonian Talmud, Eruvin 53a; Pirque Rabbi Eliezer, ch. 20; Midrash Rabba (Gen. Rab.), 28:3. According to the Midrash, the patriarchs were buried in this cave because this cave is the threshold to the garden of Eden. Some New Testament scholars believe that it could have been the patriarchs who were raised from the dead at the resurrection of Christ and were seen in Jerusalem. See Matt. 27:52–53. on the edge of his land. Let him sell it to me publicly # 23:9 Or “in your presence” or “among you.” and at the full price, so that I may own it for a burial site.” 10Now Ephron the Hittite was sitting there among his countrymen. He spoke up so all the Hittites who sat at the gate as elders of the city # 23:10 Or “who came in at the gate of his city,” a figure of speech for stating they had leadership in the city. See Ruth 4:1–12. could hear him, and said, 11“No, my lord, listen. I will give you not only the cave but also the entire field! In the presence of my people, I will give it to you to bury your dead.”
12Then Abraham bowed low before the people of the land, 13and he said to Ephron in the hearing of all the people, “No, please listen, kind sir. I will pay whatever the field is worth. Take my money so that I can bury my dead there.”
14-15“If you insist, my lord,” answered Ephron. “But what is a piece of land worth only four hundred silver shekels to men of our standing? Go ahead and bury your dead.” 16So Abraham agreed to the amount, weighed out the four hundred silver shekels # 23:16 The price was undoubtedly high. Jeremiah gave only seventeen shekels for land that was probably no less spacious than the field of Machpelah (see Jer. 32:9). Although difficult to estimate the cost, some have calculated four hundred shekels of silver to be approximately ten pounds of silver. according to the merchant’s standard of weight, and in the presence of the Hittites he gave the money to Ephron.
17So Ephron’s field of Machpelah, east of Mamre, along with the cave and all the trees within its borders, passed 18to Abraham as his legal possession. The complete transaction was carried out in the presence of the Hittites—those who sat as elders at the city gates. 19After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave there in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (now Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20Both the field and the cave passed from the Hittites to Abraham’s possession to be his family burial ground.
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