1Sarah lived to be 127 years old; this was how long she lived. 2She died in Kiriath-arba, that is, in Hebron, in the land of Canaan; and Abraham cried out in grief and wept for Sarah. 3After he got up from embracing his deceased wife, he spoke with the Hittites: 4“I am an immigrant and a temporary resident with you. Give me some property for a burial plot among you so that I can bury my deceased wife near me.”

5The Hittites responded to Abraham, 6“Listen to us, sir. You are an eminent man of God among us. Bury your dead in one of our own select burial sites. None of us will keep our own burial plots from you to bury your dead.”

7Abraham rose, bowed to the local citizens the Hittites, 8and spoke with them: “If you yourselves allow me to bury my dead near me, listen to me and ask Ephron, Zohar’s son, 9to give me his own cave in Machpelah at the edge of his field. Let him give it to me for the full price, to be witnessed by you, as my own burial property.”

10Now Ephron was a native Hittite. So Ephron the Hittite responded to Abraham publicly in order that the Hittites and everyone at his city’s gate could hear: 11“No, sir. Listen, I will give you the field, and I will give you the cave in it. In front of my people’s witnesses, I will give it to you. Bury your dead!”

12Abraham bowed before the local citizens 13and spoke to Ephron publicly in the presence of the local citizens: “If only you would accept my offer. I will give you the price of the field. Take it from me so that I can bury my dead there.”

14Ephron responded to Abraham, 15“Sir, what is four hundred shekels of silver between me and you for the land so that you can bury your dead?” 16Abraham accepted Ephron’s offer and weighed out for Ephron the silver he requested publicly before the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver at the current rate of exchange.

17So the field of Ephron in Machpelah near Mamre—the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the field’s boundaries—was officially transferred 18to Abraham as his property in the presence of the Hittites and of everyone at his city’s gate. 19After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan. 20The field and the cave in it were officially transferred from the Hittites to Abraham as his burial property.

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Genesis 23

1And Sara lived a hundred and twenty-seven years.

2And she died in the city of Arbee which is Hebron, in the land of Chanaan: and Abraham came to mourn and weep for her.

3And after he rose up from the funeral obsequies, he spoke to the children of Heth, saying:

4I am a stranger and sojourner among you: give me the right of a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead.

5The children of Heth answered, saying:

6My Lord, hear us: Thou art a prince of God among us. Bury thy dead in our principle sepulchres: and no man shall have power to hinder thee from burying thy dead in his sepulchre.

7Abraham rose up, and bowed down to the people of the land, to wit, the children of Heth:

8And said to them: If it please your soul that I should bury my dead, hear me, and intercede for me to Ephron the son of Seor.

9That he may give me the double cave, which he hath in the end of his field. For as much money as it is worth he shall give it me before you, for a possession of a burying place.

10Now Ephron dwelt in the midst of the children of Heth. And Ephron made answer to Abraham in the hearing of all that went in at the gate of the city, saying:

11Let it not be so, my lord, but do thou rather hearken to what I say: The field I deliver to thee, and the cave that is therein, in the presence of the children of my people, bury thy dead.

12Abraham bowed down before the people of the land,

13And he spoke to Ephron, in the presence of the people: I beseech thee to hear me. I will give money for the field. Take it, and so I will bury my dead in it.

14And Ephron answered:

15My lord, hear me. The ground which thou desirest, is worth four hundred sicles of silver. This is the price between me and thee. But what is this? Bury thy dead.

16And when Abraham had heard this, he weighed out the money that Ephron had asked, in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred sicles of silver of common current money.

17And the field that before was Ephron's, wherein was the double cave, looking towards Mambre, both it and the cave, and all the trees thereof in all its limits round about,

18Was made sure to Abraham for a possession, in the sight of the children of Heth, and of all that went in at the gate of his city.

19And so Abraham buried Sara his wife, in a double cave of the field, that looked towards Mambre. This is Hebron in the land of Chanaan.

20And the field was made sure to Abraham, and the cave that was in it, for a possession to bury in, by the children of Heth.

An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.

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Genesis 23

Genesis 23