Genesis 23
23
Sarah’s death and burial site
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: CEB
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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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