Genesis 23
23
1-2Sarah lived 127 years. Sarah died in Kiriath Arba, present-day Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham mourned for Sarah and wept.
3-4Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites: “I know I’m only an outsider here among you, but sell me a burial plot so that I can bury my dead decently.”
5-6The Hittites responded, “Why, you’re no mere outsider here with us, you’re a prince of God! Bury your dead wife in the best of our burial sites. None of us will refuse you a place for burial.”
7-9Then Abraham got up, bowed respectfully to the people of the land, the Hittites, and said, “If you’re serious about helping me give my wife a proper burial, intercede for me with Ephron son of Zohar. Ask him to sell me the cave of Machpelah that he owns, the one at the end of his land. Ask him to sell it to me at its full price for a burial plot, with you as witnesses.”
10-11Ephron was part of the local Hittite community. Then Ephron the Hittite spoke up, answering Abraham with all the Hittites who were part of the town council listening: “Oh no, my master! I couldn’t do that. The field is yours—a gift. I’ll give it and the cave to you. With my people as witnesses, I give it to you. Bury your deceased wife.”
12-13Abraham bowed respectfully before the assembled council and answered Ephron: “Please allow me—I want to pay the price of the land; take my money so that I can go ahead and bury my wife.”
14-15Then Ephron answered Abraham, “If you insist, master. What’s four hundred silver shekels between us? Now go ahead and bury your wife.”
16Abraham accepted Ephron’s offer and paid out the sum that Ephron had named before the town council of Hittites—four hundred silver shekels at the current exchange rate.
17-20That’s how Ephron’s field next to Mamre—the field, its cave, and all the trees within its borders—became Abraham’s property. The town council of Hittites witnessed the transaction. Abraham then proceeded to bury his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah that is next to Mamre, present-day Hebron, in the land of Canaan. The field and its cave went from the Hittites into Abraham’s possession as a burial plot.
Currently Selected:
Genesis 23: MSG
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Genesis 23
23
Sarah’s Death and Burial
1And Sarah lived#Literally “the lives of Sarah were” one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2And Sarah died in Kiriath Arba; that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. 3And Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. And Abraham rose up from his dead, and he spoke to the Hittites#Or “sons of Heth” and said, 4“I am a stranger and an alien among you; give to me my own burial site#Literally “ownership of a grave” among you so that I may bury my dead from before me.” 5And the Hittites#Or “sons of Heth” answered Abraham and said to him, 6“Hear us, my lord, you are a mighty prince#Or “prince of God” in our midst. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial sites. None of us will withhold his burial site#Literally “will withhold from himself his burial site from you for burying your dead.” 7And Abraham rose up and bowed to the people of the land, to the Hittites.#Or “sons of Heth” 8And he spoke with them, saying, “If you are willing#Literally “if there is with your inner selves / souls” that I bury my dead from before me, hear me and intercede for me with Ephron the son of Zohar, 9that he may sell#Or “give” to me the cave of Machpelah which belongs to him,#Literally “which is to him” which is at the end of his field. At full value let him sell#Or “give” it to me in your midst as a burial site.”#Literally “ownership of a grave” 10Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites.#Or “sons of Heth” And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites#Or “sons of Heth” with respect to all who were entering the gate of his city, and said, 11“No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field and the cave which is in it, I also give it to you in the sight of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.” 12And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. 13And he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If only you will hear me#Literally “Only if you perhaps hear me”—I give the price of the field. Take it from me that I may bury my dead there.” 14And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15“My lord, hear me. A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? Bury your dead.” 16Then Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed for Ephron the silver that he had named#Or “spoken” in the hearing of the Hittites:#Or “sons of Heth” four hundred shekels of silver at the merchants’ current rate.#Literally “passing to the merchant” 17So the field of Ephron which was in the Machpelah, which was near Mamre—the field and the cave which was in it, with all the trees that were in the field, which were within all its surrounding boundaries—passed#Literally “went up” 18to Abraham as a property in the presence of the Hittites,#Or “sons of Heth” with respect to all who were entering the gate of his city. 19And thus afterward Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah near Mamre; that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. 20And the field and the cave which was in it passed#Literally “went up” to Abraham as a burial site#Literally “ownership of a grave” from the Hittites.#Or “sons of Heth”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2010 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software