Gen 23
1
And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years. These were the years
of the life of Sarah.
2
And Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan. And Abraham
came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3
And Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,
4
I 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.
5
And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
6
Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. In the choice of our sepulchers
bury your dead. None of us shall withhold from you his sepulcher, but that you may
bury your dead.
7
And Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children
of Heth.
8
And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out
of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
9
that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his
field. For the full price let him give it to me in the midst of you for a possession
of a burying-place.
10
Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the children of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite
answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in
at the gate of his city, saying,
11
Nay, my lord, hear me. The field give I you, and the cave that is therein, I give
it you. In the presence of the children of my people give I it you. Bury your dead.
12
And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
13
And he spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if you
will, I pray you, hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it of me, and
I will bury my dead there.
14
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
15
My lord, hearken to me. A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what
is that between me and you? Bury therefore your dead.
16
And Abraham hearkened to Ephron. And Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he
had named in the audience of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver,
current [money] with the merchant.
17
So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field,
and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were
in all its border round about, were made sure
18
to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that
went in at the gate of his city.
19
And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah
before Mamre (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
20
And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure to Abraham for a possession
of a burying-place by the children of Heth.