God's New Bible

The First Book of Moses: Genesis

Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 23 -

1
And the life of Sarah is one hundred and twenty-seven yearsyears of the life of Sarah;
2
and Sarah dies in Kirjath-Arba, which [is] Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham goes to mourn for Sarah, and to lament her.
3
And Abraham rises up from the presence of his dead, and speaks to the sons of Heth, saying,
4
A sojourner and a settler I [am] with you; give to me a possession of a burying-place with you, and I bury my dead from before me.”
5
And the sons of Heth answer Abraham, saying to him,
6
Hear us, my lord; a prince of God [are] you in our midst; in the choice of our burying-places bury your dead: none of our burying-places do we withhold from you, from burying your dead.”
7
And Abraham rises and bows himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth,
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and he speaks with them, saying, “If it is your desire to bury my dead from before me, hear me, and meet for me with Ephron, son of Zoar;
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and he gives to me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which [is] in the extremity of his field; for full money does he give it to me, in your midst, for a possession of a burying-place.”
10
And Ephron is sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answers Abraham in the ears of the sons of Heth, of all those entering the gate of his city, saying,
11
No, my lord, hear me: the field I have given to you, and the cave that [is] in it, to you I have given it; before the eyes of the sons of my people I have given it to youbury your dead.”
12
And Abraham bows himself before the people of the land,
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and speaks to Ephron in the ears of the people of the land, saying, “Onlyif you would hear meI have given the money of the fieldaccept from me, and I bury my dead there.”
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And Ephron answers Abraham, saying to him,
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My lord, hear me: the land—four hundred shekels of silver; between me and you, what [is] it? Bury your dead.”
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And Abraham listens to Ephron, and Abraham weighs to Ephron the silver which he has spoken of in the ears of the sons of Heth, four hundred silver shekels, passing with the merchant.
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And established are the field of Ephron, which [is] in Machpelah, which [is] before Mamre, the field and the cave which [is] in it, and all the trees which [are] in the field, which [are] around all its border,
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to Abraham by purchase, before the eyes of the sons of Heth, among all entering the gate of his city.
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And after this Abraham has buried his wife Sarah at the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (which [is] Hebron), in the land of Canaan;
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and established are the field, and the cave which [is] in it, to Abraham for a possession of a burying-place, from the sons of Heth.
1
Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life.
2
Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3
Abraham rose up from before his dead and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,
4
I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
5
The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
6
Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead.”
7
Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth.
8
He talked with them, saying, “If you agree that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
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that he may sell me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him sell it to me among you as a possession for a burial place.”
10
Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,
11
No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”
12
Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
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He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.”
14
Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
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My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver (a) between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.”
16
Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchantsstandard.
17
So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded
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to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
19
After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
20
The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham by the children of Heth as a possession for a burial place.

Footnotes

(a)23:15 A shekel is about 10 grams, so 400 shekels would be about 4 kg. or 8.8 pounds.