Genesis 23

1And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years: these were the years of the life of Sarah.

1Sarah lived to be one hundred and twenty-seven years old; this was the length of her life.

2And 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.

2Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (which is now Hebron), in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went there to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

3And Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spake unto the children of Heth, saying,

3Then Abraham stood up from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites, 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.

4'I am a foreigner and a temporary resident among you. Sell me some property for a burial site so that I may bury my dead.'

5And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him,

5The Hittites answered Abraham, saying to him,

6Hear us, my lord; thou art a prince of God among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.

6'Listen to us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to bury your dead.'

7And Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.

7Abraham stood up and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.

8And 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,

8He said to them, 'If you are willing to let me bury my dead wife, then listen to me and talk to Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf.

9that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, 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.

9Ask him to sell me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me for the full price right here in front of you, so I can own it as a burial plot.'

10Now 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,

10Now Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people. He answered Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city, saying,

11Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the children of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.

11'No, my lord, listen to me. I will give you the field and the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.'

12And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.

12Abraham bowed down before the people of the land.

13And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt, I pray thee, hear me: I will give the price of the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

13In the hearing of the people, he said to Ephron, 'If you will, please listen to me. I will pay the full price for the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.'

14And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him,

14Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

15My lord, hearken unto me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

15'My lord, listen to me. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between me and you? Go ahead and bury your dead.'

16And Abraham hearkened unto 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.

16Abraham agreed to Ephron's terms. He weighed out for Ephron the amount of silver he had mentioned in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the standard used by merchants.

17So 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 the border thereof round about, were made sure

17So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, near Mamre—the field, the cave in it, and all the trees within the boundaries of the field—became the legal property

18unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.

18of Abraham in the presence of the Hittites and everyone who entered the city gate.

19And 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.

19After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is Hebron), in the land of Canaan.

20And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying-place by the children of Heth.

20So the field and the cave in it were legally transferred from the Hittites to Abraham to be used as a burial site.