Genesis 23
Common English Bible
Sarah’s death and burial site
23 Sarah lived to be 127 years old; this was how long she lived. 2 She died in Kiriath-arba, that is, in Hebron, in the land of Canaan; and Abraham cried out in grief and wept for Sarah. 3 After 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.”
5 The 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.”
7 Abraham rose, bowed to the local citizens the Hittites, 8 and spoke with them: “If you yourselves allow me to bury my dead near me, listen to me and ask Ephron, Zohar’s son, 9 to 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.”
10 Now 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!”
12 Abraham bowed before the local citizens 13 and 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.”
14 Ephron 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?” 16 Abraham 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.
17 So 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 18 to Abraham as his property in the presence of the Hittites and of everyone at his city’s gate. 19 After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan. 20 The field and the cave in it were officially transferred from the Hittites to Abraham as his burial property.
Bereshis 23
Orthodox Jewish Bible
[CHAYYE SARAH]
23 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty shanah old: these were the shnei chayyai Sarah.
2 And Sarah died in Kiryat- Arba; the same is Chevron in eretz Kena’an: and Avraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3 And Avraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke unto the bnei Chet, saying,
4 I am a ger and a sojourner with you: give me an achuzzah (possession) of a kever with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
5 And the bnei Chet answered Avraham, saying unto him,
6 Hear us, adoni: thou art a nasi Elohim among us; in the choice of kevareinu bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his kever, that thou mayest bury thy dead.
7 And Avraham stood up, and bowed himself to the am ha’aretz, even to the bnei Chet.
8 And he spoke to them, saying, If it be your nefesh (will) that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intercede for me to Ephron ben Tzochar,
9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his sadeh; for the kesef maleh (full price) he shall give it me for an achuzzah (possession) of a kever amongst you.
10 And Ephron dwelt among the bnei Chet: and Ephron the Chitti answered Avraham in the hearing of the bnei Chet, even of all that went in at the sha’ar of his city, saying,
11 Lo, adoni, hear me; the sadeh give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the bnei ammi give I it thee; bury thy dead.
12 And Avraham bowed down himself before the am ha’aretz.
13 And he spoke unto Ephron in the hearing of the am ha’aretz, saying, But if thou wilt give it, now, hear me; I will give thee kesef for the sadeh; accept it from me, and I will bury my dead there.
14 And Ephron answered Avraham, saying unto him,
15 Pay heed, adoni, unto me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of kesef; what is that between me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
16 And Avraham paid heed unto Ephron; and Avraham weighed to Ephron the kesef, which he had named in the hearing of the bnei Chet four hundred shekels of kesef, according to current merchant value.
17 And the sadeh of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was near Mamre, the sadeh, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the sadeh, that were in all the borders round about, were deeded
18 Unto Avraham for a property in the presence of the bnei Chet, before all that went in at the sha’ar of his city.
19 And after this, Avraham buried Sarah his isha in the cave of the sadeh of Machpelah near Mamre; the same is Chevron in the eretz Kena’an.
20 And the sadeh, and the cave that is therein, were deeded unto Avraham for an achuzzah of a kever by the bnei Chet.
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