CHAPTER 23
She
died
in Kiriath-arba
(that is,
Hebron)
in the land
of Canaan,
and Abraham
went out
to mourn
and to weep
for her.
“I
am a stranger
and an outsider
among you.
Give
me
a burial
site
among you
so that I can bury
my dead.”
“Listen to us,
sir.
You
are God’s
chosen one
among us.
Bury
your dead
in the finest
of our tombs.
None
of us
will withhold
his tomb
for burying
your dead.”
“If
you are willing
for me to bury
my dead,”
he said
to them,
“listen to me,
and approach
Ephron
son
of Zohar
on my behalf
to sell
me
the cave
of Machpelah
that belongs to him;
it
is at the end
of his field.
Let him sell it
to me
in your presence
for full
price,
so that I may have a burial
site.”
Now Ephron
was sitting
among
the sons
of Heth.
So in the presence
of all
the Hittites
who had come
to the gate
of his city,
Ephron
the Hittite
answered
Abraham,
“No,
my lord.
Listen to me.
I give
you the field,
and I give
you the cave
that is in it.
I give it
to you
in the presence
of my people.
Bury
your dead.”
and said
to
Ephron
in their presence,
“If
you
will please
listen to me,
I will pay you
the price
of the field.
Accept
it from me,
so that I may bury
my dead
there.”
“Listen to me,
my lord.
The land
is worth four
hundred
shekels
of silver,
but what
is that
between you and me?
Bury
your dead.”
Abraham
agreed
to
Ephron’s terms
and
weighed out
for him
the price
he had named
in the hearing
of the Hittites:
four
hundred
shekels
of silver,
according to the standard
of the merchants.
So Ephron’s
field
at Machpelah
near
Mamre,
the cave
that was
in it,
and all
the trees
within
the boundaries
of the field,
were deeded over
to Abraham’s
possession
in the presence
of all
the Hittites
who had come
to the gate
of his city.
After
this,
Abraham
buried
his wife
Sarah
in
the cave
of the field
at Machpelah
near
Mamre
(that is,
Hebron)
in the land
of Canaan.