23 2 Abraham laments the death of Sarah. 4 He buyeth a field to bury her, of the Hittites. 13 The equity of Abraham. 19 Sarah is buried in Machpelah.
1 When Sarah was an hundred twenty and seven years old ([a]so long lived she.)
2 Then Sarah died in Kirjath Arba: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.
3 ¶ Then Abraham [b]rose up from the sight of his corpse, and talked with the [c]Hittites, saying,
4 I am a stranger, and a foreigner among you: give me a possession of burial with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
5 Then the Hittites answered Abraham, saying unto him,
6 Hear us, my lord: thou art a prince [d]of God among us: in the chiefest of our sepulchers bury the dead: none of us shall forbid thee his sepulcher, but thou mayest bury thy dead therein.
7 Then Abraham stood up, and bowed himself before the people of the land of the Hittites.
8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be [e]your mind, that I shall bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
9 That he would give me the cave of [f]Machpelah, which he hath in the end of his field: that he would give it me for as much [g]money as it is worth, for a possession to bury in among you.
10 (For Ephron dwelt among the Hittites) Then Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of all the Hittites that [h]went in at the gates of his city, saying,
11 No, my Lord, hear me: the field give I thee and the cave that therein is, I give it thee: even in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee to bury thy dead.
12 Then Abraham [i]bowed himself before the people of the land,
13 And spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the country, saying, Seeing thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me, I will give the price of the field: receive it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
14 Ephron then answered Abraham, saying unto him,
15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred [j]shekels of silver: what is that between me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
16 So Abraham hearkened unto Ephron, and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named, in the audience of the Hittites, even four hundred silver shekels of current money among merchants.
17 ¶ So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, and over against Mamre, even the field and the cave that was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, which were in all the borders round about, was made sure
18 Unto Abraham for a possession, in the sight of the Hittites, even of all that [k]went in at the gates of his city.
19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah over against Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
20 Thus the field, and the cave that is therein, was made sure unto Abraham for a possession of burial [l]by the Hittites.
Footnotes
- Genesis 23:1 Hebrew, the years of the life of Sarah.
- Genesis 23:3 That is, when he had mourned: so the godly may mourn, if they pass not measure, and the natural affection is commendable.
- Genesis 23:3 Hebrew, sons of Heth.
- Genesis 23:6 That is, godly or excellent: for the Hebrews so speak of all things that are notable, because all excellency cometh of God.
- Genesis 23:8 Hebrew, in your soul.
- Genesis 23:9 Or, double cave, because one was within another.
- Genesis 23:9 Hebrew, in full silver.
- Genesis 23:10 Meaning, all the citizens and inhabitants.
- Genesis 23:12 To show that he had them in good estimation and reverence.
- Genesis 23:15 The common shekel is about 20 pence, so then 400 shekels mount to 33 pound 6 shillings and 8 pence after 5 shilling sterling the ounce.
- Genesis 23:18 Or, citizens.
- Genesis 23:20 That is, all the people confirmed the sale.