Chapter 23

  Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. These were the years of Sarah's life.  

  Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (the same is Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.  

  Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,  

  'I 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.'  

  The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,  

  'Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. In the choice of our tombs bury your dead. None of us will withhold from you his tomb, but that you may bury your dead.'  

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

  He talked 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,  

  that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, 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.'  

  Now Ephron was sitting in the midst 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,  

  '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.'  

  Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.  

  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.'  

  Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,  

  'My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.'  

  Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the audience of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants' standard.  

  So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the border of it round about, were made sure  

  to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.  

  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.  

  The field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure to Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the children of Heth.