Genesis 23

Death and Burial of Sarah

1Now #23:1 Lit the life of Sarah wasSarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham #23:2 Or proceededcame in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3Then Abraham arose from mourning before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, 4“I am a stranger and a foreign resident among you; give me #23:4 Lit possession of a burial placea burial site among you so that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” 5The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, 6“Hear us, my lord: you are a #23:6 Lit prince of Godmighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our graves; none of us will refuse you his grave for burying your dead.” 7So Abraham stood up and bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. 8And he spoke with them, saying, “If #23:8 Lit it is with your soulyou are willing to let me bury my dead out of my sight, listen to me, and plead with Ephron the son of Zohar for me, 9that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he owns, which is at the end of his field; for the full price let him give it to me in #23:9 Lit the midst of youyour presence for #23:9 Lit possession of a burial placea burial site.” 10Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham #23:10 Lit in the ears ofso that the sons of Heth heard, that is, all who entered the gate of his city, saying, 11“No, my lord, listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you; bury your dead.” 12And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. 13But he spoke to Ephron #23:13 Lit in the ears ofso that the people of the land heard, saying, “If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field, accept it from me so that I may bury my dead there.” 14Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15“My lord, listen to me: a plot of land worth #23:15 About 12.5 lb. or 5.7 kgfour hundred shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.” 16Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the #23:16 Lit earspresence of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency acceptable to a merchant.

17So Ephron’s field, which was in Machpelah, which faced Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees which were in the field, that were #23:17 Lit in all its border aroundwithin all the confines of its border, #23:17 Or were ratifiedwere deeded over 18to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who entered the gate of his city. 19After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan. 20So the field and the cave that was in it #23:20 Or were ratifiedwere deeded over to Abraham for #23:20 Lit possession of a burial placea burial site by the sons of Heth.

NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE® NASB®

A Corporation Not for Profit

La Habra, CA

www.lockman.org

Learn More About New American Standard Bible - NASB

Berĕshith (Genesis) 23

1And Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.

2And Sarah died in Qiryath Arba, that is Ḥeḇron, in the land of Kena‛an, and Aḇraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

3Then Aḇraham rose up from beside his dead, and spoke to the sons of Ḥĕth, saying,

4I am a foreigner and a sojourner among you. Give me property for a burial-site among you, so that I bury my dead from my presence.

5And the sons of Ḥĕth answered Aḇraham, saying to him,

6Hear us, my master: You are a prince of Elohim among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial-sites. None of us withholds from you his burial-site, from burying your dead.

7So Aḇraham rose and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Ḥĕth.

8And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your desire that I bury my dead from my presence, hear me, and approach Ephron son of Tsoḥar for me,

9and let me have the cave of Maḵpĕlah which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me for the complete amount of silver, as property for a burial-site among you.”

10And Ephron dwelt among the sons of Ḥĕth. And Ephron the Ḥittite answered Aḇraham in the hearing of the sons of Ḥĕth, all who entered at the gate of his city, saying,

11No, my master, listen to me! I shall give you the field and the cave that is in it. I shall give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I shall give it to you. Bury your dead!

12And Aḇraham bowed himself down before the people of the land,

13and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If only you would hear me. I shall give the amount of silver for the field, take it from me, and let me bury my dead there.”

14And Ephron answered Aḇraham, saying to him,

15My master, listen to me! The land is worth four hundred sheqels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.

16And Aḇraham listened to Ephron, and Aḇraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Ḥĕth, four hundred sheqels of silver, currency of the merchants.

17Thus the field of Ephron which was in Maḵpĕlah, which was before Mamrĕ, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded

18to Aḇraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Ḥĕth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.

19And after this Aḇraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Maḵpĕlah, before Mamrĕ, that is Ḥeḇron, in the land of Kena‛an.

20Thus the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Aḇraham by the sons of Ḥĕth as property for a burial-site.

Learn More About The Scriptures 2009