Genesis 23

1Sarah's life was a hundred twenty-seven years, the years of Sarah's life.

2Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (Hebron), in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and weep for her.

3Abraham arose from before his dead and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,

4I am a stranger and a sojourner among you; give me a possession of a grave among you, that I may bury my dead from my presence.

5The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,

6Hear us, my lord: you are a prince of God among us. In the choicest of our tombs bury your dead; no man among us will withhold from you his tomb for burying your dead.

7Abraham arose and bowed to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth.

8He spoke with them, saying, "If you are willing to bury my dead out of my sight, listen to me and intercede for me with Ephron son of Zohar."

9that he give me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him, which lies at the edge of his field; for full silver let him give it to me among you as a possession of a burying place.

10Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the sons of Heth, all who entered the gate of his city, saying,

11No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field and the cave that is in it, and before the eyes of the sons of my people I give it to you—bury your dead.

12Abraham bowed before the people of the land.

13He spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, "If you will, please listen to me. I give silver for the field. Accept it from me, and I will bury my dead there."

14Ephron answered Abraham and said to him.

15My lord, hear me. The land is four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? Bury your dead.

16Abraham heard Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth: four hundred shekels of silver, current with merchants.

17The field of Ephron in Machpelah before Mamre—the field, the cave in it, and all the trees in the field within all its surrounding border—was established.

18to Abraham as a possession in the sight of the sons of Heth, before all who entered the gate of his city.

19Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre in Hebron, in the land of Canaan.

20The field and the cave within it were established for Abraham as a possession of a grave by the sons of Heth.