The Death and Burial of Sarah
Genesis 23, verse 1. Now Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years. Genesis 23, verse 2. Then Sarah died in the city of Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. Genesis 23, verse 3. Then Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, Genesis 23, verse 4. “I am a sojourner and a stranger among you. Give me therefore a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” Genesis 23, verse 5. So the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying, Genesis 23, verse 6. “Hear us, my Lord, you are a king from God among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold his burial place from you, to bury your dead there.” Genesis 23, verse 7. Then Abraham stood and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. Genesis 23, verse 8. Thus he spoke with them, saying, “If you have it in mind for me to bury my dead out of my sight, then listen to me, and speak on my behalf to Ephron the son of Zohar, Genesis 23, verse 9. that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he has at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, as a burial place among you.” Genesis 23, verse 10. Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the presence of the sons of Heth, and of all who entered at the gate of the city, saying, Genesis 23, verse 11. “No, my Lord, hear me, I give you both the field and the cave within it; I give it to you in the presence of all my fellow citizens. Bury your dead.” Genesis 23, verse 12. Then Abraham bowed himself before the people of the land, Genesis 23, verse 13. and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If you are for me, hear me. I will give you money for the field; take it from me and I will bury my dead there.” Genesis 23, verse 14. Ephron then answered Abraham, saying to him, Genesis 23, verse 15. “My lord, listen to me, the land is worth four hundred silver drachmas; but what is that between you and me? So bury your dead.” Genesis 23, verse 16. So Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron, which he had mentioned in the hearing of the sons of Heth, the four hundred silver drachmas, currency of the merchants. Genesis 23, verse 17. Thus the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was opposite Mamre, the field and the cave in it, and all the trees in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded Genesis 23, verse 18. to Abraham as his possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who entered the city. Genesis 23, verse 19. Then after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which was opposite Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Genesis 23, verse 20. So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.