Genesis
23: 1 Now
Sara’s life was one hundred years and twenty yearsand seven years, (thus) the years of Sara’s life.
2 Sara died in Arba-Town, that is now Hevron, in the land of Canaan.
Avraham set about to lament for Sara and to weep over her;
3 then Avraham arose from the presence of his dead
and spoke to the Sons of Het, saying:
4 I am a sojourner settled among you;
give me title to a burial holding among you,
so that I may bury my dead from my presence.
5 The Sons of Het answered Avraham, saying to him:
6 Hear us, my lord!
You are one exalted by God in our midst—
in the choicest of our burial-sites you may bury your dead,
no man among us will deny you his burial-site
for burying your dead!
7 Avraham arose,
he bowed low to the People of the Land, to the Sons of Het,
8 and spoke with them, saying:
If it be then according to your wish
that I bury my dead from my presence,
hear me and interpose for me to Efron son of Tzohar,
9 that he may give me title to the cave of Makhpela, that is his, that is at the
edge of his field,
for the full silver-worth let him give me title in your midst for a burial holding.
10 Now Efron had a seat amidst the Sons of Het,
and Efron the Hittite answered Avraham in the ears of the Sons of Het,
of all who had entry to the council-gate of his city, saying:
11 Not so, my lord, hear me!
The field I give to you,
and the cave that is therein, to you I give it;
before the eyes of the Sons of My People I give it to you—
bury your dead!
12 Avraham bowed before the People of the Land
13 and spoke to Efron in the ears of the People of the Land, saying:
But if you yourself would only hear me out!
I will give the silver-payment for the field,
accept it from me,
so that I may bury my dead there.
14 Efron answered Avraham, saying to him:
15 My lord—hear me!
A piece of land worth four hundred silver weight,
what is that between me and you!
You may bury your dead!
16 Avraham hearkened to Efron:
Avraham weighed out to Efron the silver-worth
of which he had spoken in the ears of the Sons of Het—
four hundred silver weight at the going merchants’ rate.
17 Thus was established the field of Efron, that is in Makhpela, that faces Mamre,
the field as well as the cave that is in it, and the trees that were in all the field, that
were in all their territory round about,
18 for Avraham as an acquisition,
before the eyes of the Sons of Het, of all who had entry to the council-gate of his city.
19 Afterward Avraham buried Sara his wife
in the cave of the field of Makhpela, facing Mamre, that is now Hevron, in
the land of Canaan.
20 Thus was established the field as well as the cave that is in it for Avraham as a burial
holding, from the Sons of Het.