Genesis 23

Abraham's Request for Land Genesis 23:3–4

³Verse 3. Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children of Heth, saying, ⁴Verse 4. “I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

Hittites' Offer of Tombs Genesis 23:5–6

⁵Verse 5. The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him, ⁶Verse 6. “Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead.”

Abraham's Respectful Negotiation Genesis 23:7–8

⁷Verse 7. Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. ⁸Verse 8. He talked with them, saying, “If you agree that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,

Ephron's Initial Gift Offer Genesis 23:9–15

⁹Verse 9. 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 among you as a possession for a burial place.” ¹⁰Verse 10. Now Ephron was sitting in the middle 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, ¹¹Verse 11. “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.”

¹²Verse 12. Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. ¹³Verse 13. 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.” ¹⁴Verse 14. Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, ¹⁵Verse 15. “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.”

Transaction Completion Genesis 23:16–18

¹⁶Verse 16. 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. ¹⁷Verse 17. So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded ¹⁸Verse 18. to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.

Sarah's Burial and Ownership Genesis 23:19–20

¹⁹Verse 19. After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan. ²⁰Verse 20. The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham by the children of Heth as a possession for a burial place.