A Burial Place for Sarah

1Sarah lived for 127 years. That’s how long Sarah’s life was. 2She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, in Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went ina to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. 3Then Abraham stood up from beside his dead wifeb and addressed the Hittites. He said, 4“I am an alien and an outsider among you. Give me a cemetery among you where I can bury my dead away from my presence.”

5The Hittites responded to Abraham, 6“Listen to us, sir.c You are a mighty princed among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial tombs. None of us would refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

7Abraham rose and bowed before the Hittites, the people of the land, 8and addressed them, “If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, listen to me and make a request of Zohar’s son Ephron on my behalf. 9Give me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him, at the end of his field. He should selle it to me in your presence at full price for a burial site.”

10Now since Ephron the Hittite had taken a seat there among the Hittites, he responded publicly to Abraham where the Hittites and everyone who was entering the gate of his city could hear him: 11“No, sir.f Listen to me! I’ll give you the field, and I’ll give you the cave that’s in it. I give it to you publicly, in the sight of my people. Bury your dead.”

12Abraham bowed before the people of the land 13and then addressed Ephron so all the people of the land could hear him: “Please listen to me! I’m willing to pay the price of the field. Accept it from me, so I may bury my dead there.”

14So Ephron answered Abraham, 15“Sir,g listen to me! The land is worth 400 shekels of silver, but what’s that between us? You may bury your dead.”

16Abraham agreed with Ephron, so heh weighed out to Ephron the money to which he had agreed publicly while the Hittites were listening: 400 shekels of silver at the current merchant rate.

17That’s how Ephron’s field in Machpelah, east ofi Mamre—the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were within the boundaries ofj the field—came to be deeded 18to Abraham in the presence of all the Hittites and everyone who was entering the city gate. 19After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave at the field of Machpelah, east of Mamre (that is, in Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20And so the field with its cave was deeded by the Hittites to Abraham as a burial site.