New Living Translation | New Living Translation |
1When Sarah was 127 years old, | 1When Sarah was 127 years old, |
2she died at Kiriath-arba (now called Hebron) in the land of Canaan. There Abraham mourned and wept for her. | 2she died at Kiriath-arba (now called Hebron) in the land of Canaan. There Abraham mourned and wept for her. |
3Then, leaving her body, he said to the Hittite elders, | 3Then, leaving her body, he said to the Hittite elders, |
4“Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you. Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial.” | 4“Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you. Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial.” |
5The Hittites replied to Abraham, | 5The Hittites replied to Abraham, |
6“Listen, my lord, you are an honored prince among us. Choose the finest of our tombs and bury her there. No one here will refuse to help you in this way.” | 6“Listen, my lord, you are an honored prince among us. Choose the finest of our tombs and bury her there. No one here will refuse to help you in this way.” |
7Then Abraham bowed low before the Hittites | 7Then Abraham bowed low before the Hittites |
8and said, “Since you are willing to help me in this way, be so kind as to ask Ephron son of Zohar | 8and said, “Since you are willing to help me in this way, be so kind as to ask Ephron son of Zohar |
9to let me buy his cave at Machpelah, down at the end of his field. I will pay the full price in the presence of witnesses, so I will have a permanent burial place for my family.” | 9to let me buy his cave at Machpelah, down at the end of his field. I will pay the full price in the presence of witnesses, so I will have a permanent burial place for my family.” |
10Ephron was sitting there among the others, and he answered Abraham as the others listened, speaking publicly before all the Hittite elders of the town. | 10Ephron was sitting there among the others, and he answered Abraham as the others listened, speaking publicly before all the Hittite elders of the town. |
11“No, my lord,” he said to Abraham, “please listen to me. I will give you the field and the cave. Here in the presence of my people, I give it to you. Go and bury your dead.” | 11“No, my lord,” he said to Abraham, “please listen to me. I will give you the field and the cave. Here in the presence of my people, I give it to you. Go and bury your dead.” |
12Abraham again bowed low before the citizens of the land, | 12Abraham again bowed low before the citizens of the land, |
13and he replied to Ephron as everyone listened. “No, listen to me. I will buy it from you. Let me pay the full price for the field so I can bury my dead there.” | 13and he replied to Ephron as everyone listened. “No, listen to me. I will buy it from you. Let me pay the full price for the field so I can bury my dead there.” |
14Ephron answered Abraham, | 14Ephron answered Abraham, |
15“My lord, please listen to me. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between friends? Go ahead and bury your dead.” | 15“My lord, please listen to me. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between friends? Go ahead and bury your dead.” |
16So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and paid the amount he had suggested—400 pieces of silver, weighed according to the market standard. The Hittite elders witnessed the transaction. | 16So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and paid the amount he had suggested—400 pieces of silver, weighed according to the market standard. The Hittite elders witnessed the transaction. |
17So Abraham bought the plot of land belonging to Ephron at Machpelah, near Mamre. This included the field itself, the cave that was in it, and all the surrounding trees. | 17So Abraham bought the plot of land belonging to Ephron at Machpelah, near Mamre. This included the field itself, the cave that was in it, and all the surrounding trees. |
18It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate. | 18It was transferred to Abraham as his permanent possession in the presence of the Hittite elders at the city gate. |
19Then Abraham buried his wife, Sarah, there in Canaan, in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre (also called Hebron). | 19Then Abraham buried his wife, Sarah, there in Canaan, in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre (also called Hebron). |
20So the field and the cave were transferred from the Hittites to Abraham for use as a permanent burial place. | 20So the field and the cave were transferred from the Hittites to Abraham for use as a permanent burial place. |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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