Genesis 23:1-13 ▼

1 Now Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.

2 Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

3 Then Abraham arose from mourning before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,

4 “I am a stranger and a foreign resident among you; give me a burial site among you so that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,

6 “Hear us, my lord: you are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our graves; none of us will refuse you his grave for burying your dead.”

7 So Abraham stood up and bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth.

8 And he spoke with them, saying, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead out of my sight, listen to me, and plead with Ephron the son of Zohar for me,

9 that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he owns, which is at the end of his field; for the full price let him give it to me in your presence for a burial site.”

10 Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham so that the sons of Heth heard, that is, all who entered the gate of his city, saying,

11 “No, my lord, listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the sons of my people I give it to you; bury your dead.”

12 And Abraham bowed before the people of the land.

13 But he spoke to Ephron so that the people of the land heard, saying, “If you will only please listen to me; I will give the price of the field, accept it from me so that I may bury my dead there.”