Chapter 23

  Now the years of Sarah's life were a hundred and twenty-seven.  

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  And Sarah's death took place in Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan: and Abraham went into his house, weeping and sorrowing for Sarah.  

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  And Abraham came from his dead and said to the children of Heth,  

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  I am living among you as one from a strange country: give me some land here as my property, so that I may put my dead to rest.  

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  And in answer the children of Heth said to Abraham,  

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  My lord, truly you are a great chief among us; take the best of our resting-places for your dead; not one of us will keep back from you a place where you may put your dead to rest.  

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  And Abraham got up and gave honour to the children of Heth, the people of that land.  

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  And he said to them, If you will let me put my dead to rest here, make a request for me to Ephron, the son of Zohar,  

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  That he will give me the hollow in the rock named Machpelah, which is his property at the end of his field; let him give it to me for its full price as a resting-place for my dead among you.  

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  Now Ephron was seated among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite gave Abraham his answer in the hearing of the children of Heth, and of all those who came into his town, saying,  

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  No, my lord, I will give you the field with the hollow in the rock; before all the children of my people will I give it to you for a resting-place for your dead.  

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  And Abraham went down on his face before the people of the land.  

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  And Abraham said to Ephron, in the hearing of the people of the land, If only you will give ear to me, I will give you the price of the field; take it, and let me put my dead to rest there.  

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  So Ephron said to Abraham,  

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  My lord, give ear to me: the value of the land is four hundred shekels; what is that between me and you? so put your dead to rest there.  

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  And Abraham took note of the price fixed by Ephron in the hearing of the children of Heth, and gave him four hundred shekels in current money.  

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  So Ephron's field at Machpelah near Mamre, with the hollow in the rock and all the trees in the field and round it,  

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  Became the property of Abraham before the eyes of the children of Heth and of all who came into the town.  

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  Then Abraham put Sarah his wife to rest in the hollow rock in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, that is, Hebron in the land of Canaan.  

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  And the field and the hollow rock were handed over to Abraham as his property by the children of Heth.  

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