Genesis 23

23Sarah lived 127 years.H8283H3967H8141H7651H8141H6242H8141H2416H8141H2416H82832Sarah died in Kiriath Arba, present-day Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham mourned for Sarah and wept.H8283H4191H7153H2275H776H3667H85H935H5594H8283H10583Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites:H85H6965H6440H4191H1696H1121H2845H5594"I know I'm only an outsider here among you, but sell me a burial plot so that I can bury my dead decently."H1616H8453H5414H272H6913H6912H4191H64405The Hittites responded,H1121H2845H6030H85H5596"Why, you're no mere outsider here with us, you're a prince of God! Bury your dead wife in the best of our burial sites. None of us will refuse you a place for burial."H8085H113H430H5387H8432H4005H6913H6912H4191H3808H376H3607H6913H6912H41917Then Abraham got up, bowed respectfully to the people of the land, the Hittites,H85H6965H7812H5971H776H1121H28458and said, "If you're serious about helping me give my wife a proper burial, intercede for me with Ephron son of Zohar.H1696H559H3426H5315H6912H4191H6440H8085H6293H6085H1121H67149Ask him to sell me the cave of Machpelah that he owns, the one at the end of his land. Ask him to sell it to me at its full price for a burial plot, with you as witnesses."H5414H4631H4375H7097H7704H4392H3701H4392H5414H272H6913H843210Ephron was part of the local Hittite community. Then Ephron the Hittite spoke up, answering Abraham with all the Hittites who were part of the town council listening:H6085H3427H8432H1121H2845H6085H2850H6030H85H241H1121H2845H935H8179H5892H55911"Oh no, my master! I couldn't do that. The field is yours—a gift. I'll give it and the cave to you. With my people as witnesses, I give it to you. Bury your deceased wife."H3808H113H8085H7704H5414H4631H5414H5869H1121H5971H5414H6912H419112Abraham bowed respectfully before the assembled councilH85H7812H6440H5971H77613and answered Ephron: "Please allow me—I want to pay the price of the land; take my money so that I can go ahead and bury my wife."H1696H6085H241H5971H776H559H3863H8085H5414H3701H7704H3947H6912H419114Then Ephron answered Abraham,H6085H6030H85H55915"If you insist, master. What's four hundred silver shekels between us? Now go ahead and bury your wife."H113H8085H776H702H3967H8255H3701H996H6912H419116Abraham accepted Ephron's offer and paid out the sum that Ephron had named before the town council of Hittites—four hundred silver shekels at the current exchange rate.H85H8085H6085H85H8254H6085H3701H1696H241H1121H2845H702H3967H8255H3701H5674H550317That's how Ephron's field next to Mamre—the field, its cave, and all the trees within its borders—H7704H6085H4375H6440H4471H7704H4631H6086H7704H1366H5439H696518became Abraham's property. The town council of Hittites witnessed the transaction.H85H4736H5869H1121H2845H935H8179H589219Abraham then proceeded to bury his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah that is next to Mamre, present-day Hebron, in the land of Canaan.H310H3651H85H6912H8283H802H4631H7704H4375H6440H4471H2275H776H366720The field and its cave went from the Hittites into Abraham's possession as a burial plot.H7704H4631H6965H85H272H6913H1121H2845