Genesis 23 :: New International Version (NIV)

The Death of Sarah

Gen 23:1Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old.

Gen 23:2She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.

Gen 23:3

Gen 23:3Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites.[fn] He said,

Gen 23:4

Gen 23:4“I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”

Gen 23:5

Gen 23:5The Hittites replied to Abraham,

Gen 23:6

Gen 23:6“Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

Gen 23:7

Gen 23:7Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.

Gen 23:8

Gen 23:8He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf

Gen 23:9

Gen 23:9so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”

Gen 23:10

Gen 23:10Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city.

Gen 23:11

Gen 23:11“No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give[fn] you the field, and I give[fn] you the cave that is in it. I give[fn] it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”

Gen 23:12

Gen 23:12Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land

Gen 23:13

Gen 23:13and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”

Gen 23:14

Gen 23:14Ephron answered Abraham,

Gen 23:15

Gen 23:15“Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels[fn] of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”

Gen 23:16

Gen 23:16Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants.

Gen 23:17

Gen 23:17So Ephron’s field in Machpelah near Mamre—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded

Gen 23:18

Gen 23:18to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city.

Gen 23:19

Gen 23:19Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

Gen 23:20

Gen 23:20So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.

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NIV Footnotes

(23:3)

Or the descendants of Heth; also in verses 5, 7, 10, 16, 18 and 20

Or sell

Or sell

Or sell

That is, about 10 pounds or about 4.6 kilograms

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