Genesis 23 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

Sarah’s Death and Burial

Death and Burial of Sarah

Gen 23:1Sarah lived one hundred and twenty-seven years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.

Gen 23:2So Sarah died in Kirjath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

Gen 23:3

Gen 23:3Then Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,

Gen 23:4

Gen 23:4“I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. Give me property for a burial place among you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

Gen 23:5

Gen 23:5And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,

Gen 23:6

Gen 23:6“Hear us, my lord: You are a mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places. None of us will withhold from you his burial place, that you may bury your dead.”

Gen 23:7

Gen 23:7Then Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Heth.

Gen 23:8

Gen 23:8And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for me,

Gen 23:9

Gen 23:9“that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he has, which is at the end of his field. Let him give it to me at the full price, as property for a burial place among you.”

Gen 23:10

Gen 23:10Now Ephron dwelt among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the presence of the sons of Heth, all who entered at the gate of his city, saying,

Gen 23:11

Gen 23:11“No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field and the cave that is in it; I give it to you in the presence of the sons of my people. I give it to you. Bury your dead!”

Gen 23:12

Gen 23:12Then Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land;

Gen 23:13

Gen 23:13and he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If you will give it, please hear me. I will give you money for the field; take it from me and I will bury my dead there.”

Gen 23:14

Gen 23:14And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

Gen 23:15

Gen 23:15“My lord, listen to me; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between you and me? So bury your dead.”

Gen 23:16

Gen 23:16And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed out the silver for Ephron which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency of the merchants.

Gen 23:17

Gen 23:17So the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, which were within all the surrounding borders, were deeded

Gen 23:18

Gen 23:18to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.

Gen 23:19

Gen 23:19And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

Gen 23:20

Gen 23:20So the field and the cave that is in it were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth as property for a burial place.

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