Genesis 23:3-16
New American Standard Bible
3 Then Abraham arose from mourning before his dead, and spoke to the (A)sons of Heth, saying, 4 “I am (B)a stranger and a foreign resident among you; (C)give me [a]a (D)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 [b](E)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 [c]you are willing to let me bury my dead out of my sight, listen to me, and plead with (F)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 [d]your presence for [e]a burial site.” 10 Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham [f]so that the sons of Heth heard, (G)that is, all who entered the gate of his city, saying, 11 “No, my lord, listen to me; (H)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 [g]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.” 14 Then Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “My lord, listen to me: a plot of land worth [h]four hundred (I)shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.” 16 Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abraham (J)weighed out for Ephron the silver which he had named in the [i]presence of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency acceptable to a merchant.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 23:4 Lit possession of a burial place
- Genesis 23:6 Lit prince of God
- Genesis 23:8 Lit it is with your soul
- Genesis 23:9 Lit the midst of you
- Genesis 23:9 Lit possession of a burial place
- Genesis 23:10 Lit in the ears of
- Genesis 23:13 Lit in the ears of
- Genesis 23:15 About 12.5 lb. or 5.7 kg
- Genesis 23:16 Lit ears
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