Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to Genèse 23
Close BDS

Genèse 23
La Bible du Semeur

L’achat d’un terrain dans le pays de Canaan

23 Sara vécut cent vingt-sept ans. 2 Elle mourut à Qiryath-Arba, c’est-à-dire Hébron, dans le pays de Canaan. Abraham célébra ses funérailles et la pleura. 3 Puis il se leva de l’endroit où reposait le corps de sa femme et alla parler aux Hittites[a]. 4 Il leur dit : Je ne suis qu’un étranger chez vous ; accordez-moi parmi vous une propriété[b] funéraire pour que je puisse enterrer ma femme qui est morte.

5 Les Hittites répondirent à Abraham : 6 Ecoute-nous, mon seigneur, nous te considérons comme un prince de Dieu au milieu de nous. Ensevelis le corps de ta femme dans la meilleure de nos tombes. Aucun de nous ne te refusera un tombeau pour ensevelir ta femme.

7 Alors Abraham s’avança et se prosterna devant les Hittites qui habitaient le pays. 8 Puis il leur dit : Puisque vous me permettez d’enterrer le corps de ma femme, faites-moi la faveur de prier Ephrôn, fils de Tsohar, 9 de me céder la caverne de Makpéla qui lui appartient et qui se trouve à l’extrémité de son champ. Qu’il me l’accorde en propriété funéraire en votre présence contre sa pleine valeur en argent.

10 Or Ephrôn le Hittite siégeait parmi eux. Il répondit à Abraham devant tous les Hittites qui venaient à la porte de sa ville : 11 Non, mon seigneur, écoute-moi. Je te donne le champ et la caverne qui s’y trouve. Je t’en fais don en présence des gens de mon peuple pour que tu y ensevelisses le corps de ta femme.

12 Abraham s’inclina profondément devant les gens de la région 13 et il répondit à Ephrôn de façon à être entendu par tous : S’il te plaît, écoute-moi à ton tour. Permets-moi de te payer le prix du champ. Accepte-le de ma part et j’y ensevelirai le corps de ma femme.

14 Alors Ephrôn reprit : 15 Mon seigneur, écoute-moi. Que représente entre nous une terre qui vaut quatre cents pièces d’argent ? Prends-la donc et ensevelis le corps de ta femme.

16 Abraham accepta la proposition d’Ephrôn et lui pesa la somme qu’il avait mentionnée en présence des autres Hittites, à savoir quatre cents pièces d’argent suivant le cours usuel.

17 De la sorte, le terrain d’Ephrôn, qui est à Makpéla, vis-à-vis de Mamré, ainsi que la caverne qui s’y trouvait et tous les arbres sur le terrain et ceux qui l’entouraient passèrent 18 en propriété à Abraham en présence des Hittites et de tous ceux qui étaient venus à la porte de sa ville. 19 Après quoi, Abraham ensevelit sa femme Sara dans la caverne du champ de Makpéla, vis-à-vis de Mamré, c’est-à-dire d’Hébron, dans le pays de Canaan. 20 Les Hittites garantirent à Abraham la propriété du champ et de la caverne pour qu’il y enterre ses morts.

Footnotes

  1. 23.3 Ce nom s’applique aux descendants de Heth qui habitaient ce qui deviendra le pays d’Israël, en particulier la région d’Hébron. Selon certains, ces Hittites n’ont aucun lien avec les Hittites qui, de 1800 à 1200 av. J.-C., ont régné, en Asie Mineure, sur un grand empire qui s’est étendu jusqu’en Syrie et au Liban. Pour d’autres, ces deux groupes hittites ont une origine lointaine commune.
  2. 23.4 La propriété contenant le tombeau de Sara sera la première possession d’Abraham dans le pays promis. Son acquisition attestait sa foi dans la promesse divine : il voulait que sa femme soit enterrée là où ses descendants séjourneraient. Voir Ac 7.16 ; Hé 11.9, 13.
Listen to 創世記 23
Close CCBT

創世記 23
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)

亞伯拉罕買地葬撒拉

23 撒拉享年一百二十七歲， 2 在迦南境內的基列·亞巴，即希伯崙去世。亞伯拉罕在那裡痛哭，哀悼她。 3 他從妻子屍體旁邊站起來對赫人說： 4 「我是寄居在你們這裡的異鄉人，請你們給我一塊地，我好埋葬我的亡妻。」 5 赫人回答說： 6 「我主，請聽我們說，你在我們中間是一位尊貴的王子，你可以選我們這裡最好的墳地，沒有人會反對你使用他的墳地埋葬你的妻子。」 7 亞伯拉罕就向他們下拜，說： 8 「如果你們真的准我安葬妻子，就請你們代我求瑣轄的兒子以弗崙， 9 請他當著你們的面，把他田地盡頭的麥比拉洞按實價賣給我作墳地。」

10 當時以弗崙正坐在赫人當中，於是他在城門口赫人聚集的地方當眾答覆亞伯拉罕說： 11 「不可！我主，請聽我說，我當著族人的面，把那塊地和山洞送給你，你只管去安葬你的妻子！」 12 亞伯拉罕向當地的人下拜， 13 當眾對以弗崙說：「你若願意，請聽我說，我要把地錢給你，請你收下，好讓我安葬我的妻子。」 14 以弗崙回答說： 15 「我主，請聽我說，四公斤半銀子的地對你我來說算什麼呢？去安葬你的妻子吧！」 16 於是，亞伯拉罕就照以弗崙當眾提出的價錢，按通用的重量單位秤了四公斤半銀子給他。

17 這樣，以弗崙在麥比拉、靠近幔利的那塊地和山洞及地界內所有的樹木， 18 都歸了亞伯拉罕。這是在城門口的赫人面前買下的。

19 之後，亞伯拉罕把妻子撒拉安葬在迦南的幔利附近、麥比拉田間的洞裡。幔利就是希伯崙。 20 這塊赫人的地和其中的山洞從此成了亞伯拉罕家的墳地。

Close NET

Genesis 23
New English Translation

The Death of Sarah

23 Sarah lived 127 years.[a] 2 Then she[b] died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.[c]

3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife[d] and said to the sons of Heth,[e] 4 “I am a foreign resident, a temporary settler,[f] among you. Grant[g] me ownership[h] of a burial site among you so that I may[i] bury my dead.”[j]

5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham,[k] 6 “Listen, sir,[l] you are a mighty prince[m] among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you[n] from burying your dead.”

7 Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people,[o] the sons of Heth. 8 Then he said to them, “If you agree[p] that I may bury my dead,[q] then hear me out.[r] Ask[s] Ephron the son of Zohar 9 if he will sell[t] me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me publicly[u] for the full price,[v] so that I may own it as a burial site.”

10 (Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth.) Ephron the Hittite[w] replied to Abraham in the hearing[x] of the sons of Heth—before all who entered the gate[y] of his city— 11 “No, my lord! Hear me out. I sell[z] you both the field and the cave that is in it.[aa] In the presence of my people[ab] I sell it to you. Bury your dead.”

12 Abraham bowed before the local people 13 and said to Ephron in their hearing, “Hear me, if you will. I pay[ac] to you the price[ad] of the field. Take it from me so that I may[ae] bury my dead there.”

14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “Hear me, my lord. The land is worth[af] 400 pieces of silver,[ag] but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”

16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price[ah] and weighed out[ai] for him[aj] the price[ak] that Ephron had quoted[al] in the hearing of the sons of Heth—400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time.[am]

17 So Abraham secured[an] Ephron’s field in Machpelah, next to Mamre, including the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and all around its border, 18 as his property in the presence of the sons of Heth before all who entered the gate of Ephron’s city.[ao]

19 After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah next to Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 So Abraham secured the field and the cave that was in it as a burial site[ap] from the sons of Heth.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 23:1 tn Heb “And the life of Sarah was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.”
  2. Genesis 23:2 tn Heb “Sarah.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“she”) for stylistic reasons.
  3. Genesis 23:2 sn Mourn…weep. The description here is of standard mourning rites (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD3 149-50). They would have been carried out in the presence of the corpse, probably in Sarah’s tent. So Abraham came in to mourn; then he rose up to go and bury his dead (v. 3).
  4. Genesis 23:3 tn Heb “And Abraham arose from upon the face of his dead.”
  5. Genesis 23:3 tn Heb “sons of Heth,” the gentilic of which is הִתִּי (hitti) “Hittites.” Some translations use “Hittites” here (also in vv. 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20). But these people were not the classical Hittites of Anatolia (in Asia Minor, modern Turkey). These sons of Heth are apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15). See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World 152-53. But cf. also V. Hamilton, Genesis 18-50 (NICOT), 126-128.
  6. Genesis 23:4 tn Heb “a resident foreigner (גֵּר; ger) and an immigrant (תּוֹשָׁב; toshav).” The term גֵּר (ger) refers to a foreign resident, but with different social implications in different settings. The Patriarchs were foreign, temporary residents in parts of Canaan, who abided by the claims of local authorities (see Gen 20, 23, 26). The noun toshav (תּוֹשָׁב) is less common. Under Mosaic Law it refers to someone of lesser standing than a resident foreigner (גֵּר; ger) since the ger had given full covenantal allegiance to the Lord. While not referring to a citizen, the precise nuance of toshav as an immigrant, resident, or (temporary) settler, is not clear. But in this case it may be a case of hendiadys, where the two terms together mean “an alien resident.”
  7. Genesis 23:4 tn Heb “give,” which is used here as an idiom for “sell” (see v. 9). The idiom reflects the polite bartering that was done in the culture at the time.
  8. Genesis 23:4 tn Or “possession.”
  9. Genesis 23:4 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose.
  10. Genesis 23:4 tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  11. Genesis 23:5 tn Heb “answered Abraham saying to him.”
  12. Genesis 23:6 tn Heb “Hear us, my lord.”
  13. Genesis 23:6 tn Heb “prince of God.” The divine name may be used here as a means of expressing the superlative, “mighty prince.” The word for “prince” probably means “tribal chief” here. See M. H. Gottstein, “Nasiʾ ʾelohim (Gen 23:6),” VT 3 (1953) 298-99; and D. W. Thomas, “Consideration of Some Unusual Ways of Expressing the Superlative in Hebrew,” VT 3 (1953) 215-16.
  14. Genesis 23:6 tn The phrase “to prevent you” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  15. Genesis 23:7 tn Heb “to the people of the land” (also in v. 12).
  16. Genesis 23:8 tn Heb “If it is with your purpose.” The Hebrew noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) here has the nuance “purpose” or perhaps “desire” (see BDB 661 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ).
  17. Genesis 23:8 tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  18. Genesis 23:8 tn Or “hear me.”
  19. Genesis 23:8 tn Heb “intercede for me with.”
  20. Genesis 23:9 tn Heb “give.” This is used here (also a second time later in this verse) as an idiom for “sell”; see the note on the word “grant” in v. 4.
  21. Genesis 23:9 tn Heb “in your presence.”
  22. Genesis 23:9 tn Heb “full silver.”
  23. Genesis 23:10 tn The Hebrew term is “Hittite,” but see the note on the name “Heth” in v. 3.
  24. Genesis 23:10 tn Heb “ears.” By metonymy the “ears” stand for the presence or proximity (i.e., within earshot) of the persons named.
  25. Genesis 23:10 sn On the expression all who entered the gate see E. A. Speiser, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate,” BASOR 144 (1956): 20-23; and G. Evans, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate: A Discussion of Professor Speiser’s Paper,” BASOR 150 (1958): 28-33.
  26. Genesis 23:11 tn Heb “give.” The perfect tense has here a present nuance; this is a formal, legally binding declaration. Abraham asked only for a burial site/cave within the field; Ephron agrees to sell him the entire field.
  27. Genesis 23:11 tn The Hebrew text adds “to you I give [i.e., sell] it.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
  28. Genesis 23:11 tn Heb “in the presence of the sons of my people.”
  29. Genesis 23:13 tn Heb “give.”
  30. Genesis 23:13 tn Heb “silver.”
  31. Genesis 23:13 tn After the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose or result.
  32. Genesis 23:15 tn The word “worth” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  33. Genesis 23:15 sn 400 pieces of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 4.6 kilograms, or 160 ounces (about 10 pounds).
  34. Genesis 23:16 tn Heb “listened to Ephron.”
  35. Genesis 23:16 tn Heb “and Abraham weighed out.”
  36. Genesis 23:16 tn Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  37. Genesis 23:16 tn Heb “silver.”
  38. Genesis 23:16 tn Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
  39. Genesis 23:16 tn Heb “passing for the merchant.” The final clause affirms that the measurement of silver was according to the standards used by the merchants of the time.
  40. Genesis 23:17 tn Heb “And it was conveyed.” The recipient, Abraham (mentioned in the Hebrew text at the beginning of v. 18) has been placed here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  41. Genesis 23:18 tn Heb “his city”; the referent (Ephron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.sn See G. M. Tucker, “The Legal Background of Genesis 23, ” JBL 85 (1966):77-84; and M. R. Lehmann, “Abraham’s Purchase of Machpelah and Hittite Law,” BASOR 129 (1953): 15-18.
  42. Genesis 23:20 tn Heb “possession of a grave.”
Next
Genèse 22
Genèse 24
Next
dropdown
La Bible du Semeur (BDS)

La Bible Du Semeur (The Bible of the Sower) Copyright © 1992, 1999 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional) (CCBT)

By Biblica

New English Translation (NET)

NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.