Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

A Song of Ascents

The Exiles Restored

A Burial Place for Sarah

23 Sarah lived for 127 years. That’s how long Sarah’s life was. ² She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, in Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went in^[a] to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. ³ Then Abraham stood up from beside his dead wife^[b] and addressed the Hittites. He said, ⁴ “I am an alien and an outsider among you. Give me a cemetery among you where I can bury my dead away from my presence.”

⁵ The Hittites responded to Abraham, ⁶ “Listen to us, sir.^[c] You are a mighty prince^[d] among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial tombs. None of us would refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”

⁷ Abraham rose and bowed before the Hittites, the people of the land, ⁸ and addressed them, “If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, listen to me and make a request of Zohar’s son Ephron on my behalf. ⁹ Give me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him, at the end of his field. He should sell^[e] it to me in your presence at full price for a burial site.”

¹⁰ Now since Ephron the Hittite had taken a seat there among the Hittites, he responded publicly to Abraham where the Hittites and everyone who was entering the gate of his city could hear him: ¹¹ “No, sir.^[f] Listen to me! I’ll give you the field, and I’ll give you the cave that’s in it. I give it to you publicly, in the sight of my people. Bury your dead.”

¹² Abraham bowed before the people of the land ¹³ and then addressed Ephron so all the people of the land could hear him: “Please listen to me! I’m willing to pay the price of the field. Accept it from me, so I may bury my dead there.”

¹⁴ So Ephron answered Abraham, ¹⁵ “Sir,^[g] listen to me! The land is worth 400 shekels of silver, but what’s that between us? You may bury your dead.”

¹⁶ Abraham agreed with Ephron, so he^[h] weighed out to Ephron the money to which he had agreed publicly while the Hittites were listening: 400 shekels of silver at the current merchant rate.

¹⁷ That’s how Ephron’s field in Machpelah, east of^[i] Mamre—the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were within the boundaries of^[j] the field—came to be deeded ¹⁸ to Abraham in the presence of all the Hittites and everyone who was entering the city gate. ¹⁹ After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave at the field of Machpelah, east of Mamre (that is, in Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

3 Therefore, when we could stand it no longer, we decided to remain alone in Athens ² and send Timothy, our brother who works with us for God in the gospel of the Messiah,^[a] to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, ³ so that no one would be shaken by these persecutions, for which you are aware that we were destined. ⁴ In fact, when we were with you, we told you ahead of time that we were going to suffer persecution. And as you know, that is what happened. ⁵ But when I could stand it no longer, I sent Timothy^[b] to find out about your faith. I was afraid that the tempter had tempted you in some way, and that our work had been a waste of time.