Genesis 23:1-12

New Life Version

The Death of Sarah

23 Sarah lived 127 years. These were the years of Sarah’s life. ² Then Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. And Abraham had sorrow for Sarah and cried for her. ³ Then Abraham got up from beside his dead wife, and said to the sons of Heth, ⁴ “I am a stranger living among you for a time. Give me some of your land so I may bury my wife.” ⁵ The sons of Heth answered Abraham, ⁶ “Listen to us, my lord. You are a powerful ruler among us. Bury your wife in the best of our graves. None of us will keep his grave from you for burying your wife.” ⁷ So Abraham stood up and bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. ⁸ He said to them, “If you are willing to have me bury my wife, hear me, and ask Zohar’s son Ephron for me. ⁹ Ask him to give me the grave of Machpelah which he has at the other side of his field. Let him give it to me for the full price in front of you, for a place to bury my wife.”

¹⁰ Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth. So Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham so what he said could be heard by the sons of Heth and all who came in through the gate of his city. ¹¹ He said, “No, my lord. Listen to me. I give you the field. And I give you the grave that is in it. I give it to you in front of the sons of my people. Bury your wife.”

¹² Abraham bowed to the people of the land.