The Bible in Basic English BBE
New International Version NIV
1 Now the years of Sarah's life were a hundred and twenty-seven.
1
Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old.
2 And Sarah's death took place in Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan: and Abraham went into his house, weeping and sorrowing for Sarah.
2
She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.
3 And Abraham came from his dead and said to the children of Heth,
3
Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said,
4 I am living among you as one from a strange country: give me some land here as my property, so that I may put my dead to rest
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“I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”
5 And in answer the children of Heth said to Abraham,
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The Hittites replied to Abraham,
6 My lord, truly you are a great chief among us; take the best of our resting-places for your dead; not one of us will keep back from you a place where you may put your dead to rest.
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“Sir, listen to us. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb for burying your dead.”
7 And Abraham got up and gave honour to the children of Heth, the people of that land.
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Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.
8 And he said to them, If you will let me put my dead to rest here, make a request for me to Ephron, the son of Zohar,
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He said to them, “If you are willing to let me bury my dead, then listen to me and intercede with Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf
9 That he will give me the hollow in the rock named Machpelah, which is his property at the end of his field; let him give it to me for its full price as a resting-place for my dead among you.
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so he will sell me the cave of Machpelah, which belongs to him and is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price as a burial site among you.”
10 Now Ephron was seated among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite gave Abraham his answer in the hearing of the children of Heth, and of all those who came into his town, saying,
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Ephron the Hittite was sitting among his people and he replied to Abraham in the hearing of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city.
11 No, my lord, I will give you the field with the hollow in the rock; before all the children of my people will I give it to you for a resting-place for your dead.
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“No, my lord,” he said. “Listen to me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. I give it to you in the presence of my people. Bury your dead.”
12 And Abraham went down on his face before the people of the land.
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Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land
13 And Abraham said to Ephron, in the hearing of the people of the land, If only you will give ear to me, I will give you the price of the field; take it, and let me put my dead to rest there.
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and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”
14 So Ephron said to Abraham
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Ephron answered Abraham,
15 My lord, give ear to me: the value of the land is four hundred shekels; what is that between me and you? so put your dead to rest there.
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“Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”
16 And Abraham took note of the price fixed by Ephron in the hearing of the children of Heth, and gave him four hundred shekels in current money.
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Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants.
17 So Ephron's field at Machpelah near Mamre, with the hollow in the rock and all the trees in the field and round it,
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So Ephron’s field in Machpelah near Mamre—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded
18 Became the property of Abraham before the eyes of the children of Heth and of all who came into the town.
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to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city.
19 Then Abraham put Sarah his wife to rest in the hollow rock in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, that is, Hebron in the land of Canaan
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Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
20 And the field and the hollow rock were handed over to Abraham as his property by the children of Heth.
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So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.