Common English Bible CEB
The Message Bible MSG
1 Sarah lived to be 127 years old; this was how long she lived.
1
Sarah lived 127 years.
2 She died in Kiriath-arba, that is, in Hebron, in the land of Canaan; and Abraham cried out in grief and wept for Sarah.
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Sarah died in Kiriath Arba, present-day Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Abraham mourned for Sarah and wept.
3 After he got up from embracing his deceased wife, he spoke with the Hittites:
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Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites:
4 "I am an immigrant and a temporary resident with you. Give me some property for a burial plot among you so that I can bury my deceased wife near me."
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"I know I'm only an outsider here among you, but sell me a burial plot so that I can bury my dead decently.
5 The Hittites responded to Abraham,
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The Hittites responded,
6 "Listen to us, sir. You are an eminent man of God among us. Bury your dead in one of our own select burial sites. None of us will keep our own burial plots from you to bury your dead."
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"Why, you're no mere outsider here with us, you're a prince of God! Bury your dead wife in the best of our burial sites. None of us will refuse you a place for burial."
7 Abraham rose, bowed to the local citizens the Hittites,
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Then Abraham got up, bowed respectfully to the people of the land, the Hittites,
8 and spoke with them: "If you yourselves allow me to bury my dead near me, listen to me and ask Ephron, Zohar's son,
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and said, "If you're serious about helping me give my wife a proper burial, intercede for me with Ephron son of Zohar.
9 to give me his own cave in Machpelah at the edge of his field. Let him give it to me for the full price, to be witnessed by you, as my own burial property."
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Ask him to sell me the cave of Machpelah that he owns, the one at the end of his land. Ask him to sell it to me at its full price for a burial plot, with you as witnesses."
10 Now Ephron was a native Hittite. So Ephron the Hittite responded to Abraham publicly in order that the Hittites and everyone at his city's gate could hear:
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Ephron was part of the local Hittite community. Then Ephron the Hittite spoke up, answering Abraham with all the Hittites who were part of the town council listening:
11 "No, sir. Listen, I will give you the field, and I will give you the cave in it. In front of my people's witnesses, I will give it to you. Bury your dead!"
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"Oh no, my master! I couldn't do that. The field is yours - a gift. I'll give it and the cave to you. With my people as witnesses, I give it to you. Bury your deceased wife."
12 Abraham bowed before the local citizens
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Abraham bowed respectfully before the assembled council
13 and spoke to Ephron publicly in the presence of the local citizens: "If only you would accept my offer. I will give you the price of the field. Take it from me so that I can bury my dead there."
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and answered Ephron: "Please allow me - I want to pay the price of the land; take my money so that I can go ahead and bury my wife."
14 Ephron responded to Abraham,
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Then Ephron answered Abraham
15 "Sir, what is four hundred shekels of silver between me and you for the land so that you can bury your dead?"
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"If you insist, master. What's four hundred silver shekels between us? Now go ahead and bury your wife."
16 Abraham accepted Ephron's offer and weighed out for Ephron the silver he requested publicly before the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver at the current rate of exchange.
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Abraham accepted Ephron's offer and paid out the sum that Ephron had named before the town council of Hittites - four hundred silver shekels at the current exchange rate.
17 So the field of Ephron in Machpelah near Mamre—the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the field's boundaries—was officially transferred
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That's how Ephron's field next to Mamre - the field, its cave, and all the trees within its borders -
18 to Abraham as his property in the presence of the Hittites and of everyone at his city's gate.
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became Abraham's property. The town council of Hittites witnessed the transaction.
19 After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre, that is, Hebron, in the land of Canaan.
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Abraham then proceeded to bury his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah that is next to Mamre, present-day Hebron, in the land of Canaan
20 The field and the cave in it were officially transferred from the Hittites to Abraham as his burial property.
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The field and its cave went from the Hittites into Abraham's possession as a burial plot.