The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Sarah lived to be 127 years old; these were the years of Sarah's life.
1
Now the years of Sarah's life were a hundred and twenty-seven.
2 Sarah died in Kiryat-Arba, also known as Hevron, in the land of Kena'an; and Avraham came to mourn Sarah and weep for her.
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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.
3 Then he got up from his dead one and said to the sons of Het,
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And Abraham came from his dead and said to the children of Heth,
4 "I am a foreigner living as an alien with you; let me have a burial site with you, so that I can bury my dead wife.
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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
5 The sons of Het answered Avraham,
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And in answer the children of Heth said to Abraham,
6 "Listen to us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us, so choose any of our tombs to bury your dead - not one of us would refuse you his tomb for burying your dead."
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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.
7 Avraham got up, bowed before the people of the land, the sons of Het,
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And Abraham got up and gave honour to the children of Heth, the people of that land.
8 and spoke with them. "If it is your desire to help me bury my dead, then listen to me: ask 'Efron the son of Tzochar
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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,
9 to give me the cave of Makhpelah, which he owns, the one at the end of his field. He should sell it to me in your presence at its full value; then I will have a burial site of my own."
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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.
10 'Efron the Hitti was sitting among the sons of Het, and he gave Avraham his answer in the presence of the sons of Het who belonged to the ruling council of the city:
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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,
11 "No, my lord, listen to me: I'm giving you the field, with its cave - I'm giving it to you. In the presence of my people I give it to you."
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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.
12 Avraham bowed before the people of the land
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And Abraham went down on his face before the people of the land.
13 and spoke to 'Efron in their hearing: "Please be good enough to listen to me. I will pay the price of the field; accept it from me, and I will bury my dead there."
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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.
14 But 'Efron answered Avraham
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So Ephron said to Abraham
15 "My lord, listen to me. A plot of land worth 400 silver shekels - what is that between me and you? Just bury your dead."
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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.
16 Avraham got the point of what 'Efron had said, so he weighed out for 'Efron the amount of money he had specified in the presence of the sons of Het, 400 silver shekels of the weight accepted among merchants [ten pounds].
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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.
17 Thus the field of 'Efron in Makhpelah, which is by Mamre - the field, its cave and all the trees in and around it - were deeded
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So Ephron's field at Machpelah near Mamre, with the hollow in the rock and all the trees in the field and round it,
18 to Avraham as his possession in the presence of the sons of Het who belonged to the ruling council of the city.
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Became the property of Abraham before the eyes of the children of Heth and of all who came into the town.
19 Then Avraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Makhpelah, by Mamre, also known as Hevron, in the land of Kena'an
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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
20 The field and its cave had been purchased by Avraham from the sons of Het as a burial-site which would belong to him.
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And the field and the hollow rock were handed over to Abraham as his property by the children of Heth.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.