New International Version NIV
Common English Bible CEB
1 Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old.
1
Sarah lived to be 127 years old; this was how long she lived.
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.
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.
3 Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said,
3
After he got up from embracing his deceased wife, he spoke with the Hittites:
4 “I am a foreigner and stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.”
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."
5 The Hittites replied to Abraham,
5
The Hittites responded to Abraham,
6 “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.”
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."
7 Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.
7
Abraham rose, bowed to the local citizens the Hittites,
8 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
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,
9 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.”
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."
10 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.
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:
11 “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.”
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!"
12 Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land
12
Abraham bowed before the local citizens
13 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.”
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."
14 Ephron answered Abraham,
14
Ephron responded to Abraham,
15 “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.”
15
"Sir, what is four hundred shekels of silver between me and you for the land so that you can bury your dead?"
16 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.
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.
17 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
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
18 to Abraham as his property in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of the city.
18
to Abraham as his property in the presence of the Hittites and of everyone at his city's gate.
19 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.
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.
20 So the field and the cave in it were deeded to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.
20
The field and the cave in it were officially transferred from the Hittites to Abraham as his burial property.
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.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible