Genesis 23 (NET)

The Death of Sarah

1 Sarah lived 127 years.1 2 Then she2 died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.3

3 Then Abraham got up from mourning his dead wife4 and said to the sons of Heth,5 4 “I am a temporary settler6 among you. Grant7 me ownership8 of a burial site among you so that I may9 bury my dead.”10

5 The sons of Heth answered Abraham,11 6 “Listen, sir,12 you are a mighty prince13 among us! You may bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will refuse you his tomb to prevent you14 from burying your dead.”

7 Abraham got up and bowed down to the local people,15 the sons of Heth. 8 Then he said to them, “If you agree16 that I may bury my dead,17 then hear me out.18 Ask19 Ephron the son of Zohar 9 if he will sell20 me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me publicly21 for the full price,22 so that I may own it as a burial site.”

10 (Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth.) Ephron the Hethite23 replied to Abraham in the hearing24 of the sons of Heth – before all who entered the gate25 of his city – 11 “No, my lord! Hear me out. I sell26 you both the field and the cave that is in it.27 In the presence of my people28 I sell it to you. Bury your dead.”

12 Abraham bowed before the local people 13 and said to Ephron in their hearing, “Hear me, if you will. I pay29 to you the price30 of the field. Take it from me so that I may31 bury my dead there.”

14 Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, 15 “Hear me, my lord. The land is worth32 400 pieces of silver,33 but what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”

16 So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price34 and weighed35 out for him36 the price37 that Ephron had quoted38 in the hearing of the sons of Heth – 400 pieces of silver, according to the standard measurement at the time.39

17 So Abraham secured40 Ephron’s field in Machpelah, next to Mamre, including the field, the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field and all around its border, 18 as his property in the presence of the sons of Heth before all who entered the gate of Ephron’s city.41

19 After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah next to Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 So Abraham secured the field and the cave that was in it as a burial site42 from the sons of Heth.

123:1tn Heb “And the years of Sarah were one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.” 223:2tn Heb “Sarah.” The proper name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun (“she”) for stylistic reasons. 323:2sn Mourn…weep. The description here is of standard mourning rites (see K. A. Kitchen, NBD³ 149-50). They would have been carried out in the presence of the corpse, probably in Sarah’s tent. So Abraham came in to mourn; then he rose up to go and bury his dead (v. 3). 423:3tn Heb “And Abraham arose from upon the face of his dead.” 523:3tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (also in vv. 5, 7, 10, 16, 18, 20), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 152-53. 623:4tn Heb “a resident alien and a settler.” 723:4tn Heb “give,” which is used here as an idiom for “sell” (see v. 9). The idiom reflects the polite bartering that was done in the culture at the time. 823:4tn Or “possession.” 923:4tn Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose. 1023:4tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons. 1123:5tn Heb “answered Abraham saying to him.” 1223:6tn Heb “Hear us, my lord.” 1323:6tn Heb “prince of God.” The divine name may be used here as a means of expressing the superlative, “mighty prince.” The word for “prince” probably means “tribal chief” here. See M. H. Gottstein, “Nasi’ ‘elohim (Gen 23:6),” VT 3 (1953) 298-99; and D. W. Thomas, “Consideration of Some Unusual Ways of Expressing the Superlative in Hebrew,” VT 3 (1953) 215-16. 1423:6tn The phrase “to prevent you” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons. 1523:7tn Heb “to the people of the land” (also in v. 12). 1623:8tn Heb “If it is with your purpose.” The Hebrew noun נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) here has the nuance “purpose” or perhaps “desire” (see BDB 661 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ). 1723:8tn Heb “bury my dead out of my sight.” The last phrase “out of my sight” has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons. 1823:8tn Or “hear me.” 1923:8tn Heb “intercede for me with.” 2023:9tn Heb “give.” This is used here (also a second time later in this verse) as an idiom for “sell”; see the note on the word “grant” in v. 4. 2123:9tn Heb “in your presence.” 2223:9tn Heb “silver.” 2323:10tn Or perhaps “Hittite,” but see the note on the name “Heth” in v. 3. 2423:10tn Heb “ears.” By metonymy the “ears” stand for the presence or proximity (i.e., within earshot) of the persons named. 2523:10sn On the expression all who entered the gate see E. A. Speiser, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate,” BASOR 144 (1956): 20-23; and G. Evans, “‘Coming’ and ‘Going’ at the City Gate: A Discussion of Professor Speiser’s Paper,” BASOR 150 (1958): 28-33. 2623:11tn Heb “give.” The perfect tense has here a present nuance; this is a formal, legally binding declaration. Abraham asked only for a burial site/cave within the field; Ephron agrees to sell him the entire field. 2723:11tn The Hebrew text adds “to you I give [i.e., sell] it.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons. 2823:11tn Heb “in the presence of the sons of my people.” 2923:13tn Heb “give.” 3023:13tn Heb “silver.” 3123:13tn After the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose or result. 3223:15tn The word “worth” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. 3323:15sn Four hundred pieces of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 4.6 kilograms, or 160 ounces (about 10 pounds). 3423:16tn Heb “listened to Ephron.” 3523:16tn Heb “and Abraham weighed out.” 3623:16tn Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons. 3723:16tn Heb “silver.” 3823:16tn Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons. 3923:16tn Heb “passing for the merchant.” The final clause affirms that the measurement of silver was according to the standards used by the merchants of the time. 4023:17tn Heb “And it was conveyed.” The recipient, Abraham (mentioned in the Hebrew text at the beginning of v. 18) has been placed here in the translation for stylistic reasons. 4123:18tn Heb “his city”; the referent (Ephron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.sn See G. M. Tucker, “The Legal Background of Genesis 23,” JBL 85 (1966):77-84; and M. R. Lehmann, “Abraham’s Purchase of Machpelah and Hittite Law,” BASOR 129 (1953): 15-18. 4223:20tn Heb “possession of a grave.”