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JANUARY 12
me. I will give you money for the field; take it
January 12 from me and I will bury my dead there.”
And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to
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him, “My lord, listen to me; the land is worth
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four hundred shekels of silver. What is that
Genesis 23:1–24:67
between you and me? So bury your dead.”
Sarah lived one hundred and twenty- 16 And Abraham listened to Ephron; and Abra-
23 seven years; these were the years of the ham weighed out the silver for Ephron which
2
life of Sarah. So Sarah died in Kirjath Arba he had named in the hearing of the sons of
(that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, currency
Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to of the merchants.
weep for her. 17 So the field of Ephron which was in
3 Then Abraham stood up from before his Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the
dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying, field and the cave which was in it, and all the
4 “I am a foreigner and a visitor among you. trees that were in the field, which were within
Give me property for a burial place among all the surrounding borders, were deeded to
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you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” Abraham as a possession in the presence of
the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the
gate of his city.
19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his
wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah,
23:1,2 Although Sarah’s age—the only
woman’s age at death recorded in Scripture— before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of
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might suggest her importance in God’s plan,it Canaan. So the field and the cave that is in it
more importantly reminds of the birth of her were deeded to Abraham by the sons of Heth
only son well beyond childbearing age (at 90 as property for a burial place.
years of age, see 17:17) and of God’s interven- Now Abraham was old, well advanced
tion to bring about the fulfillment of His word 24 in age; and the LORD had blessed Abra-
2
to her and Abraham. Sarah’s death occurred ham in all things. So Abraham said to the old-
ca. 2028 B.C. est servant of his house, who ruled over all
that he had, “Please, put your hand under my
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thigh, and I will make you swear by the LORD,
5 And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, the God of heaven and the God of the earth,
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saying to him, “Hear us, my lord: You are a that you will not take a wife for my son from
mighty prince among us; bury your dead in the daughters of the Canaanites, among
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the choicest of our burial places. None of us whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country
will withhold from you his burial place, that and to my family, and take a wife for my son
you may bury your dead.” Isaac.”
7 Then Abraham stood up and bowed him- 5 And the servant said to him, “Perhaps the
self to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. woman will not be willing to follow me to this
8 And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your land. Must I take your son back to the land
wish that I bury my dead out of my sight, hear from which you came?”
me, and meet with Ephron the son of Zohar for 6 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you
me, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah do not take my son back there. The LORD God
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which he has, which is at the end of his field.
Let him give it to me at the full price, as prop-
erty for a burial place among you.”
10 Now Ephron dwelt among the sons of
Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abra- 24:2–4 put your hand under my thigh…
ham in the presence of the sons of Heth, all and…swear. A solemn pledge mentioning
who entered at the gate of his city, saying, the Lord’s name and formalized by an accept-
11 “No, my lord, hear me: I give you the field ed customary gesture indicated just how seri-
and the cave that is in it; I give it to you in the ous an undertaking this was in Abraham’s
presence of the sons of my people. I give it to eyes.At his age (v.1),Abraham was concerned
you. Bury your dead!” to perpetuate his people and God’s promise
12 Then Abraham bowed himself down through the next generation, so he covenant-
before the people of the land; and he spoke to ed with his servant to return to Mesopotamia
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Ephron in the hearing of the people of the and bring back a wife for Isaac.
land, saying, “If you will give it, please hear

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