The Death and Burial of Sarah 1 UDB When Sarah was 127 years old, BSB BSB: Now Sarah lived to be 127 years old.
2 UDB she died at the city of Kiriath Arba, which is now called Hebron, in the land of Canaan. Then Abraham mourned over her. BSB BSB: She died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went out to mourn and to weep for her.
3 UDB He left the body of his wife and spoke to some of the descendants of Heth. He said, BSB BSB: Then Abraham got up from beside his dead wife and said to the Hittites,
4 UDB "I am a temporary settler living among you, so I do not own any land here. Sell me some land here so that I can bury my wife's body." BSB BSB: “I am a foreigner and an outsider among you. Give me a burial site among you so that I can bury my dead.”
5 UDB They replied to him, BSB BSB: The Hittites replied to Abraham,
6 UDB "Sir, you are a powerful man among us. Choose one of our finest tombs and bury your wife's body in it. None of us will refuse to sell land to you for a tomb for your wife's body." BSB BSB: “Listen to us, sir. You are God’s chosen one among us. Bury your dead in the finest of our tombs. None of us will withhold his tomb for burying your dead.”
7 UDB Then Abraham stood up and bowed in respect in front of the people who owned the land, the descendants of Heth. BSB BSB: Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites.
8 UDB He said to them, "If you say that you are willing for me to bury my wife's body here, listen to me, and ask Ephron son of Zohar BSB BSB: “If you are willing for me to bury my dead,” he said to them, “listen to me, and approach Ephron son of Zohar on my behalf
9 UDB to sell me the cave in the Machpelah area, which is at the end of his field. Ask him to sell it to me for the full price he wants, and to sell it to me in front of you all. In this way I can have a burial ground." BSB BSB: to sell me the cave of Machpelah that belongs to him; it is at the end of his field. Let him sell it to me in your presence for full price, so that I may have a burial site.”
10 UDB Now Ephron was sitting among the people at the city gate where many descendants of Heth had gathered. He had heard what Abraham said to them. BSB BSB: Now Ephron was sitting among the sons of Heth. So in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city, Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham,
11 UDB Ephron said, "No, sir, listen to me. I will give to you the field and the cave in it, without charge, with the people here as witnesses. Please bury your wife there." BSB BSB: “No, my lord. 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.”
12 UDB Abraham again bowed before the people who lived in the land, BSB BSB: Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land
13 UDB and said to Ephron, as all the others were listening, "No, listen to me. If you are willing, I will pay for the field. You tell me what the price is, and I will give it to you. If you accept it, the field will become mine, and I can bury my wife's body there." BSB BSB: and said to Ephron in their presence, “If you will please listen to me, I will pay you the price of the field. Accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there.”
14 UDB Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, BSB BSB: Ephron answered Abraham,
15 UDB "Sir, listen to me. The land is worth four hundred pieces of silver. But the price is not important to you and me. Bury your wife's body there." BSB BSB: “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.”
16 UDB Abraham agreed with Ephron about the price, and weighed for Ephron the four hundred pieces of silver he had suggested, as everyone was listening. He used the standard weights for silver used by people who sold things. BSB BSB: 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 standard of the merchants.
17 UDB So Ephron's field in the Machpelah area, near Mamre, and the cave in the field, and all the trees that were in the field and those marking the land's boundary, they all became Abraham's possession. BSB BSB: So Ephron’s field at Machpelah near Mamre, the cave that was in it, and all the trees within the boundaries of the field were deeded over
18 UDB This is how Abraham bought the property, as all the descendants of Heth were listening there at the city gate. BSB BSB: to Abraham’s possession in the presence of all the Hittites who had come to the gate of his city.
19 UDB After that, Abraham buried his wife Sarah's body in the cave in the field in the Machpelah area near Mamre, which is now called Hebron, in the land of Canaan. BSB BSB: After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of the field at Machpelah near Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
20 UDB So the field and the cave in it were officially sold to Abraham by the descendants of Heth, for him to use as a burial ground. BSB BSB: So the field and its cave were deeded by the Hittites to Abraham as a burial site.