The Bible Rewrite Project

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NOTE: Original Text appears in Italics. Rewrite follows in Plain Text.

Genesis 23

The Death Of Sarah

And Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years old; these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died in Kirjatharba (the same is Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spoke unto the sons of Heth, saying, "I am a stranger and a sojourner with you. Give me a possession for a burying place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight." And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, "Hear us, my lord: Thou art a mighty prince among us; in the choicest of our sepulchers bury thy dead. None of us shall withhold from thee his sepulcher, that thou mayest bury thy dead." And Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth. And he communed with them, saying, "If it be in your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he hath, which is in the end of his field. For as much money as it is worth he shall give it to me as a possession for a burying place amongst you."

The Death Of Sarah

Sarah lived 127 years. These were the years of Sarah's life. Then Sarah died in Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham felt sorrow for Sarah and cried for her. But then he got up from beside his dead wife, and said to the sons of Heth, "I am a stranger living among you for a time. Give me some of your land so I may bury my wife. She was the love of my life and now I will honor her." The sons of Heth answered Abraham, "Listen to us, sir. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your wife in the best of our graves. Use this land to make a memorial if you wish. None of us will keep his grave from you for burying your wife." So Abraham stood up and bowed to the people of the land, the sons of Heth. He said to them, "If you are willing to have me bury my wife, hear me, and ask Zohar's son Ephron for me. Ask him to give me the grave of Machpelah which he has at the other side of his field. Let him give it to me for the full price."

And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying, "Nay, my lord, hear me: The field give I thee; and the cave that is therein, I give it to thee. In the presence of the sons of my people give I it to thee; bury thy dead."

But Ephron was there and he heard all this. So he rose and answered Abraham right there so what he said could be heard by the sons of Heth and all who came in through the gate of his city. He said, "No, my lord. Listen to me. I give you the field. And I give you the grave that is in it. I give it to you in front of the sons of my people. Honor your wife."

And Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land. And he spoke unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, "But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me. I will give thee money for the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there."

Abraham bowed to the people of the land. He said to Ephron so that all the people of the land heard it, "Listen to me if you will. I will give you the price of the field. Receive it from me, that I may bury my wife there."

And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, "My lord, hearken unto me: The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver. What is that between me and thee? Bury therefore thy dead."

Ephron answered Abraham, "My lord, listen to me. The land is worth four hundred pieces of silver. What is that between me and you? So my land will be yours."

And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed the silver for Ephron which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth: four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant. And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field that were in all the borders round about, were secured unto Abraham as a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah, before Mamre (the same is Hebron) in the land of Canaan. And the field and the cave that is therein were secured unto Abraham as a possession for a burying place by the sons of Heth.

So Abraham weighed for Ephron the silver which he had said and was heard by the sons of Heth to be the price, four hundred pieces of silver. He weighed it in the same way those who buy and sell weighed it at that time. After this, Ephron's field in Machpelah east of Mamre, the field and grave that was in it, and all the trees within the sides of the field, were handed over to Abraham for his own. It was handed over in front of the sons of Heth and all who came in through the gate of his city. Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the grave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. As Abraham planted a tree that would one day shade the grave of his wife, he spoke to Nate. He said, “Nate, I do not want to live without Sarah in my life. Is there a way that you could bring her back? I miss her so much.” Abraham asked this and then went to sleep beside the young tree and the grave. In the morning, Abraham was awaken when a finger tickled his nose. It was hanging from the small tree branch. It was not human, yet the shape and length of the finger reminded him of Sarah distinctly. Abraham cried and thanked Nate for His blessing. Abraham dreamt of making a zoo dedicated to his love where all the animals would be woven with a hint of Sarah. Nate encouraged him to make this memorial for all times.