Revised Literal Translation

Genesis 23

1And Sarahשָׂרָ֔הsa.RahH8283was an hundredמֵאָ֥ה שָׁנָ֛הme.'Ah sha.NahH8141 H3967and sevenשָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַעsha.Nah ve.She.va'H8141 H7651and twentyוְעֶשְׂרִ֥יםve.'es.RimH6242yearsשָׁנִ֑יםsha.NimH8141oldחַיֵּ֣יchai.YeiH2416: these werethe yearsשְׁנֵ֖יshe.NeiH8141of the lifeחַיֵּ֥יchai.YeiH2416of Sarahשָׂרָֽה׃sa.RahH8283.

2And Sarahשָׂרָ֗הsa.RahH8283diedוַתָּ֣מָתva.Ta.motH4191in Kirjath–arbaH7153; the same isHebronחֶבְר֖וֹןchev.RonH2275in the landבְּאֶ֣רֶץbe.'E.retzH776of Canaanכְּנָ֑עַןke.Na.'anH3667:and Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֔ם'av.ra.HamH85cameוַיָּבֹא֙vai.ya.Vo'H935to mournלִסְפֹּ֥דlis.PodH5594for Sarahלְשָׂרָ֖הle.sa.RahH8283,and to weepוְלִבְכֹּתָֽהּ׃ve.liv.ko.TahH1058for her.

3And Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֔ם'av.ra.HamH85stood upוַיָּ֙קָם֙vai.Ya.komH6965from beforeפְּנֵ֣יpe.NeiH6440his deadמֵת֑וֹme.ToH4191,and spakeוַיְדַבֵּ֥רvay.da.BerH1696unto the sonsבְּנֵי־be.nei-H1121of Hethחֵ֖תchetH2845,sayingלֵאמֹֽר׃le.MorH559,

4I ama strangerגֵּר־ger-H1616and a sojournerוְתוֹשָׁ֥בve.to.ShavH8453with you: giveתְּנ֨וּte.NuH5414me a possessionאֲחֻזַּת־'a.chu.zat-H272of a buryingplaceקֶ֙בֶר֙ke.verH6913with you, that I may buryוְאֶקְבְּרָ֥הve.'ek.be.RahH6912my deadמֵתִ֖יme.TiH4191out of my sightמִלְּפָנָֽי׃mi.le.fa.NaiH6440.

5And the childrenבְנֵי־ve.nei-H1121of Hethחֵ֛תchetH2845answeredוַיַּעֲנ֧וּvai.ya.'a.NuH6030Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֖ם'av.ra.HamH85,sayingלֵאמֹ֥רle.MorH559unto him,

6Hear usשְׁמָעֵ֣נוּ׀she.ma.'E.nuH8085,my lordאֲדֹנִ֗י'a.do.NiH113: thou arta mightyאֱלֹהִ֤ים'E.lo.HimH430princeנְשִׂ֨יאne.Si'H5387among usבְּתוֹכֵ֔נוּbe.to.Khe.nuH8432:in the choiceבְּמִבְחַ֣רbe.miv.CharH4005of our sepulchresקְבָרֵ֔ינוּke.va.Rei.nuH6913buryקְבֹ֖רke.VorH6912thy deadמֵתֶ֑ךָme.Te.khaH4191;noneאִ֣ישׁ לֹֽא־'ish lo'-H376 H3808of us shall withholdיִכְלֶ֥הyikh.LehH3607from thee his sepulchreקִבְר֛וֹkiv.RoH6913,but that thou mayest buryמִקְּבֹ֥רmi.ke.VorH6912thy deadמֵתֶֽךָ׃me.Te.khaH4191.

7And Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֛ם'av.ra.HamH85stood upוַיָּ֧קָםvai.Ya.komH6965,and bowedוַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּvai.yish.Ta.chuH7812himself to the peopleלְעַם־le.'am-H5971of the landהָאָ֖רֶץha.'A.retzH776, evento the childrenלִבְנֵי־liv.nei-H1121of Hethחֵֽת׃ChetH2845.

8And he communedוַיְדַבֵּ֥רvay.da.BerH1696with them, sayingלֵאמֹ֑רle.MorH559,If it beיֵ֣שׁyeshH3426your mindנַפְשְׁכֶ֗םnaf.she.KhemH5315that I should buryלִקְבֹּ֤רlik.BorH6912my deadמֵתִי֙me.TiH4191out of my sightמִלְּפָנַ֔יmi.le.fa.NaiH6440;hearשְׁמָע֕וּנִיshe.ma.'U.niH8085me, and intreatוּפִגְעוּ־u.fig.'u-H6293for me to Ephronבְּעֶפְר֥וֹןbe.'ef.RonH6085the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Zoharצֹֽחַר׃Tzo.charH6714,

9That he may giveוְיִתֶּן־ve.yi.ten-H5414me the caveמְעָרַ֤תme.'a.RatH4631of Machpelahהַמַּכְפֵּלָה֙ha.makh.pe.LahH4375, which he hath, which isin the endבִּקְצֵ֣הbik.TzehH7097of his fieldשָׂדֵ֑הוּsa.De.huH7704;for as muchH4392moneyבְּכֶ֨סֶףbe.Khe.sefH3701as it is worthH4392he shall give itיִתְּנֶ֥נָּהyi.te.Ne.nahH5414me for a possessionלַאֲחֻזַּת־la.'a.chu.zat-H272of a buryingplaceקָֽבֶר׃Ka.verH6913amongst youבְּתוֹכְכֶ֖םbe.tokh.KhemH8432.

10And Ephronוְעֶפְר֥וֹןve.'ef.RonH6085dweltיֹשֵׁ֖בyo.ShevH3427amongבְּת֣וֹךְbe.TokhH8432the childrenבְּנֵי־be.nei-H1121of Hethחֵ֑תChetH2845:and Ephronעֶפְר֨וֹןef.RonH6085the Hittiteהַחִתִּ֤יha.chi.TiH2850answeredוַיַּעַן֩vai.ya.'AnH6030Abrahamאַבְרָהָם֙'av.ra.HamH85in the audienceבְּאָזְנֵ֣יbe.'a.ze.NeiH241of the childrenבְנֵי־ve.nei-H1121of Hethחֵ֔תChetH2845, evenof all that went inבָּאֵ֥יba.'EiH935at the gateשַֽׁעַר־sha.'ar-H8179of his cityעִיר֖וֹi.RoH5892,sayingלֵאמֹֽר׃le.MorH559,

11Nayלֹֽא־lo'-H3808,my lordאֲדֹנִ֣י'a.do.NiH113,hear meשְׁמָעֵ֔נִיshe.ma.'E.niH8085:the fieldהַשָּׂדֶה֙ha.sa.DehH7704give Iנָתַ֣תִּיna.Ta.tiH5414thee, and the caveוְהַמְּעָרָ֥הve.ha.me.'a.RahH4631that istherein, I give itנְתַתִּ֑יהָne.ta.Ti.haH5414thee; in the presenceלְעֵינֵ֧יle.'ei.NeiH5869of the sonsבְנֵי־ve.nei-H1121of my peopleעַמִּ֛י'a.MiH5971giveנְתַתִּ֥יהָne.ta.Ti.haH5414I it thee: buryקְבֹ֥רke.VorH6912thy deadמֵתֶֽךָ׃me.Te.khaH4191.

12And Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֔ם'av.ra.HamH85bowed downוַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙vai.yish.Ta.chuH7812himself beforeלִפְנֵ֖יlif.NeiH6440the peopleעַ֥ם'amH5971of the landהָאָֽרֶץ׃ha.'A.retzH776.

13And he spakeוַיְדַבֵּ֨רvay.da.BerH1696unto Ephronעֶפְר֜וֹןef.RonH6085in the audienceבְּאָזְנֵ֤יbe.'a.ze.NeiH241of the peopleעַם־'am-H5971of the landהָאָ֙רֶץ֙ha.'A.retzH776,sayingלֵאמֹ֔רle.MorH559, But if thou wilt give it,I pray theeל֖וּluH3863,hearשְׁמָעֵ֑נִיshe.ma.'E.niH8085me: I will giveנָתַ֜תִּיna.Ta.tiH5414thee moneyכֶּ֤סֶףKe.sefH3701for the fieldהַשָּׂדֶה֙ha.sa.DehH7704;takeקַ֣חkachH3947itof me, and I will buryוְאֶקְבְּרָ֥הve.'ek.be.RahH6912my deadמֵתִ֖יme.TiH4191there.

14And Ephronעֶפְר֛וֹןef.RonH6085answeredוַיַּ֧עַןvai.Ya.'anH6030Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֖ם'av.ra.HamH85,sayingלֵאמֹ֥רle.MorH559unto him,

15My lordאֲדֹנִ֣י'a.do.NiH113,hearkenשְׁמָעֵ֔נִיshe.ma.'E.niH8085unto me: the landאֶרֶץ֩'e.RetzH776is worthfourאַרְבַּ֨ע'ar.Ba'H702hundredמֵאֹ֧תme.'OtH3967shekelsשֶֽׁקֶל־she.kel-H8255of silverכֶּ֛סֶףKe.sefH3701; what isthat betwixtH996me and thee? buryקְבֹֽר׃ke.VorH6912therefore thy deadמֵתְךָ֖me.te.KhaH4191.

16And Abrahamאַבְרָהָם֮'av.ra.HamH85hearkenedוַיִּשְׁמַ֣עvai.yish.Ma'H8085unto Ephronעֶפְרוֹן֒'ef.rOnH6085;and Abrahamאַבְרָהָם֙'av.ra.HamH85weighedוַיִּשְׁקֹ֤לvai.yish.KolH8254to Ephronלְעֶפְרֹ֔ןle.'ef.RonH6085the silverהַכֶּ֕סֶףha.Ke.sefH3701,which he had namedדִּבֶּ֖רdi.BerH1696in the audienceבְּאָזְנֵ֣יbe.'a.ze.NeiH241of the sonsבְנֵי־ve.nei-H1121of Hethחֵ֑תChetH2845,fourאַרְבַּ֤ע'ar.Ba'H702hundredמֵאוֹת֙me.'otH3967shekelsשֶׁ֣קֶלShe.kelH8255of silverכֶּ֔סֶףKe.sefH3701,currentעֹבֵ֖ר'o.VerH5674moneywith the merchantלַסֹּחֵֽר׃la.so.CherH5503.

17And the fieldשְׂדֵ֣הse.DehH7704of Ephronעֶפְר֗וֹןef.RonH6085, which wasin Machpelahבַּמַּכְפֵּלָ֔הba.makh.pe.LahH4375, which wasbeforeלִפְנֵ֣יlif.NeiH6440Mamreמַמְרֵ֑אmam.Re'H4471,the fieldהַשָּׂדֶה֙ha.sa.DehH7704,and the caveוְהַמְּעָרָ֣הve.ha.me.'a.RahH4631which wastherein, and all the treesהָעֵץ֙ha.'EtzH6086that werein the fieldבַּשָּׂדֶ֔הba.sa.DehH7704, that werein all the bordersגְּבֻל֖וֹge.vu.LoH1366round aboutסָבִֽיב׃sa.VivH5439,were made sureוַיָּ֣קָם׀vai.Ya.komH6965

18Unto Abrahamלְאַבְרָהָ֥םle.'av.ra.HamH85for a possessionלְמִקְנָ֖הle.mik.NahH4736in the presenceלְעֵינֵ֣יle.'ei.NeiH5869of the childrenבְנֵי־ve.nei-H1121of Hethחֵ֑תChetH2845,before all that went inבָּאֵ֥יba.'EiH935at the gateשַֽׁעַר־sha.'ar-H8179of his cityעִירֽוֹ׃i.RoH5892.

19And afterוְאַחֲרֵי־ve.'a.cha.rei-H310thisכֵן֩khenH3651,Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֜ם'av.ra.HamH85buriedקָבַ֨רka.VarH6912Sarahשָׂרָ֣הsa.RahH8283his wifeאִשְׁתּ֗וֹ'ish.ToH802in the caveמְעָרַ֞תme.'a.RatH4631of the fieldשְׂדֵ֧הse.DehH7704of Machpelahהַמַּכְפֵּלָ֛הha.makh.pe.LahH4375beforeפְּנֵ֥יpe.NeiH6440Mamreמַמְרֵ֖אmam.Re'H4471: the same isHebronחֶבְר֑וֹןchev.RonH2275in the landבְּאֶ֖רֶץbe.'E.retzH776of Canaanכְּנָֽעַן׃ke.Na.'anH3667.

20And the fieldהַשָּׂדֶ֜הha.sa.DehH7704,and the caveוְהַמְּעָרָ֧הve.ha.me.'a.RahH4631that istherein, were made sureוַיָּ֨קָםvai.Ya.komH6965unto Abrahamלְאַבְרָהָ֖םle.'av.ra.HamH85for a possessionלַאֲחֻזַּת־la.'a.chu.zat-H272of a buryingplaceקָ֑בֶרKa.verH6913by the sonsבְּנֵי־be.nei-H1121of Hethחֵֽת׃ סChetH2845.

Commentaries on Genesis 23