^23:12Abraham bowed before the local people ^23:13and 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.”

^23:14Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, ^23:15“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.”

^23:16So 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

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Footnotes

29 Heb “give.”
30 Heb “silver.”
31 After the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction expresses purpose or result.
32 The word “worth” has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
33 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).
34 Heb “listened to Ephron.”
35 Heb “and Abraham weighed out.”
36 Heb “to Ephron.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
37 Heb “silver.”
38 Heb “that he had spoken.” The referent (Ephron) has been specified here in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
39 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.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. And he said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, “But if you will, hear me: I give the price of the field. Accept it from me, that I may bury my dead there.” Ephron answered Abraham, “My lord, listen to me: a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Again Abraham bowed down before the people of the land and he said to Ephron in their hearing, “Listen to me, if you will. I will pay the price of the field. Accept it from me so I can bury my dead there.”

Ephron answered Abraham, “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.”

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 weight current among the merchants.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Abraham bowed down to the people of the land and said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, “Listen to me, if you please. Let me pay the price of the field. Accept it from me, and let me bury my dead there.”

Ephron answered Abraham and said to him, “My lord, listen to me. Land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.” Abraham agreed with Ephron, and Abraham weighed out to Ephron the silver that he had agreed to in the hearing of the Hethites: four hundred standard shekels of silver.

NLTNew Living Translation

Abraham again bowed low before the citizens of the land, and he replied to Ephron as everyone listened. “No, listen to me. I will buy it from you. Let me pay the full price for the field so I can bury my dead there.”

Ephron answered Abraham, “My lord, please listen to me. The land is worth 400 pieces of silver, but what is that between friends? Go ahead and bury your dead.”

So Abraham agreed to Ephron’s price and paid the amount he had suggested—400 pieces of silver, weighed according to the market standard. The Hittite elders witnessed the transaction.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And Abraham bowed before the people of the land. And he spoke to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, saying, “If only you will hear me—I give the price of the field. Take it from me that I may bury my dead there.” And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him, “My lord, hear me. A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? Bury your dead.” Then Abraham listened to Ephron, and Abraham weighed for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver at the merchants’ current rate.

KJV 1900King James Version

And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land. And he spake 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 of me, and I will bury my dead 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 betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead. And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.

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