參考版本 AFV  A  Faithful Version 的希臘文 2009版本              

耶和華的事，不謀利沒有版權

1. And Sarah was a hundred twenty-seven years old, these were the years of the life of Sarah.

2. And Sarah died in Kirjath Arba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,

4. “I am a stranger and a sojourner with you. Give me possession of a burial site with you, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”

5. And the sons of Heth answered Abraham saying to him,

6. “Hear us, my lord. You are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choice of our burial places. None of us shall withhold from you his burial site for burying your dead.”

7. And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, the sons of Heth.

8. And he spoke with them, saying, “If it is your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and ask for me of Ephron the son of Zohar,

9. That he may give me the cave of Machpelah which he has, which is at the end of his field. For as much silver as it is worth, he shall give it to me for a possession of a burial place among you.”

10. And Ephron lived among the sons of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the ears of the sons of Heth, of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,

11. “No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and the cave that is in it I give to you. In the presence of the sons of my people, I give it to you. Bury your dead.”

12. And Abraham bowed before the people of the land.

13. And he spoke to Ephron in the ears of the people of the land, saying, “Only if you would hear me; I will give you silver for the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.”

14. And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,

15. “My lord, hearken to me. The land is worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between me and you? So bury your dead.”

16. And Abraham hearkened to Ephron. And Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, as is current among the merchants.

17. And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre—the field and the cave which was in it, and all the trees in the field, in all the borders round about—was deeded

18. To Abraham for a possession in the presence of the sons of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.

19. And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave at the field of Machpelah before Mamre, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan.

20. And the field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham for possession of a burial place by the sons of Heth.

 (A Faithful Version)

1. 撒拉一生享年一百二十七歲。

2. 撒拉安息於基列.亞巴，即是迦南地的希伯崙。亞伯拉罕為撒拉的死感到悲哀。

3. 亞伯拉罕因為撒拉的安葬事，去對赫人的子孫說：

4. 我在此地，是客旅，寄居的。可否讓給我一塊墓地，讓我妻子能安莽其中？

5. 赫人的子孫回答：

6. 請聽我們說：你實在是我們當中間的大貴人，你願意選擇這地作為墓地，我想是沒有一個人會起來反對。儘管放心在此辨理須要的後事。

7. 為此，亞伯拉罕站起來，向這些赫人的子孫鞠躬至謝。

8. 並說：若願意給我一塊安葬地方，哪麼！我有一個請求，代我去詢問一下瑣轄的兒子以弗崙，

9. 讓他把麥比拉洞，就是田盡頭那處，出讓給我。市值多少給多少，這樣，便可以在你們當中有安葬的地方。

10. 以弗崙的居處，它就在赫人眾子孫住的地方。以弗崙在赫人眾子孫面前，對亞伯拉罕說：

11.  不用這樣，請聽我一句話：我願意把整塊地，連那洞都給你。我當著眾人面前作出保證，你不用擔心，去辦安葬事宜便是。

12. 亞伯拉罕為此向眾人鞠躬表示感謝。

13. 亞伯拉罕隨即在眾人面前，向以弗崙提出：你若願意，我就買這塊地。你若能接受，我就安心去處理安葬事宜。

14. 以弗崙回答亞伯拉罕說：

15. 尊貴的，請聽我說。這地價值四百舍客勒，只是，你我之間這算什麼？就安心去處理吧。

16. 亞伯拉罕聽了，便將四百舍客勒的銀，是以當時市值，收購了這塊地。

17. 以弗崙擁有的地段，位於麥比拉，在幔利橡樹林的前方，那用以安葬的洞穴就在當中。這地段的範圍和這片橡樹林在內，都成了亞伯拉罕的產業。

18. 對於能夠收購這片赫人子孫擁有的土地，亞伯拉罕是十分高興。

19. 一切手續完畢，亞伯拉罕把妻子撒拉，安葬這塊位於迦南地的希伯倫，就在幔利橡樹林前，這個處於麥比拉地的洞穴內。

20. 亞伯拉罕是透過與赫人的子孫，達成買賣的合約，得到了這塊土地，以及當中那個墓地，

摩西這段描述，是一個買賣，是買一塊地去作安葬之用。有什麼要說？

它似乎要要反映亞伯拉罕為何成為信心之父的生活，在生活當中是如何持守信仰的精神和原則。

從這段的描述，亞伯拉罕做了二件事：

一是如何去安葬，這是對妻子的愛與尊重。他當時的處境是寄居，他住的地方是借來，沒有合法地位。是可以隨處安放，草草了事。對許多無權無勢的人，或者無錢更是如此。

亞伯拉罕不同。耶和華一直看顧：因災情到基拉耳地方，亞比米勒因迎娶事，倒是給了一大筆財富，當時的亞伯蘭平白成了富人。回到了迦南，是寄居身份，只有錢什麼都沒有。卻是因為這段經歷，有錢就有了名望，受當地人敬重。

他因為擻拉的安息，按當時人的壽數，算是年輕，就想起如何安置的問題。這是因愛而出的問號。

二是如何購地，這是如何落實那愛心的表達。似乎考慮的重點在於永久的安置，購置一塊屬於自己的地就顯得重要。他用的是自身當時的優勢，受人尊重，更以合法合理的方式，透過法定的程序，取得了合法居留的資格。那麼撒拉就能安居於此。

這是一段很有啟示的描述：亞伯拉罕如何讓一個機會，使寄居成為定居的身份，可以安身立命的起點。這是透過合理合法的方式，達成心願。

這方式也許去華人信眾是一個挑戰：借死人辦事，這不是老實人當有的舉措。這要看老實的定義。

這處是一個公平交易。

摩西把這事都記載下來，似乎是要說明信靠耶和華，並不會失去個人在現實的追求，也不會因此不用自己作出行事的判斷。這過程只須要合當時的法，當時的理，不用傷人行己的手段，便是正人君子所為。生活中的見證，耶和華自會明暸，不用證明。

也許有人認為這個借死人這行事方式，心地就有問題。這是個很值得探討的問題，大家以為如何？ 它跟道德有關？什麼皮的道德觀？ 那麼與保羅說的：靈巧純良，二者比較，那個更合信仰原則和精神？

有一事可以印證，信賴耶和華必然得福，辦事以靈巧純良必然穩妥。