Genesis Chapter 23
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
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And Abimelech said, I know not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to-day.
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And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and they two made a covenant.
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And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
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And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
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And he said, These seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that it may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
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Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them.
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So they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: and Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
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And
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Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of Jehovah, the Everlasting God.
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And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.
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And it came to pass after these things, that God did prove Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham; and he said, Here am I.
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And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son, whom thou lovest, even Isaac, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
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And Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he clave the wood for the burnt-offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
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On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
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And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship, and come again to you.
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And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife; and they went both of them together.
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And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold, the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?
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And Abraham said, God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son: so they went both of them together.
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And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
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And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
And the life of Sarah was a hundred and twenty-seven years: [these were] the years of the life of Sarah.
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And Sarah died in Kirjath-Arba: that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
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And Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the sons of Heth, saying,
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I am a stranger and a sojourner with you; give me a possession of a sepulchre with you, that I may bury my dead from before me.
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And the sons of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
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Hear us, my lord: thou art a prince ofGod among us: in the choicest of our sepulchres bury thy dead: none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre for burying thy dead.
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And Abraham rose up, and bowed down to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth,
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and spoke to them, saying, If it be your will that I should bury my dead from before me, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar,
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that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which is his, which is at the end of his field; for the full money let him give it to me amongst you for a possession of a sepulchre.
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And Ephron was dwelling among the sons of Heth. And Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham, in the ears of the sons of Heth, [even] of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying,
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No, my lord: hear me. The field give I thee; and the cave that is in it, to thee I give it; before the eyes of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
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And Abraham bowed down before the people of the land;
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and he spoke to Ephron, in the ears of the people of the land, saying, But if only thou wouldst listen to me, I give the money for the field: take [it] of me, and I will bury my dead there.
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And Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
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My lord, hearken to me. A field of four hundred shekels of silver, what is that between me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
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And Abraham hearkened to Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the money that he had named in the ears of the sons of Heth — four hundred shekels of silver, current with the merchant.
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So the field of Ephron, which was at Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave that was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all its borders round about,
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were assured to Abraham for a possession before the eyes of the sons of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
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And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field at Machpelah, opposite to Mamre: that is Hebron, in the land of Canaan.
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And the field and the cave that was in it were assured to Abraham for a possession of a sepulchre by the sons of Heth.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
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And the life of Sarrha was an hundred and twenty-seven years.
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And Sarrha died in the city of Arboc, which is in the valley, this is Chebron in the land of Chanaan; and Abraam came to lament for Sarrha and to mourn.
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And Abraam stood up from before his dead; and Abraam spoke to the sons of Chet, saying,
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I am a sojourner and a stranger among you, give me therefore possession of a burying-place among you, and I will bury my dead away from me.
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And the sons of Chet answered to Abraam, saying, Not so, Sir,
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but hear us; thou art in the midst of us a king from God; bury thy dead in our choice sepulchres, for not one of us will by any means withhold his sepulchre from thee, so that thou shouldest not bury thy dead there.
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And Abraam rose up and did obeisance to the people of the land, to the sons of Chet.
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And Abraam spoke to them, saying, If ye have it in your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hearken to me, and speak for me to Ephron the son of Saar.
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And let him give me the double cave which he has, which is in a part of his field, let him give it me for the money it is worth for possession of a burying-place among you.
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Now Ephron was sitting in the midst of the children of Chet, and Ephron the Chettite answered Abraam and spoke in the hearing of the sons of Chet, and of all who entered the city, saying,
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Attend to me, my lord, and hear me, I give to thee the field and the cave which is in it; I have given it thee before all my countrymen; bury thy dead.
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And Abraam did obeisance before the people of the land.
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And he said in the ears of Ephron before the people of the land, Since thou art on my side, hear me; take the price of the field from me, and I will bury my dead there.
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But Ephron answered Abraam, saying,
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Nay, my lord, I have heard indeed, the land [is worth] four hundred silver didrachms, but what can this be between me and thee? nay, do thou bury thy dead.
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And Abraam hearkened to Ephron, and Abraam rendered to Ephron the money, which he mentioned in the ears of the sons of Chet, four hundred didrachms of silver approved with merchants.
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And the field of Ephron, which was in Double Cave, which is opposite Mambre, the field and the cave, which was in it, and every tree which was in the field, and whatever is in its borders round about, were made sure
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to Abraam for a possession, before the sons of Chet, and all that entered into the city.
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After this Abraam buried Sarrha his wife in the Double Cave of the field, which is opposite Mambre, this is Chebron in the land of Chanaan.
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So the field and the cave which was in it were made sure to Abraam for possession of a burying place, by the sons of Chet.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
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Vixit autem Sara centum vigintiseptem annis.
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Et mortua est in civitate Arbee, quæ est Hebron, in terra Chanaan: venitque Abraham ut plangeret, et fleret eam.
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Cumque surrexisset ab officio funeris, locutus est ad filios Heth, dicens:
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Advena sum et peregrinus apud vos: date mihi ius sepulchri vobiscum, ut sepeliam mortuum meum.
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Responderunt filii Heth, dicentes:
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Audi nos domine, princeps Dei es apud nos: in electis sepulchris nostris sepeli mortuum tuum: nullusque te prohibere poterit quin in monumento eius sepelias mortuum tuum.
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Surrexit Abraham, et adoravit populum terræ, filios videlicet Heth:
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dixitque ad eos: Si placet animæ vestræ ut sepeliam mortuum meum, audite me, et intercedite pro me apud Ephron filium Seor:
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ut det mihi speluncam duplicem, quam habet in extrema parte agri sui: pecunia digna tradat eam mihi coram vobis in possessionem sepulchri.
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Habitabat autem Ephron in medio filiorum Heth. Responditque Ephron ad Abraham cunctis audientibus qui ingrediebantur portam civitatis illius, dicens:
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Nequaquam ita fiat, domine mi, sed tu magis ausculta quod loquor: Agrum trado tibi, et speluncam, quæ in eo est, præsentibus filiis populi mei, sepeli mortuum tuum.
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Adoravit Abraham coram populo terræ.
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Et locutus est ad Ephron circumstante plebe: Quæso, ut audias me: Dabo pecuniam pro agro: suscipe eam, et sic sepeliam mortuum meum in eo.
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Responditque Ephron:
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Domine mi, audi me: Terra, quam postulas, quadringentis siclis argenti valet: istud est pretium inter me et te: sed quantum est hoc? sepeli mortuum tuum.
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Quod cum audisset Abraham, appendit pecuniam, quam Ephron postulaverat, audientibus filiis Heth, quadringentos siclos argenti probatæ monetæ publicæ.
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Confirmatusque est ager quondam Ephronis, in quo erat spelunca duplex, respiciens Mambre, tam ipse, quam spelunca, et omnes arbores eius in cunctis terminis eius per circuitum,
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Abrahæ in possessionem, videntibus filiis Heth, et cunctis qui intrabant portam civitatis illius.
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Atque ita sepelivit Abraham Saram uxorem suam in spelunca agri duplici, quæ respiciebat Mambre. Hæc est Hebron in terra Chanaan.
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Et confirmatus est ager, et antrum, quod erat in eo, Abrahæ in possessionem monumenti a filiis Heth.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life.
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Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
3
Abraham rose up from before his dead and spoke to the children of Heth, saying,
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“I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.”
5
The children of Heth answered Abraham, saying to him,
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“Hear us, my lord. You are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the best of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb. Bury your dead.”
7
Abraham rose up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, to the children of Heth.
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He talked with them, saying, “If you agree that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
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that he may sell me the cave of Machpelah, which he has, which is in the end of his field. For the full price let him sell it to me among you as a possession for a burial place.”
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Now Ephron was sitting in the middle of the children of Heth. Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the children of Heth, even of all who went in at the gate of his city, saying,
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“No, my lord, hear me. I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it. In the presence of the children of my people I give it to you. Bury your dead.”
12
Abraham bowed himself down before the people of the land.
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He spoke to Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, “But if you will, please hear me. I will give the price of the field. Take it from me, and I will bury my dead there.”
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Ephron answered Abraham, saying to him,
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“My lord, listen to me. What is a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver between me and you? Therefore bury your dead.”
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Abraham listened to Ephron. Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the current merchants’ standard.
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So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, the cave which was in it, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all of its borders, were deeded
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to Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all who went in at the gate of his city.
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After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan.
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The field, and the cave that is in it, were deeded to Abraham by the children of Heth as a possession for a burial place.
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
1
And the life of Sarah is a hundred and twenty and seven years--years of the life of Sarah;
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and Sarah dieth in Kirjath-Arba, which <FI>is<Fi> Hebron, in the land of Caanan, and Abraham goeth in to mourn for Sarah, and to bewail her.
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And Abraham riseth up from the presence of his dead, and speaketh unto the sons of Heth, saying,
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`A sojourner and a settler I <FI>am<Fi> with you; give to me a possession of a burying-place with you, and I bury my dead from before me.'
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And the sons of Heth answer Abraham, saying to him,
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`Hear us, my lord; a prince of God <FI>art<Fi> thou in our midst; in the choice of our burying-places bury thy dead: none of us his burying-place doth withhold from thee, from burying thy dead.'
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And Abraham riseth and boweth himself to the people of the land, to the sons of Heth,
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and he speaketh with them, saying, `If it is your desire to bury my dead from before me, hear me, and meet for me with Ephron, son of Zoar;
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and he giveth to me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which <FI>is<Fi> in the extremity of his field; for full money doth he give it to me, in your midst, for a possession of a burying-place.'
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And Ephron is sitting in the midst of the sons of Heth, and Ephron the Hittite answereth Abraham in the ears of the sons of Heth, of all those entering the gate of his city, saying,
11
`Nay, my lord, hear me: the field I have given to thee, and the cave that <FI>is<Fi> in it, to thee I have given it; before the eyes of the sons of my people I have given it to thee--bury thy dead.'
12
And Abraham boweth himself before the people of the land,
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and speaketh unto Ephron in the ears of the people of the land, saying, `Only--if thou wouldest hear me--I have given the money of the field--accept from me, and I bury my dead there.'
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And Ephron answereth Abraham, saying to him,
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`My lord, hear me: the land--four hundred shekels of silver; between me and thee, what <FI>is<Fi> it? --thy dead bury.'
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And Abraham hearkeneth unto Ephron, and Abraham weigheth to Ephron the silver which he hath spoken of in the ears of the sons of Heth, four hundred silver shekels, passing with the merchant.
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And established are the field of Ephron, which <FI>is<Fi> in Machpelah, which <FI>is<Fi> before Mamre, the field and the cave which <FI>is<Fi> in it, and all the trees which <FI>are<Fi> in the field, which <FI>are<Fi> in all its border round about,
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to Abraham by purchase, before the eyes of the sons of Heth, among all entering the gate of his city.
19
And after this hath Abraham buried Sarah his wife at the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (which <FI>is<Fi> Hebron), in the land of Canaan;
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and established are the field, and the cave which <FI>is<Fi> in it, to Abraham for a possession of a burying-place, from the sons of Heth.
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).