Genesis 18
1 Adonai appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre [Bitter, Fatness], as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
And the LORD appeared to him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,
And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
3 and said, “My lord, if now I have found chen ·grace· in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
Let a little water, I pray you, be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
5 I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”
And I will bring a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that you shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
6 Abraham [Father of a multitude] hurried into the tent to Sarah [Princess], and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs [23.1 qt; 21.9 L] of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
7 Abraham [Father of a multitude] ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.
And Abraham ran to the herd, and brought a calf tender and good, and gave it to a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
8 He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9 They asked him, “Where is Sarah [Princess], your wife?” He said, “See, in the tent.”
And they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 He said, “I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah [Princess] your wife will have a son.” Sarah [Princess] sh'ma ·hear obey· in the tent door, which was behind him.
And he said, I will certainly return to thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham [Father of a multitude] and Sarah [Princess] were old, well advanced in age. Sarah [Princess] had passed the age of childbearing.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well advanced in years; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Sarah [Princess] laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am become old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
13 Adonai said to Abraham [Father of a multitude], “Why did Sarah [Princess] laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?’
And the LORD said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I certainly bear a child, who am old?
14 Is anything too hard for Adonai? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah [Princess] will have a son.”
Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return to thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah [Princess] denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
16 The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom [Burning]. Abraham [Father of a multitude] went with them to see them on their way.
And the men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 Adonai said, “Will I hide from Abraham [Father of a multitude] what I do,
And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18 since Abraham [Father of a multitude] will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I have known him, to the end that he may enjoin his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Adonai, to do righteousness and right judgement; to the end that Adonai may bring on Abraham [Father of a multitude] that which he has spoken of him.”
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
20 Adonai said, “Because the cry of Sodom [Burning] and Gomorrah [Rebellious people, Tyrants] is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21 I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”
I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come to me; and if not, I will know.
22 The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom [Burning], but Abraham [Father of a multitude] stood yet before Adonai.
And the men turned their faces from there, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 Abraham [Father of a multitude] came near, and said, “Will you consume the upright with the wicked?
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 What if there are fifty upright within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty upright who are in it?
Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are in it?
25 Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the upright with the wicked, so that the upright should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Should not the Judge of all the earth do right judgement?”
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26 Adonai said, “If I find in Sodom [Burning] fifty upright within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27 Abraham [Father of a multitude] answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I who am dust and ashes, have taken upon me to speak to the Lord.
28 What if there will lack five of the fifty upright? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there.”
Suppose there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
29 He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.”
And he spoke to him yet again, and said, Suppose there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.
30 He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”
And he said, O let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31 He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”
And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord: Suppose there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.
32 He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”
And he said, O let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Suppose ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.
33 Adonai went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham [Father of a multitude], and Abraham [Father of a multitude] returned to his place.
And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.
