Genesis 18
1 Yahweh appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent doorway in the heat of the day.
And God appeared to him by the oak of Mambre, as he sat by the door of his tent at noon.
2 He looked up and, behold, he saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door and bowed low to the ground.
And he lifted up his eyes and beheld, and lo! three men stood before him; and having seen them he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and did obeisance to the ground.
3 He said, “Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, do not pass by and leave your servant.
And he said, Lord, if indeed I have found grace in thy sight, pass not by thy servant.
4 Let a little water be brought, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
Let water now be brought, and let them wash your feet, and do ye refresh [yourselves] under the tree.
5 Let me bring a little food, so that you may refresh yourselves. Afterwards you can go your way, since you have come to your servant.” They replied, “Do as you have said.”
And I will bring bread, and ye shall eat, and after this ye shall depart on your journey, on account of which [refreshment] ye have turned aside to your servant. And he said, So do, as thou hast said.
6 Then Abraham quickly went into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Hurry, get three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.”
And Abraam hasted to the tent to Sarrha, and said to her, Hasten, and knead three measures of fine flour, and make cakes.
7 Then Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf that was tender and good, and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.
And Abraam ran to the kine, and took a young calf, tender and good, and gave it to his servant, and he hasted to dress it.
8 He took curds and milk, and the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food before them, and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had dressed; and he set them before them, and they did eat, and he stood by them under the tree.
9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, in the tent.”
And he said to him, Where is Sarrha thy wife? And he answered and said, Behold! in the tent.
10 He said, “I will certainly return to you in the springtime, and see, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah was listening in the tent doorway, which was behind him.
And he said, I will return and come to thee according to this period seasonably, and Sarrha thy wife shall have a son; and Sarrha heard at the door of the tent, being behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, very advanced in age, and Sarah had passed the age when women could bear children.
And Abraam and Sarrha were old, advanced in days, and the custom of women ceased with Sarrha.
12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying to herself, “After I am worn-out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
And Sarrha laughed in herself, saying, The thing has not as yet happened to me, even until now, and my lord is old.
13 Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really bear a child, when I am old'?
And the Lord said to Abraam, Why is it that Sarrha has laughed in herself, saying, Shall I then indeed bear? but I am grown old.
14 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the time appointed by me, in the spring, I will return to you. About this time next year Sarah will have a son.”
Shall anything be impossible with the Lord? At this time I will return to thee seasonably, and Sarrha shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied it and said, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He replied, “No, you did laugh.”
But Sarrha denied, saying, I did not laugh, for she was afraid. And he said to her, Nay, but thou didst laugh.
16 Then the men arose to leave and looked down toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
And the men having risen up from thence looked towards Sodom and Gomorrha. And Abraam went with them, attending them on their journey.
17 But Yahweh said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraam my servant what things I intend to do?
18 since Abraham will indeed become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
But Abraam shall become a great and populous nation, and in him shall all the nations of the earth be blest.
19 For I have chosen him so that he may instruct his children and his household after him to keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice, so that Yahweh may bring upon Abraham what he has said to him.”
For I know that he will order his sons, and his house after him, and they will keep the ways of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraam all things whatsoever he has spoken to him.
20 Then Yahweh said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and because their sin is so serious,
And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha has been increased towards me, and their sins are very great.
21 I will now go down there and see the outcry against her that has come to me, whether they have really done it. If not, I will know.”
I will therefore go down and see, if they completely correspond with the cry which comes to me, and if not, that I may know.
22 So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before Yahweh.
And the men having departed thence, came to Sodom; and Abraam was still standing before the Lord.
23 Then Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
And Abraam drew nigh and said, Wouldest thou destroy the righteous with the wicked, and shall the righteous be as the wicked?
24 Perhaps there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous that are there?
Should there be fifty righteous in the city, wilt thou destroy them? wilt thou not spare the whole place for the sake of the fifty righteous, if they be in it?
25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, killing the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be treated the same as the wicked. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”
By no means shalt thou do as this thing [is] so as to destroy the righteous with the wicked, so the righteous shall be as the wicked: by no means. Thou that judgest the whole earth, shalt thou not do right?
26 Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
And the Lord said, If there should be in Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole city, and the whole place for their sakes.
27 Abraham answered and said, “Look, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord, even though I am only dust and ashes!
And Abraam answered and said, Now I have begun to speak to my Lord, and I am earth and ashes.
28 What if there are five less than fifty righteous? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” Then he said, “I will not destroy it, if I find there forty-five.”
But if the fifty righteous should be diminished to forty-five, wilt thou destroy the whole city because of the five [wanting]? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there forty-five.
29 He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the forty's sake.”
And he continued to speak to him still, and said, But if there should be found there forty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the forty's sake.
30 He said, “Please do not be angry, Lord, so I may speak. Perhaps thirty will be found there.” He replied, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”
And he said, Will there be anything [against me], Lord, if I shall speak? but if there be found there thirty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the thirty's sake.
31 He said, “Look, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord! Perhaps twenty will be found there.” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake.”
And he said, Since I am able to speak to the Lord, what if there should be found there twenty? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there twenty.
32 He said, “Please do not be angry, Lord, and I will speak this one last time. Perhaps ten will be found there.” Then he said, “I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.”
And he said, Will there be anything [against me], Lord, if I speak yet once? but if there should be found there ten? And he said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.
33 Yahweh went on his way as soon as he had finished talking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.
And the Lord departed, when he left off speaking to Abraam, and Abraam returned to his place.
