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 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 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 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 He said, “Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, do not pass by and leave 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 Let a little water be brought, 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 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 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 Then Abraham quickly went into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Hurry, get three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.”
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 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 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 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 set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, 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 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 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 and Sarah were old, very advanced in age, and Sarah had passed the age when women could bear children.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well advanced in years; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
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?”
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am become old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
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 Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I certainly bear a child, who am 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.”
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 denied it and said, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He replied, “No, you did laugh.”
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, 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 rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 But Yahweh said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18 since Abraham will indeed 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 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 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 Then Yahweh said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and because their sin is so serious,
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
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 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 So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before Yahweh.
And the men turned their faces from there, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 Then Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with 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?
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 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?”
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 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 I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the 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 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 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.”
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 replied, “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, “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, 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, “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, 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, “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, 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 Yahweh went on his way as soon as he had finished talking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.
And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.
