Genesis 18
1 Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
And Jehovah appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as 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 near 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 to the earth,
3 and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
and said, My lord, if now I have found favor 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 now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 I will get a piece 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 fetch a morsel of bread, and strengthen ye your heart. After that ye shall pass on, inasmuch as ye came to your servant. And they said, Do so as thou have said.
6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs 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.
7 Abraham 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 fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it to the servant. And he hastened 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, your wife?” He said, “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 at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
And he said, I will certainly return to thee when the season comes round, and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken in age. It had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I have become old shall I have pleasure, my lord also being old?
13 Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’
And Jehovah said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I who am old certainly bear a child?
14 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”
Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the set time I will return to thee, when the season comes round, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
Then Sarah denied, saying, I did not laugh, for she was afraid. And he said, No, but thou did laugh.
16 The men rose up from there, and looked 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 Yahweh said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do,
18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
since 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 command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice, to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him.
20 Yahweh said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
And Jehovah 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 comes to me. And if not, I will know.
22 The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh.
And the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham yet stood before Jehovah.
23 Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?
And Abraham drew near, and said, Will thou consume righteous men with wicked men?
24 What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
Perhaps there are fifty righteous men within the city. Will thou consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous men that are in it?
25 May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay a righteous man with a wicked man, that so the righteous man should be as the wicked man. Far be it 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 Jehovah said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous men within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.
27 Abraham 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 have taken upon me to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.
28 What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
Perhaps there shall lack five of the fifty righteous men. Will thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty-five.
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, Perhaps there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for the 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, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Perhaps there shall be thirty 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. Perhaps there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the 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, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once. Perhaps ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.
33 Yahweh went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
And Jehovah went his way as soon as he had left off conversing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
