Genesis 18
1 Then the Lord appeared to him, in the steep valley of Mamre, when he was sitting at the door of his tent, in the very heat of the day.
Yahweh appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent doorway in the heat of the day.
2 And when he had lifted up his eyes, there appeared to him three men, standing near him. When he had seen them, he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and he reverenced them on the ground.
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.
3 And he said: “If I, O lord, have found grace in your eyes, do not pass by your servant.
He said, “Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, do not pass by and leave your servant.
4 But I will bring a little water, and you may wash your feet and rest under the tree.
Let a little water be brought, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 And I will set out a meal of bread, so that you may strengthen your heart; after this you will pass on. It is for this reason that you have turned aside to your servant.” And they said, “Do as you have spoken.”
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.”
6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and he said to her, “Quickly, mix together three measures of the finest wheat flour and make loaves baked under the ashes.”
Then Abraham quickly went into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Hurry, get three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.”
7 In truth, he himself ran to the herd, and he took a calf from there, very tender and very good, and he gave it to a servant, who hurried and boiled it.
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.
8 Likewise, he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had boiled, and he placed it before them. Yet truly, he himself stood near them under the tree.
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.
9 And when they had eaten, they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He answered, “Behold, she is in the tent.”
They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, in the tent.”
10 And he said to him, “When returning, I will come to you at this time, with life as a companion, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” Hearing this, Sarah laughed behind the door of the tent.
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.
11 Now they were both old, and in an advanced state of life, and it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, very advanced in age, and Sarah had passed the age when women could bear children.
12 And she laughed secretly, saying, “After I have grown old, and my lord is elderly, shall I give myself to the work of delight?”
So Sarah laughed to herself, saying to herself, “After I am worn-out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh, saying: ‘How can I, an old woman, actually give birth?’
Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really bear a child, when I am old'?
14 Is anything difficult for God? According to the announcement, he will return to you at this same time, with life as a companion, and Sarah will have a son.”
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.”
15 Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh.” For she was terribly afraid. But the Lord said, “It is not so; for you did laugh.”
Then Sarah denied it and said, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He replied, “No, you did laugh.”
16 Therefore, when the men had risen up from there, they directed their eyes against Sodom. And Abraham traveled with them, leading them.
Then the men arose to leave and looked down toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17 And the Lord said: “How could I hide what I am about to do from Abraham,
But Yahweh said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
18 since he will become a great and very robust nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?
since Abraham will indeed become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
19 For I know that he will instruct his sons, and his household after him, to keep to the way of the Lord, and to act with judgment and justice, so that, for the sake of Abraham, the Lord may bring about all the things that he has spoken to him.”
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.”
20 And so the Lord said, “The outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah has been multiplied, and their sin has become exceedingly grievous.
Then Yahweh said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and because their sin is so serious,
21 I will descend and see whether they have fulfilled the work of the outcry that has reached me, or whether it is not so, in order that I may know.”
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.”
22 And they turned themselves from there, and they went toward Sodom. Yet in truth, Abraham still stood in the sight of the Lord.
So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before Yahweh.
23 And as they drew near, he said: “Will you destroy the just with the impious?
Then Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 If there were fifty of the just in the city, will they perish with the rest? And will you not spare that place for the sake of fifty of the just, if they were in it?
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?
25 Far be it from you to do this thing, and to kill the just with the impious, and for the just to be treated like the impious. No, this is not like you. You judge all the earth; you would never make such a judgment.”
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?”
26 And the Lord said to him, “If I find in Sodom fifty of the just in the midst of the city, I will release the entire place because of them.”
Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 And Abraham responded by saying: “Since now I have begun, I will speak to my Lord, though I am dust and ashes.
Abraham answered and said, “Look, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord, even though I am only dust and ashes!
28 What if there were five less than fifty of the just? Would you, despite the forty-five, eliminate the entire city?” And he said, “I will not eliminate it, if I find forty-five there.”
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.”
29 And again he said to him, “But if forty were found there, what would you do?” He said, “I will not strike, for the sake of the forty.”
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.”
30 “I ask you,” he said, “not to be angry, Lord, if I speak. What if thirty were found there?” He responded, “I will not act, if I find thirty there.”
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.”
31 “Since now I have begun,” he said, “I will speak to my Lord. What if twenty were found there?” He said, “I will not put to death, for the sake of the twenty.”
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.”
32 “I beg you,” he said, “not to be angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more. What if ten were found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
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.”
33 And the Lord departed, after he had ceased speaking to Abraham, who then returned to his place.
Yahweh went on his way as soon as he had finished talking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.
