< Genesis 18 >

1 And the LORD appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
And God appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance to the tent in the heat of the day.
2 and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood over against him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed down to the earth,
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 entrance of the tent, and bowed himself to the earth,
3 and said: 'My lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.
and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant.
4 Let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and recline yourselves under the tree.
Now let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on; forasmuch as ye are come to your servant.' And they said: 'So do, as thou hast said.'
I will get a bit of food so you may refresh yourselves. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant." They said, "Very well, do as you have said."
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said: 'Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.'
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, get three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread."
7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hastened to dress it.
Abraham ran to the herd, and took a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.
8 And he took curd, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
He took curds, milk, and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9 And they said unto him: 'Where is Sarah thy wife?' And he said: 'Behold, in the tent.'
They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife? He said, "See, in the tent."
10 And He said: 'I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.' And Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him. —
Then he said, "I will certainly return to you at the time of life. Look, Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah heard from the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. —
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
12 And Sarah laughed within herself, saying: 'After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?'
Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my husband being old also?"
13 And the LORD said unto Abraham: 'Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying: Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old?
And God said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child when I am old?'
14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD. At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son.'
Is anything too difficult for God? At the set time I will return to you, at the time of life, and Sarah will have a son."
15 Then Sarah denied, saying: 'I laughed not'; for she was afraid. And He said: 'Nay; but thou didst laugh.'
But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."
16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked out toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17 And the LORD said: 'Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing;
And God said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
seeing that Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through 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 the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.'
For I have made myself known to him, so that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice, so that God may bring to Abraham that which he has spoken to him."
20 And the LORD said: 'Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and, verily, their sin is exceeding grievous.
And Jehovah said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is so grievous,
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto Me; and if not, I will know.'
I will go down now, and see whether they have done entirely according to the outcry which has come to me. And if not, I will know."
22 And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before Jehovah.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said: 'Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep away and not forgive the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you sweep it away and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
25 That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from Thee; shall not the judge of all the earth do justly?'
Be it 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?"
26 And the LORD said: 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sake.'
Jehovah said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."
27 And Abraham answered and said: 'Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.
Abraham answered, "Look, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt Thou destroy all the city for lack of five?' And He said: 'I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.'
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."
29 And he spoke unto Him yet again, and said: 'Peradventure there shall be forty found there.' And He said: 'I will not do it for the forty's sake.'
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."
30 And he said: 'Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Peradventure there shall thirty be found there.' And He said: 'I will not do it, if I find thirty there.'
He said, "Oh do not 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."
31 And he said: 'Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord. Peradventure there shall be twenty found there.' And He said: 'I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake.'
He said, "Look, 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."
32 And he said: 'Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once. Peradventure ten shall be found there.' And He said: 'I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.'
He said, "Oh do not 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."
33 And the LORD went His way, as soon as He had left off speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.
When he finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned to his place.

< Genesis 18 >