< Genesis 18 >

1 And Yahweh appeared unto him among the oaks of Mamre, —as, he, was sitting at the opening of the tent in the heat of the day.
And Jehovah appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre. And he sat at the tent-door in the heat of the day.
2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo! three men, standing over against him, —so he looked and ran to meet them from the opening of the tent, and bowed himself to the earth;
And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men standing near him. And when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent-door, and bowed himself to the earth,
3 and said, —O My Lord! if, I pray thee, I have found favour in thine eyes, do not I pray thee pass on from thy servant.
and said, Lord, if now I have found favour in thine eyes, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.
4 Let there be fetched, I pray thee a little water, and bathe ye your feet, —and rest yourselves under the tree.
Let now a little water be fetched, that ye may wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 And let me fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart, Afterwards, ye may pass on, For on this account, have ye passed by, over against your servant. And they said, Thus, shalt thou do as thou hast spoken.
And I will fetch a morsel of bread; and refresh yourselves; after that ye shall pass on; for therefore have ye passed on towards your servant. And they said, So do as thou hast said.
6 So Abraham hastened towards the tent unto Sarah, —and said, Hasten thou three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make hearth-cakes.
And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Knead quickly three seahs of wheaten flour, and make cakes.
7 And unto the herd, ran Abraham, —and took a calf tender and good and gave unto the young man, and he hastened to make it ready.
And Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf tender and good, and gave [it] to the attendant; and he hasted to dress it.
8 And he took butter and milk and the calf that he had made ready, and set before them, —while, he, was standing near them under the tree, they did eat.
And he took thick and sweet milk, and the calf that he had dressed, and set [it] before them; and he stood before them under the tree, and they ate.
9 And they said unto him, As to Sarah thy wife… And he said Lo! [she is] in the tent.
And they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 And he said, I will, surely return, unto thee at the quickening season, —and lo! a son for Sarah thy wife. Now Sarah, was hearkening at the opening of the tent, it, being behind him.
And he said, I will certainly return to thee at [this] time of the year, and behold, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah was listening at the tent-door, which was behind him.
11 But Abraham and Sarah, were old, far gone in days, —it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old [and] advanced in age: it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 So then Sarah laughed within herself, saying: After I am past age, hath there come to me pleasure, my lord, also being old?
And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am become old, shall I have pleasure, and my lord old?
13 And Yahweh said unto Abraham, —Wherefore now did Sarah laugh saying. Can it really and truly be that I should bear, seeing that I have become old?
And Jehovah said to Abraham, Why is this, that Sarah laughs, saying, Shall I indeed bear, when I am become old?
14 Is anything, too wonderful for Yahweh? At the appointed time, I will return unto thee, at the quickening season and Sarah, shall have a son.
Is [any] matter too wonderful for Jehovah? At the time appointed I will return to thee, at [this] time of the year, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 And Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not, For she was afraid. And he said—Nay! but thou didst laugh!
And Sarah denied, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And he said, No; but thou didst laugh.
16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked out over the face of Sodom, —Abraham also going with them to set them on their way.
And the men rose up thence, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to conduct them.
17 Now, Yahweh, had said, —Am I going to hide from Abraham what I do,
And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?
18 when, Abraham, shall surely become, a great and mighty nation, —and all the nations of the earth, shall be blessed in him?
Since Abraham shall indeed become a great and mighty nation; and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.
19 For I have become his intimate friend, To the end that he may command his sons and his house after him, so shall they keep the way of Yahweh, by doing righteousness and justice. To the end that Yahweh may bring in for Abraham, what he hath spoken concerning him.
For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice, in order that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham what he hath spoken of him.
20 So Yahweh said, The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because it hath become great, —And their sin, because it hath become exceeding grievous,
And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grievous,
21 Let me go down, pray, and let me behold, whether according to their outcry which hath come in unto me, they have done altogether, And if not. I must 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 [it].
22 And the men turned from thence, and went their way, towards Sodom, —but, Yahweh was yet standing before Abraham.
And the men turned thence, and went towards Sodom; and Abraham remained yet standing before Jehovah.
23 So then Abraham drew near and said, Wilt thou really sweep away, the righteous with the lawless?
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also cause the righteous to perish with the wicked?
24 Peradventure there are fifty righteous, in the midst of the city, Wilt thou really sweep away, and not spare the place, for the sake of the fifty righteous which are therein?
There are perhaps fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not forgive the place for the sake of the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 Far be it from thee! to do after this manner. to put to death the righteous with the lawless! Then should righteous and lawless be alike, Far be it from thee! Shall, the Judge of all the earth not do justice?
Far be it from thee to do so, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that the righteous should be as the wicked — far be it from thee! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26 And Yahweh said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then will I spare all the place for their sake.
And Jehovah said, If I find at Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sakes.
27 And Abraham responded and said, —Behold I pray thee I have ventured to speak unto My Lord, though I am dust and ashes:
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have ventured to speak unto the Lord; I, who am dust and ashes.
28 Peradventure there may lack, of the fifty righteous, five, Wilt thou destroy for five all the city? And he said, I will not destroy, if I find there forty and five.
Perhaps there may want five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city on account of the five? And he said, If I shall find forty-five there, I will not destroy [it].
29 And he added, yet once more, to speak unto him, and said, Peradventure there may be found there—forty. And he said—I will not do it, for the sake of the forty.
And he continued yet to speak with him, and said, Perhaps there may be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for the forty's sake.
30 And he said Let it not, I pray thee, be vexing to My Lord, but let me speak, Peradventure there may be found there—thirty And he said, I will not to it, if I find there—thirty.
And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry that I speak! Perhaps there may be thirty found there. And he said, I will not do it if I find thirty there.
31 And he said Behold, I pray thee, I have ventured to speak unto My Lord, Peradventure there may be found there—twenty. And he said I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty.
And he said, Behold now, I have ventured to speak with the Lord. Perhaps there may be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for the twenty's sake.
32 And he said, Let it not, I pray thee, be vexing to My Lord, but let me speak only this once, Peradventure there may be found there—ten. And he said, I will not destroy [it], for the sake of the ten!
And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, that I speak yet but this time! Perhaps there may be ten found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for the ten's sake.
33 And Yahweh went his way, when he had made an end. of speaking unto Abraham, —Abraham, also returned to his place.
And Jehovah went away when he had ended speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

< Genesis 18 >