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.
And Jehovah appeareth unto him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about 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.
and he lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, three men standing by him, and he seeth, and runneth to meet them from the opening of the tent, and boweth himself towards the earth,
3 And he said: “If I, O lord, have found grace in your eyes, do not pass by your servant.
And he saith, 'My Lord, if, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, do not, I pray thee, pass on from thy servant;
4 But I will bring a little water, and you may wash your feet and rest under the tree.
let, I pray thee, a little water be accepted, and wash your feet, and recline 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.”
and I bring a piece of bread, and support ye your heart; afterwards pass on, for therefore have ye passed over unto your servant;' and they say, 'So mayest thou do as thou has spoken.'
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.”
And Abraham hasteth towards the tent, unto Sarah, and saith, 'Hasten three measures of flour-meal, knead, and make cakes;'
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.
and Abraham ran unto the herd, and taketh a son of the herd, tender and good, and giveth unto the young man, and he hasteth 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.
and he taketh butter and milk, and the son of the herd which he hath prepared, and setteth before them; and he is standing by them under the tree, and they do eat.
9 And when they had eaten, they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He answered, “Behold, she is in the tent.”
And they say unto him, 'Where [is] Sarah thy wife?' and he saith, 'Lo — 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.
and he saith, 'returning I return unto thee, about the time of life, and lo, to Sarah thy wife a son.'
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.
And Sarah is hearkening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him;
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?”
and Abraham and Sarah [are] aged, entering into days — the way of women hath ceased to be to Sarah;
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh, saying: ‘How can I, an old woman, actually give birth?’
and Sarah laugheth in her heart, saying, 'After I have waxed old I have had pleasure! — my lord also [is] 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.”
And Jehovah saith unto Abraham, 'Why [is] this? Sarah hath laughed, saying, Is it true really — I bear — and I am aged? Is any thing too wonderful for Jehovah? at the appointed time I return unto thee, about the time of life, and Sarah hath 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.”
And Sarah denieth, saying, 'I did not laugh;' for she hath been afraid; and He saith, 'Nay, but thou didst laugh.'
16 Therefore, when the men had risen up from there, they directed their eyes against Sodom. And Abraham traveled with them, leading them.
And the men rise from thence, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away;
17 And the Lord said: “How could I hide what I am about to do from Abraham,
and Jehovah said, 'Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,
18 since he will become a great and very robust nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?
and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth?
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 known him, that he commandeth his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of Jehovah), to do righteousness and judgment, that Jehovah may bring on Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him.'
20 And so the Lord said, “The outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah has been multiplied, and their sin has become exceedingly grievous.
And Jehovah saith, 'The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah — because great; and their sin — because exceeding grievous:
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 go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming unto Me they have done completely — and if not — I 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.
and the men turn from thence, and go towards Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before Jehovah.
23 And as they drew near, he said: “Will you destroy the just with the impious?
And Abraham draweth nigh and saith, 'Dost Thou also consume righteous with 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?
peradventure there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city; dost Thou also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty — the righteous who [are] in its midst?
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 Thee to do according to this thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked; that it hath been — as the righteous so the wicked — far be it from Thee; doth the Judge of all the earth not do justice?'
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.”
And Jehovah saith, 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne with all the 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.
And Abraham answereth and saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord, and I — 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.”
peradventure there are lacking five of the fifty righteous — dost Thou destroy for five the whole of the city?' and He saith, 'I destroy [it] not, if I find there forty and 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.”
And he addeth again to speak unto Him and saith, 'Peradventure there are found there forty?' and He saith, 'I do [it] not, because of the forty.'
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.”
And he saith, 'Let it not be, I Pray thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak: peradventure there are found there thirty?' and He saith, 'I do [it] not, if I find there thirty.'
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.”
And he saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there are found there twenty?' and He saith, 'I do not destroy [it], because of the twenty.'
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.”
And he saith, 'Let it not be, I pray Thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: peradventure there are found there ten?' and He saith, 'I do not destroy [it], because of the ten.'
33 And the Lord departed, after he had ceased speaking to Abraham, who then returned to his place.
And Jehovah goeth on, when He hath finished speaking unto Abraham, and Abraham hath turned back to his place.
