Genesis 18
1 The Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent as the day became really hot.
And Jehovah appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre. And he sat at the tent-door in the heat of the day.
2 He looked up and all of a sudden he saw three men standing there. As soon as he saw them, he ran over to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
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 He said, “Sir, if you please, don't continue your journey without spending some time here with me, your servant.
and said, Lord, if now I have found favour in thine eyes, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.
4 Let me have some water brought so you can wash your feet and rest under the tree.
Let now a little water be fetched, that ye may wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 Also let me bring some food so you can get your strength back before you go on your way, now that you've come to visit me here.” “That would be fine,” they answered. “Please do as you've suggested.”
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 Abraham hurried back to the tent and told Sarah, “Quick! Make some bread using three large measures of the best flour. Knead the dough and bake the bread.”
And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Knead quickly three seahs of wheaten flour, and make cakes.
7 Then Abraham ran to the cattle herd and chose a good, young calf and gave it to his servant who quickly killed and cooked it.
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 Then he took some yogurt, milk, and the cooked meat, and placed the food in front of them. He stood nearby under a tree while they ate.
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 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “Over there, inside the tent,” he replied.
And they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 Then one said, “I promise you that I will come back to visit you about this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening, hiding just inside the entrance to the tent 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 Abraham and Sarah were old, getting on in years. Sarah was well past the age of having children.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old [and] advanced in age: it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Sarah was laughing inside, saying to herself, “Now that I'm old and worn out, how would I experience pleasure? My husband is old too!”
And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am become old, shall I have pleasure, and my lord old?
13 The Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and ask, ‘How could it possibly be true that I'll have a child now I'm so 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 difficult for the Lord to do? I will come back next year when I said I would, in the spring, and Sarah will 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 Sarah denied it because she was afraid, claiming, “I didn't laugh.” “Yes, you did laugh,” the Lord replied.
And Sarah denied, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And he said, No; but thou didst laugh.
16 Then the men left. They looked down on Sodom and headed in that direction. Abraham accompanied them part of the way.
And the men rose up thence, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to conduct them.
17 Then the Lord said, “Should I keep from Abraham what I'm going to do?
And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?
18 Abraham will definitely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on earth will be blessed through him.
Since Abraham shall indeed become a great and mighty nation; and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.
19 I've chosen him so that he will teach his sons and their families to follow the way of the Lord by doing what is right and good, so that I, the Lord, can do for Abraham what I promised.”
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 Then the Lord said, “There are many complaints made against Sodom and Gomorrah because they sin so blatantly.
And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grievous,
21 I ‘m going to see if these complaints that have reached me are completely true. I'll know if they're not.”
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 The two men turned and went towards Sodom, but the Lord stayed there with Abraham.
And the men turned thence, and went towards Sodom; and Abraham remained yet standing before Jehovah.
23 Abraham came to him and asked: “Are you really going to wipe out the good people along with the wicked?
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also cause the righteous to perish with the wicked?
24 What if there are fifty good people in the town? Are you still going to wipe it out despite the fifty good people there?
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 No, you can't do something like that! You can't kill the good with the wicked, otherwise you would be treating the good and the wicked in the same way. You can't do that! Isn't the Judge of all the earth going to do the right thing?”
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 “If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I'll spare the whole town because of them,” the Lord replied.
And Jehovah said, If I find at Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sakes.
27 “Since I've started, let me go on speaking to my Lord, even though I'm nothing but dust and ashes,” Abraham continued.
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have ventured to speak unto the Lord; I, who am dust and ashes.
28 “What if there are forty-five good people, just five less? Are you still going to wipe out the whole town just because there are five fewer people?” “I won't destroy it if I find forty-five,” the Lord replied.
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 Abraham spoke up again and he asked the Lord, “What if only forty can be found?” “I won't do it for the sake of the forty,” the Lord replied.
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 “My Lord, please don't get angry with me,” Abraham went on. “Let me ask this—what if only thirty were found?” “I won't do it if I find thirty,” the Lord replied.
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 “I admit I've been very bold to speak to my Lord like this,” Abraham said. “What if only twenty are found there?” “I won't do it for the sake of the twenty,” the Lord replied.
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 “Please don't get angry with me, my Lord,” Abraham said. “Just let me ask one more thing. What if only ten are found there?” “I won't destroy it for the sake of the ten,” the Lord replied.
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 The Lord left once he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham went home.
And Jehovah went away when he had ended speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
