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.
The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in 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.
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. 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, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
4 Let me have some water brought so you can wash your feet and rest under the tree.
Now let a little water be fetched, 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.”
I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. 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 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.”
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, 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.
Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried 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.
He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him. “Over there, inside the tent,” he replied.
They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, 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.
He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in 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, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
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!”
Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
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?’
The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am 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 anything too hard for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Sarah denied it because she was afraid, claiming, “I didn't laugh.” “Yes, you did laugh,” the Lord replied.
Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
16 Then the men left. They looked down on Sodom and headed in that direction. Abraham accompanied them part of the way.
The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17 Then the Lord said, “Should I keep from Abraham what I'm going to do?
The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
18 Abraham will definitely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on earth will be blessed through him.
since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will 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 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 on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
20 Then the Lord said, “There are many complaints made against Sodom and Gomorrah because they sin so blatantly.
The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because 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 their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”
22 The two men turned and went towards Sodom, but the Lord stayed there with Abraham.
The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 Abraham came to him and asked: “Are you really going to wipe out the good people along with the wicked?
Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous 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?
What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
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?”
May it be 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 “If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I'll spare the whole town because of them,” the Lord replied.
The LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 “Since I've started, let me go on speaking to my Lord, even though I'm nothing but dust and ashes,” Abraham continued.
Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I 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.
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 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.
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 “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.
He said, “Oh don’t 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 “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.
He said, “See now, 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 “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.
He said, “Oh don’t 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 The Lord left once he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham went home.
The LORD went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
