< 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 the LORD appeared to him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door 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,
And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
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 thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
4 Let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and recline yourselves under the tree.
Let a little water, I pray you, 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.'
And I will bring a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that you shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast 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.'
And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead [it], and make cakes upon the hearth.
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.
And Abraham ran to the herd, and brought a calf tender and good, and gave [it] to a young man; and he hasted to dress 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.
And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set [it] before them; and 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.'
And they said to him, Where [is] Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, 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. —
And he said, I will certainly return to thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard [it] in the tent door, 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 [and] far advanced in age; [and] it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 And Sarah laughed within herself, saying: 'After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?'
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am become old shall I have pleasure, my lord 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 the LORD said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I certainly bear a child, who 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 any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return to thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied, saying: 'I laughed not'; for she was afraid. And He said: 'Nay; but thou didst laugh.'
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst 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.
And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 And the LORD said: 'Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing;
And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I 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 shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in 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 know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
20 And the LORD said: 'Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and, verily, their sin is exceeding grievous.
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very 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 altogether according to the cry of it, which is 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.
And the men turned their faces from thence, and went towards Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said: 'Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy 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?
Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that [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?'
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not 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.'
And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27 And Abraham answered and said: 'Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I, who [am] dust and ashes, have taken upon me to speak to the LORD.
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.'
Peradventure there will lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for [lack of] five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy [it].
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.'
And he spoke to him yet again, and said, Peradventure there will be forty found there. And he said, I will not do [it] for 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.'
And he said, Oh, let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there will thirty be found there. And 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.'
And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak to the LORD: Peradventure there will be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for 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.'
And he said, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten will be found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for 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.
And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.

< Genesis 18 >