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;
The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as 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,
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 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 favour in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
4 Let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and recline yourselves under the tree.
Now let a little water be fetched, 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.'
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 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said: 'Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.'
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
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.
Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried 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.
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 And they said unto him: 'Where is Sarah thy wife?' And he said: 'Behold, in the tent.'
They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, 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. —
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 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, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 And Sarah laughed within herself, saying: 'After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?'
Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will 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?
The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I 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 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 Then Sarah denied, saying: 'I laughed not'; for she was afraid. And He said: 'Nay; but thou didst laugh.'
Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did 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.
The men rose up from there, and looked towards Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17 And the LORD said: 'Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing;
The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what 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?
since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will 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 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 And the LORD said: 'Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and, verily, their sin is exceeding grievous.
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 their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”
22 And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
The men turned from there, 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?
Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume 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?
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 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?'
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 And the LORD said: 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sake.'
The LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 And Abraham answered and said: 'Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.
Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.
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.'
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 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.'
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 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.'
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 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.'
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 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.'
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 And the LORD went His way, as soon as He had left off speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.
The LORD went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
