Genesis 18
1 And YHWH appears to him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about the heat of the day;
Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.
2 and he lifts up his eyes and looks, and behold, three men standing by him, and he sees, and runs to meet them from the opening of the tent, and bows himself toward the earth,
And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 and he says, “My Lord, if now I have found grace in Your eyes, please do not pass on from Your servant;
“My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.
4 please let a little water be accepted, and wash Your feet, and recline under the tree;
Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 and I bring a piece of bread, and support Your heart; afterward pass on, for therefore You have passed over to Your servant”; and they say, “So may you do as you have spoken.”
And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”
6 And Abraham hurries toward the tent, to Sarah, and says, “Hurry three measures of flour-meal, knead, and make cakes”;
So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.”
7 and Abraham ran to the herd, and takes a son of the herd, tender and good, and gives to the young man, and he hurries to prepare it;
Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.
8 and he takes butter and milk, and the son of the herd which he has prepared, and sets before them; and he is standing by them under the tree, and they eat.
Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9 And they say to him, “Where [is] Sarah your wife?” And he says, “Behold—in the tent”;
“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.
10 and He says, “Returning I return to you, about the time of life, and behold, to Sarah your wife a son.” And Sarah is listening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him;
Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.
11 and Abraham and Sarah [are] aged, entering into days—the way of women has ceased to be to Sarah;
And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 and Sarah laughs in her heart, saying, “After I have waxed old have I had pleasure? My lord [is] also old!”
So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13 And YHWH says to Abraham, “Why [is] this? Sarah has laughed, saying, Is it really true—I bear—and I am aged?
And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’
14 Is anything too wonderful for YHWH? At the appointed time I return to you, about the time of life, and Sarah has a son.”
Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
15 And Sarah denies, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she has been afraid; and He says, “No, but you did laugh.”
But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”
16 And the men rise from there, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away;
When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.
17 and YHWH said, “Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,
And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
18 and Abraham certainly becomes a great and mighty nation, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth?
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
19 For I have known him, that he commands his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of YHWH), to do righteousness and judgment, that YHWH may bring on Abraham that which He has spoken concerning him.”
For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”
20 And YHWH says, “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah—because great; and their sin—because exceedingly grievous:
Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous,
21 I go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming to Me they have done completely—and if not—I know”;
I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find out.”
22 and the men turn from there, and go toward Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before YHWH.
And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
23 And Abraham draws near and says, “Do You also consume righteous with wicked?
Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 Perhaps there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city; do You also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who [are] in its midst?
What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there?
25 Far be it from You to do according to this thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked; that it has been—as the righteous so the wicked—far be it from You; does the Judge of all the earth not do justice?”
Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
26 And YHWH says, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne with all the place for their sake.”
So the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.”
27 And Abraham answers and says, “Now behold, I have willed to speak to the Lord, and I [am] dust and ashes;
Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—
28 perhaps there are lacking five of the fifty righteous—do You destroy for five the whole of the city?” And He says, “I do not destroy [it], if I find there forty-five.”
suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will You destroy the whole city for the lack of five?” He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.”
29 And he adds again to speak to Him and says, “Perhaps there are found there forty?” And He says, “I do not do [it], because of the forty.”
Once again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.”
30 And he says, “Please let it not be displeasing to the Lord, and I speak: perhaps there are found there thirty?” And He says, “I do not do [it], if I find there thirty.”
Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”
31 And he says, “Now behold, I have willed to speak to the Lord: perhaps there are found there twenty?” And He says, “I do not destroy [it], because of the twenty.”
And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”
32 And he says, “Please let it not be displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: perhaps there are found there ten?” And He says, “I do not destroy [it], because of the ten.”
Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”
33 And YHWH goes on, when He has finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham has turned back to his place.
When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home.
