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;
And Jehovah appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre. And he sat at the tent-door in the heat of the day.
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 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 and he says, “My Lord, if now I have found grace in Your eyes, please do not pass on from Your servant;
and said, Lord, if now I have found favour in thine eyes, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.
4 please let a little water be accepted, and wash Your feet, and recline under the tree;
Let now a little water be fetched, that ye 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 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 And Abraham hurries toward the tent, to Sarah, and says, “Hurry three measures of flour-meal, knead, and make cakes”;
And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Knead quickly three seahs of wheaten flour, and make cakes.
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;
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 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.
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 And they say to him, “Where [is] Sarah your wife?” And he says, “Behold—in the tent”;
And they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
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;
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 and Abraham and Sarah [are] aged, entering into days—the way of women has ceased to be to Sarah;
Now Abraham and Sarah were old [and] advanced in age: it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 and Sarah laughs in her heart, saying, “After I have waxed old have I had pleasure? My lord [is] also old!”
And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am become old, shall I have pleasure, and my lord old?
13 And YHWH says to Abraham, “Why [is] this? Sarah has laughed, saying, Is it really true—I bear—and I am aged?
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 wonderful for YHWH? At the appointed time I return to you, about the time of life, and Sarah has 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 And Sarah denies, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she has been afraid; and He says, “No, but you did laugh.”
And Sarah denied, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And he said, No; but thou didst 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;
And the men rose up thence, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to conduct them.
17 and YHWH said, “Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,
And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?
18 and Abraham certainly becomes a great and mighty nation, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth?
Since Abraham shall indeed become a great and mighty nation; and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.
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 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 And YHWH says, “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah—because great; and their sin—because exceedingly grievous:
And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very 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 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 and the men turn from there, and go toward Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before YHWH.
And the men turned thence, and went towards Sodom; and Abraham remained yet standing before Jehovah.
23 And Abraham draws near and says, “Do You also consume righteous with wicked?
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also cause the righteous to perish 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?
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 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 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 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.”
And Jehovah said, If I find at Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sakes.
27 And Abraham answers and says, “Now behold, I have willed to speak to the Lord, and I [am] dust and ashes;
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have ventured to speak unto the Lord; I, who am 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.”
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 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.”
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 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.”
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 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 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 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.”
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 And YHWH goes on, when He has finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham has turned back to his place.
And Jehovah went away when he had ended speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
