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;
Yahweh appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent doorway 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,
He looked up and, behold, he saw three men standing across from him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door 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;
He said, “Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, do not pass by and leave your servant.
4 please let a little water be accepted, and wash Your feet, and recline under the tree;
Let a little water be brought, 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.”
Let me bring a little food, so that you may refresh yourselves. Afterwards you can go your way, since you have come to your servant.” They replied, “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”;
Then Abraham quickly went into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Hurry, get three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and make 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;
Then Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf that was tender and good, and gave it to the servant, and he 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.
He took curds and milk, and the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food before them, and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
9 And they say to him, “Where [is] Sarah your wife?” And he says, “Behold—in the tent”;
They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, 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;
He said, “I will certainly return to you in the springtime, and see, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah was listening in the tent doorway, 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, very advanced in age, and Sarah had passed the age when women could bear children.
12 and Sarah laughs in her heart, saying, “After I have waxed old have I had pleasure? My lord [is] also old!”
So Sarah laughed to herself, saying to herself, “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?
Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will 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 hard for Yahweh? At the time appointed by me, in the spring, I will return to you. About this time next year 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.”
Then Sarah denied it and said, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He replied, “No, 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;
Then the men arose to leave and looked down toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17 and YHWH said, “Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,
But Yahweh said, “Should 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?
since Abraham will indeed become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will 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 have chosen him so that he may instruct his children and his household after him to keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice, so that Yahweh may bring upon Abraham what he has said to him.”
20 And YHWH says, “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah—because great; and their sin—because exceedingly grievous:
Then Yahweh said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and because their sin is so serious,
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 now go down there and see the outcry against her that has come to me, whether they have really done it. If not, I will know.”
22 and the men turn from there, and go toward Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before YHWH.
So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before Yahweh.
23 And Abraham draws near and says, “Do You also consume righteous with wicked?
Then Abraham approached and said, “Will you 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?
Perhaps there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous that 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, killing the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be treated the same as the wicked. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”
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.”
Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 And Abraham answers and says, “Now behold, I have willed to speak to the Lord, and I [am] dust and ashes;
Abraham answered and said, “Look, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord, even though I am only 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.”
What if there are five less than fifty righteous? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” Then he said, “I will not destroy it, if I find there forty-five.”
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.”
He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He replied, “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.”
He said, “Please do not be angry, Lord, so I may speak. Perhaps thirty will be found there.” He replied, “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.”
He said, “Look, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord! Perhaps twenty will be found there.” He replied, “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.”
He said, “Please do not be angry, Lord, and I will speak this one last time. Perhaps ten will be found there.” Then 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.
Yahweh went on his way as soon as he had finished talking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.
