Genesis 18
1 And God appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance to the tent in the heat of the day.
And the Lord appeared unto him in the grove of Mamre; while he was sitting at the door of the tent in the heat of the day.
2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the entrance of the tent, and bowed himself to the earth,
And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood near him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the door of the tent, and bowed himself to the ground;
3 and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant.
And he said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in thy eyes, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.
4 Now let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 I will get a bit of food so you may refresh yourselves. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant." They said, "Very well, do as you have said."
And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your heart, after that ye may pass on; since ye have once passed by your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast spoken.
6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, get three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make bread."
And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.
7 Abraham ran to the herd, and took a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man, and he hastened to dress it.
8 He took curds, milk, and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
And he took cream 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.
9 They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife? He said, "See, in the tent."
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife! And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 Then he said, "I will certainly return to you at the time of life. Look, Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah heard from the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.
And he said, I will certainly return unto thee at this time next year: and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it at the door of the tent, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in years; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my husband being old also?"
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord also being old!
13 And God said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child when I am old?'
And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, since I am old?
14 Is anything too difficult for God? At the set time I will return to you, at the time of life, and Sarah will have a son."
Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, at this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid; but he said, Nay; indeed thou didst laugh.
16 The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
And the men rose up from there and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 And God said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about doing?
18 seeing that Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through 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 made myself known to him, so that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of God, to do righteousness and justice, so that God may bring to Abraham that which he has spoken to him."
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, that they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice; in order that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken concerning him.
20 And God said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is so grievous,
And the Lord said, Because the cry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous:
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done entirely according to the outcry which has come to me. And if not, I will know."
I will go down now, and see if they have done according to the cry against them, which is come unto me, destruction [shall come upon them]; and if not, I will know it.
22 The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before God.
And the men turned their faces from there, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
23 Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou then destroy the righteous also with the wicked?
24 What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you sweep it away and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou then also destroy and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 Be it 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?"
Far be it from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be this from thee; shall the Judge of all the earth not exercise justice?
26 And God said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."
And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then will I spare all of the place for their sake.
27 Abraham answered, "Look, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes:
28 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."
Peradventure there will lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt thou then destroy all the city for the [lack of] these five? And he said, I will not destroy, if I find there forty and five.
29 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."
And he spoke yet again unto him, and said, Peradventure there will be found there forty. And he said, I will not do it for the sake of the forty.
30 He said, "Oh do not 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."
And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there will be found there thirty. And he said, I will not do it, if I find there thirty.
31 He said, "Look, 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."
And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there will be found there twenty. And he said, I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty.
32 He said, "Oh do not 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."
And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure there will be found there ten. And he said, I will not destroy, for the sake of the ten.
33 When he finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned to his place.
And the Lord went away, when he had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.
