< 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 to him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door 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 by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward 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 said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, 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 brought, 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 bring a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that you shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
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 to Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
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 to the herd, and brought a calf tender and good, and gave it to a young man; and he hasted 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 butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9 They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife? He said, "See, in the tent."
And they said to 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 to thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, 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 advanced in years; and it 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 become old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
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 to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I certainly bear a child, who 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 any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return to thee, according to the time of life, 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. And he said, Nay; but 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 that thing which I do;
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, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of 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 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 entirely according to the outcry which has come to me. And if not, I will 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.
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 also destroy the righteous 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?
Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are in it?
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?"
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
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 I will spare all the place for their sakes.
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 who am dust and ashes, have taken upon me to speak to the Lord.
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."
Suppose there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
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 to him yet again, and said, Suppose there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.
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, O let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
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 to the Lord: Suppose there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.
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, O let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Suppose ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.
33 When he finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned to his place.
And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.

< Genesis 18 >