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 by the terebinths of Mamre, as 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 over against him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed down to the earth,
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 now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and recline 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 stay ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on; forasmuch as ye are 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 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 the servant; 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 curd, 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 when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.' And Sarah heard 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 stricken in age; 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?"
And Sarah laughed within herself, saying: 'After I am waxed 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 unto Abraham: 'Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying: Shall I of a surety 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 set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, 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 thence, and looked out 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 which I am 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 have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end 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: 'Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and, verily, their sin is exceeding 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 unto 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 from thence, 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 indeed sweep away 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?
Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep away and not forgive the place for 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?"
That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from Thee; shall not the judge of all the earth do justly?'
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 forgive all 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, who 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 shall lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt Thou destroy all the city for lack of five?' And He said: 'I will not destroy it, 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 unto Him yet again, and said: 'Peradventure there shall be forty found there.' And He said: 'I will not do it for the 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: 'Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Peradventure 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 unto the Lord. Peradventure there shall be twenty found there.' And He said: 'I will not destroy it for the 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: 'Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once. Peradventure ten shall be found there.' And He said: 'I will not destroy it for the 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 left off speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.
