Genesis 18
1 Yahweh appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent doorway 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 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.
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 He said, “Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, do not pass by and leave 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 Let a little water be brought, 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 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.”
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 Then Abraham quickly went into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Hurry, get three seahs 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 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.
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 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.
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 replied, “There, in the tent.”
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife! And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 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.
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, very advanced in age, and Sarah had passed the age when women could bear children.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in years; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying to herself, “After I am worn-out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord also being old!
13 Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, '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 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.”
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 Then Sarah denied it and said, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He replied, “No, you did laugh.”
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid; but he said, Nay; indeed thou didst laugh.
16 Then the men arose to leave and looked down 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 But Yahweh said, “Should 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 since Abraham will indeed become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in 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 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.”
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 Then Yahweh said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and because their sin is so serious,
And the Lord said, Because the cry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous:
21 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.”
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 So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before Yahweh.
And the men turned their faces from there, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
23 Then Abraham approached 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 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?
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 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?”
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 Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole 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 and said, “Look, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord, even though I am only 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 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.”
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 replied, “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, “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.”
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 undertaken to speak to my Lord! Perhaps twenty will be found there.” He replied, “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, “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.”
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 Yahweh went on his way as soon as he had finished talking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.
And the Lord went away, when he had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.
