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 Jehovah appeareth unto him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about 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 lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, three men standing by him, and he seeth, and runneth to meet them from the opening of the tent, and boweth himself towards the earth,
3 He said, “Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, do not pass by and leave your servant.
And he saith, 'My Lord, if, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, do not, I pray thee, pass on from thy servant;
4 Let a little water be brought, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
let, I pray thee, a little water be accepted, and wash your feet, and recline 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 bring a piece of bread, and support ye your heart; afterwards pass on, for therefore have ye passed over unto your servant;' and they say, 'So mayest thou do as thou has 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 hasteth towards the tent, unto Sarah, and saith, 'Hasten three measures of flour-meal, knead, 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 taketh a son of the herd, tender and good, and giveth unto the young man, and he hasteth to prepare 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 taketh butter and milk, and the son of the herd which he hath prepared, and setteth before them; and he is standing by them under the tree, and they do eat.
9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, in the tent.”
And they say unto him, 'Where [is] Sarah thy wife?' and he saith, 'Lo — 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 saith, 'returning I return unto thee, about the time of life, and lo, to Sarah thy wife a son.'
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, very advanced in age, and Sarah had passed the age when women could bear children.
And Sarah is hearkening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him;
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?”
and Abraham and Sarah [are] aged, entering into days — the way of women hath ceased to be to Sarah;
13 Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really bear a child, when I am old'?
and Sarah laugheth in her heart, saying, 'After I have waxed old I have had pleasure! — my lord also [is] 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.”
And Jehovah saith unto Abraham, 'Why [is] this? Sarah hath laughed, saying, Is it true really — I bear — and I am aged? Is any thing too wonderful for Jehovah? at the appointed time I return unto thee, about the time of life, and Sarah hath a son.'
15 Then Sarah denied it and said, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He replied, “No, you did laugh.”
And Sarah denieth, saying, 'I did not laugh;' for she hath been afraid; and He saith, 'Nay, but 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 rise from thence, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away;
17 But Yahweh said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
and Jehovah said, 'Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,
18 since Abraham will indeed become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth?
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 have known him, that he commandeth his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of Jehovah), to do righteousness and judgment, that Jehovah may bring on 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 Jehovah saith, 'The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah — because great; and their sin — because exceeding 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 go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming unto Me they have done completely — and if not — I know;'
22 So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before Yahweh.
and the men turn from thence, and go towards Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before Jehovah.
23 Then Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
And Abraham draweth nigh and saith, 'Dost Thou also consume righteous with 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 in the midst of the city; dost Thou also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty — the righteous who [are] in its midst?
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 according to this thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked; that it hath been — as the righteous so the wicked — far be it from Thee; doth the Judge of all the earth not do 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 Jehovah saith, 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne with all 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 answereth and saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord, and I — 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 are lacking five of the fifty righteous — dost Thou destroy for five the whole of the city?' and He saith, 'I destroy [it] not, 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 addeth again to speak unto Him and saith, 'Peradventure there are found there forty?' and He saith, 'I do [it] not, because 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 saith, 'Let it not be, I Pray thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak: peradventure there are found there thirty?' and He saith, 'I do [it] not, 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 saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there are found there twenty?' and He saith, 'I do not destroy [it], because 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 saith, 'Let it not be, I pray Thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: peradventure there are found there ten?' and He saith, 'I do not destroy [it], because of the ten.'
33 Yahweh went on his way as soon as he had finished talking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.
And Jehovah goeth on, when He hath finished speaking unto Abraham, and Abraham hath turned back to his place.
