Genesis 18
1 The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door 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 near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, 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 favour in your sight, please don’t go away from 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 fetched, 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 piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. 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 prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
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 fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress 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 butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, 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 asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “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 at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, 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 had passed 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 lord being old also?”
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord also being old!
13 The LORD 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 hard for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, 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 Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t 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 towards 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 The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about doing?
18 since Abraham will surely 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 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 on Abraham that which he has spoken of 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 The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very 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 their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. 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 towards Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
And the men turned their faces from there, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
23 Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume 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 consume 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 May it be 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 The LORD 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, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am 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 don’t 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, “See now, 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 don’t 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 The LORD went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
And the Lord went away, when he had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.
