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 YHWH appears to him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about 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 lifts up his eyes and looks, and behold, three men standing by him, and he sees, and runs to meet them from the opening of the tent, and bows himself toward the earth,
3 and said, “My lord, if now I have found favour in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
and he says, “My Lord, if now I have found grace in Your eyes, please do not pass on from Your servant;
4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
please let a little water be accepted, and wash Your feet, and recline 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 bring a piece of bread, and support Your heart; afterward pass on, for therefore You have passed over to Your servant”; and they say, “So may you do as you have 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 hurries toward the tent, to Sarah, and says, “Hurry three measures of flour-meal, knead, 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 to the herd, and takes a son of the herd, tender and good, and gives to the young man, and he hurries to prepare 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 takes butter and milk, and the son of the herd which he has prepared, and sets before them; and he is standing by them under the tree, and they eat.
9 They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, in the tent.”
And they say to him, “Where [is] Sarah your wife?” And he says, “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 says, “Returning I return to you, about the time of life, and behold, to Sarah your wife a son.” And Sarah is listening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him;
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
and Abraham and Sarah [are] aged, entering into days—the way of women has ceased to be to Sarah;
12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
and Sarah laughs in her heart, saying, “After I have waxed old have I had pleasure? My lord [is] also old!”
13 The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’
And YHWH says to Abraham, “Why [is] this? Sarah has laughed, saying, Is it really true—I bear—and I am aged?
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 wonderful for YHWH? At the appointed time I return to you, about the time of life, and Sarah has a son.”
15 Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
And Sarah denies, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she has been afraid; and He says, “No, but you did 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 rise from there, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away;
17 The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
and YHWH said, “Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,
18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
and Abraham certainly becomes a great and mighty nation, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth?
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 have known him, that he commands his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of YHWH), to do righteousness and judgment, that YHWH may bring on Abraham that which He has spoken concerning him.”
20 The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
And YHWH says, “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah—because great; and their sin—because exceedingly 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 go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming to Me they have done completely—and if not—I know”;
22 The men turned from there, and went towards Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
and the men turn from there, and go toward Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before YHWH.
23 Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?
And Abraham draws near and says, “Do You also consume righteous with 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?
Perhaps there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city; do You also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who [are] in its midst?
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 You to do according to this thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked; that it has been—as the righteous so the wicked—far be it from You; does the Judge of all the earth not do 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 YHWH says, “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, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.
And Abraham answers and says, “Now behold, I have willed to speak to the Lord, and I [am] 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.”
perhaps there are lacking five of the fifty righteous—do You destroy for five the whole of the city?” And He says, “I do not destroy [it], if I find there forty-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 adds again to speak to Him and says, “Perhaps there are found there forty?” And He says, “I do not do [it], because 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 says, “Please let it not be displeasing to the Lord, and I speak: perhaps there are found there thirty?” And He says, “I do 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 says, “Now behold, I have willed to speak to the Lord: perhaps there are found there twenty?” And He says, “I do not destroy [it], because 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 says, “Please let it not be displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: perhaps there are found there ten?” And He says, “I do not destroy [it], because 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 YHWH goes on, when He has finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham has turned back to his place.
