Genesis 18

Abraham's Three Visitors

1 Then the Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting in the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. 2 He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed to the ground. 3 Then he said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.

5 I will bring a bit of bread so that you may strengthen yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant's [way]. Later, you can continue on."
"Yes," they replied, "do as you have said."
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, "Quick! Knead three measures of fine flour and make bread." 7 Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd and got a tender, choice calf. He gave it to a young man, who hurried to prepare it.

8 Then Abraham took curds and milk, and the calf that he had prepared, and set [them] before the men. He served them as they ate under the tree.

Sarah Laughs

9 "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him.
"There, in the tent," he answered.

10 The Lord said, "I will certainly come back to you in about a year's time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!" Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.
11 Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

12 So she laughed to herself: "After I have become shriveled up and my lord is old, will I have delight?"
13 But the Lord asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Can I really have a baby when I'm old?'

14 Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son."

15 Sarah denied it. "I did not laugh," she said, because she was afraid.
But He replied, "No, you did laugh."

Abraham's Plea for Sodom

16 The men got up from there and looked out over Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to see them off. 17 Then the Lord said, "Should I hide what I am about to do from Abraham? 18 Abraham is to become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. 19 For I have chosen him so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. This is how the Lord will fulfill to Abraham what He promised him." 20 Then the Lord said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious.

21 I will go down to see if what they have done justifies the cry that has come up to Me. If not, I will find out."
22 The men turned from there and went toward Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23 Abraham stepped forward and said, "Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are 50 righteous people in the city? Will You really sweep it away instead of sparing the place for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are in it?

25 You could not possibly do such a thing: to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. You could not possibly do that! Won't the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"

26 The Lord said, "If I find 50 righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."
27 Then Abraham answered, "Since I have ventured to speak to the Lord-even though I am dust and ashes-

28 suppose the 50 righteous lack five. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?"
He replied, "I will not destroy [it] if I find 45 there."

29 Then he spoke to Him again, "Suppose 40 are found there?"
He answered, "I will not do [it] on account of 40."

30 Then he said, "Let the Lord not be angry, and I will speak further. Suppose 30 are found there?"
He answered, "I will not do [it] if I find 30 there."

31 Then he said, "Since I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose 20 are found there?"
He replied, "I will not destroy [it] on account of 20."

32 Then he said, "Let the Lord not be angry, and I will speak one more time. Suppose 10 are found there?"
He answered, "I will not destroy [it] on account of 10."

33 When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned to his place.

Genesis 18

1 And Jehovah appeared unto him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;2 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 himself to the earth,3 and said, My lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:4 let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:5 and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and strengthen 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 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hasted to dress it.8 And he took butter, 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 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.10 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, and well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.12 And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?13 And Jehovah said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old?14 Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son.15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.17 And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do;18 seeing that Abraham had 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 Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.20 And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;21 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 And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before Jehovah.23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou consume the righteous with the wicked?24 Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?25 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 right?26 And Jehovah said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes:28 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 And he spake 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 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 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 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 And Jehovah went his way, as soon as he had left off communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.