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.

Genesis 18

Three Special Visitors

1 The Lord appeared to Abrahamt by the oakst of Mamre whilet he was sitting at the entrancet to his tent during the hottest time of the day.

2 Abrahamt looked upt and sawt three men standing acrosst from him. When he saw themt he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed lowt to the ground.s
3 He said, “My lord,s if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant.t4 Let a little water be brought so thatt you may allt wash your feet and rest under the tree.

5 And let me gett a bit of foodt so that you may refresh yourselvest since you have passed by your servant’s home. After that you may be on your way.”t “All right,” they replied, “you may do as you say.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Taket three measuress of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.”s7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant,t who quickly prepared it.t

8 Abrahamt then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the foodt before them. They ate whilet he was standing near them under a tree.
9 Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There,t in the tent.”10 One of themt said, “I will surely returnts to you when the season comes round again,t and your wife Sarah will have a son!”t (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him.t11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years;t Sarah had long since passed menopause.)t

12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking,t “After I am worn out will I have pleasure,t especially when my husband is old too?”t
13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Whyt did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I reallyt have a child when I am old?’14 Is anything impossiblet for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.”s

15 Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.”t

Abraham Pleads for Sodom

16 When the men got up to leave,t they looked out overt Sodom. (Nowt Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.)t17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?t18 After all, Abrahamt will surely becomet a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one anothert using his name.

19 I have chosen himt so that he may command his children and his household after him to keept the way of the Lord by doingt what is right and just. Then the Lord will givet to Abraham what he promisedt him.”
20 So the Lord said, “The outcry againstt Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatantt

21 that I must go downts and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests.t If not,s I want to know.”
22 The two men turnedt and headedt toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord.s23 Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked?24 What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not sparet the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it?

25 Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judget of the whole earth do what is right?”s

26 So the Lord replied, “If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lordt (although I am but dust and ashes),t

28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroyt the whole city because five are lacking?”t He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

29 Abrahamt spoke to him again,t “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”

30 Then Abrahamt said, “May the Lord not be angryt so that I may speak!t What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

31 Abrahamt said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

32 Finally Abrahamt said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

33 The Lord went on his wayt when he had finished speakingt to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home.t