Genesis 18

1-2 God appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. It was the hottest part of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing. He ran from his tent to greet them and bowed before them.

3-5He said, “Master, if it please you, stop for a while with your servant. I’ll get some water so you can wash your feet. Rest under this tree. I’ll get some food to refresh you on your way, since your travels have brought you across my path.”

They said, “Certainly. Go ahead.”

6Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, “Hurry. Get three cups of our best flour; knead it and make bread.”

7-8Then Abraham ran to the cattle pen and picked out a nice plump calf and gave it to the servant who lost no time getting it ready. Then he got curds and milk, brought them with the calf that had been roasted, set the meal before the men, and stood there under the tree while they ate.

9The men said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”

He said, “In the tent.”

10One of them said, “I’m coming back about this time next year. When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man.

11-12Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies. Sarah laughed within herself, “An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?”

13-14 God said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?’ Is anything too hard for God? I’ll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby.”

15Sarah lied. She said, “I didn’t laugh,” because she was afraid.

But he said, “Yes you did; you laughed.”

* * *

16When the men got up to leave, they set off for Sodom. Abraham walked with them to say good-bye.

17-19Then God said, “Shall I keep back from Abraham what I’m about to do? Abraham is going to become a large and strong nation; all the nations of the world are going to find themselves blessed through him. Yes, I’ve settled on him as the one to train his children and future family to observe God’s way of life, live kindly and generously and fairly, so that God can complete in Abraham what he promised him.”

20-21 God continued, “The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. I’m going down to see for myself, see if what they’re doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I’ll know.”

22The men set out for Sodom, but Abraham stood in God’s path, blocking his way.

23-25Abraham confronted him, “Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad? What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot? Wouldn’t you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can’t believe you’d do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn’t the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?”

26 God said, “If I find fifty decent people in the city of Sodom, I’ll spare the place just for them.”

27-28Abraham came back, “Do I, a mere mortal made from a handful of dirt, dare open my mouth again to my Master? What if the fifty fall short by five—would you destroy the city because of those missing five?”

He said, “I won’t destroy it if there are forty-five.”

29Abraham spoke up again, “What if you only find forty?”

“Neither will I destroy it if for forty.”

30He said, “Master, don’t be irritated with me, but what if only thirty are found?”

“No, I won’t do it if I find thirty.”

31He pushed on, “I know I’m trying your patience, Master, but how about for twenty?”

“I won’t destroy it for twenty.”

32He wouldn’t quit, “Don’t get angry, Master—this is the last time. What if you only come up with ten?”

“For the sake of only ten, I won’t destroy the city.”

33When God finished talking with Abraham, he left. And Abraham went home.

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Berĕshith (Genesis) 18

1And יהוה appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamrĕ, while he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.

2So he lifted his eyes and looked, and saw three men standing opposite him. And when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,

3and said, “יהוה, if I have now found favour in Your eyes, please do not pass Your servant by.

4“Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

5“And let me bring a piece of bread and refresh your hearts, and then go on, for this is why you have come to your servant.” And they said, “Do as you have said.”

6So Aḇraham ran into the tent to Sarah and said, “Hurry, make ready three measures of fine flour, knead it and make cakes.”

7And Aḇraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hurried to prepare it.

8And he took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them, and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.

9And they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “See, in the tent.”

10And He said, “I shall certainly return to you according to the time of life, and see, Sarah your wife is to have a son!” And Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.

11Now Aḇraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age, and Sarah was past the way of women.

12And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my master being old too?”

13And יהוה said to Aḇraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I truly have a child, since I am old?’

14Is any matter too hard for יהוה? At the appointed time I am going to return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah is to have a son.

15But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”

16And the men rose up from there and looked toward Seḏom, and Aḇraham went with them to send them away.

17And יהוה said, “Shall I hide from Aḇraham what I am doing,

18since Aḇraham is certainly going to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19“For I have known him, so that he commands his children and his household after him, to guard the way of יהוה, to do righteousness and right-ruling, so that יהוה brings to Aḇraham what He has spoken to him.

20And יהוה said, “Because the outcry against Seḏom and Amorah is great, and because their sin is very heavy,

21“I am going down now to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me, and if not, I know.

22So the men turned away from there and went toward Seḏom, but יהוה still stood before Aḇraham.

23And Aḇraham drew near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wrong?

24“Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city, would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?

25“Far be it from You to act in this way, to slay the righteous with the wrong, so that the righteous should be as the wrong. Far be it from You! Does the Judge of all the earth not do right?”

26And יהוה said, “If I find in Seḏom fifty righteous within the city, then I shall spare all the place for their sakes.”

27And Aḇraham answered and said, “Look, please, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to יהוה,

28Suppose there are five less than the fifty righteous, would You destroy all of the city for lack of five? And He said, “If I find there forty-five, I do not destroy it.”

29And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there are found forty?” And He said, “I would not do it for the sake of forty.”

30And he said, “Let not יהוה be displeased, and let me speak: Suppose there are found thirty?” And He said, “I would not do it if I find thirty there.”

31And he said, “Look, please, I have taken it upon myself to speak to יהוה: Suppose there are found twenty?” And He said, “I would not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”

32And he said, “Let not יהוה be displeased, and let me speak only this time: Suppose there are found ten?” And He said, “I would not destroy it for the sake of ten.”

33Then יהוה went away as soon as He had ended speaking to Aḇraham. And Aḇraham returned to his place.

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