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.
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,
3 and said, “My
lord, if now I
have found favor
in your sight,
please don’t go
away from your
servant.
4 Now
let a little
water be fetched,
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.”
6 Abraham
hurried into
the tent to Sarah,
and said, “Quickly
prepare three seahs
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.
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.
9 They asked him, “Where
is Sarah,
your wife?”
He said, “There, 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.
11 Now Abraham
and Sarah were
old, well advanced in
age. Sarah had
passed the age
of childbearing.
12 Sarah
laughed within
herself, saying, “After
I have grown
old will I
have pleasure,
my lord being old
also?”
13 The
LORD said to Abraham, “Why
did Sarah laugh,
saying, ‘Will I
really bear a
child when 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.”
15 Then
Sarah denied it,
saying, “I didn’t laugh,”
for she was
afraid.
He said, “No, but
you did laugh.”
16 The
men rose up
from there, and
looked toward
Sodom. Abraham went
with them to see
them on their
way.
17 The
LORD said, “Will I
hide from Abraham
what I do,
18 since Abraham
will surely become
a great and
mighty nation, and
all the nations
of the earth will
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.”
20 The
LORD 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 their deeds
are as bad as
the reports which have
come to me.
If not, I
will know.”
22 The men
turned 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?
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?
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?”
26 The
LORD said, “If I
find in Sodom
fifty righteous
within the city,
then I will
spare the whole
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.
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
33 The
LORD went his
way as soon as
he had finished
communing with Abraham,
and Abraham returned
to his place.