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 Yahweh appeared unto him among the oaks of Mamre, —as, he, was sitting at the opening of the tent 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,
And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo! three men, standing over against him, —so he looked and ran to meet them from the opening of the tent, and bowed himself to the earth;
3 and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not go away from your servant.
and said, —O My Lord! if, I pray thee, I have found favour in thine eyes, do not I pray thee pass on from thy servant.
4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
Let there be fetched, I pray thee a little water, and bathe ye 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.”
And let me fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart, Afterwards, ye may pass on, For on this account, have ye passed by, over against your servant. And they said, Thus, shalt thou do as thou hast spoken.
6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
So Abraham hastened towards the tent unto Sarah, —and said, Hasten thou three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make hearth-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 unto the herd, ran Abraham, —and took a calf tender and good and gave unto the young man, and he hastened to make it ready.
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 took butter and milk and the calf that he had made ready, and set before them, —while, he, was standing near them under the tree, they did eat.
9 They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, in the tent.”
And they said unto him, As to Sarah thy wife… And he said Lo! [she is] 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 said, I will, surely return, unto thee at the quickening season, —and lo! a son for Sarah thy wife. Now Sarah, was hearkening at the opening of the tent, it, being behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
But Abraham and Sarah, were old, far gone in days, —it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
So then Sarah laughed within herself, saying: After I am past age, hath there come to me pleasure, my lord, also being old?
13 The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’
And Yahweh said unto Abraham, —Wherefore now did Sarah laugh saying. Can it really and truly be that I should bear, seeing that I have become 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.”
Is anything, too wonderful for Yahweh? At the appointed time, I will return unto thee, at the quickening season and Sarah, shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
And Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not, For she was afraid. And he said—Nay! but thou didst laugh!
16 The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
And the men rose up from thence, and looked out over the face of Sodom, —Abraham also going with them to set them on their way.
17 The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
Now, Yahweh, had said, —Am I going to 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?
when, Abraham, shall 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 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 become his intimate friend, To the end that he may command his sons and his house after him, so shall they keep the way of Yahweh, by doing righteousness and justice. To the end that Yahweh may bring in for Abraham, what he hath spoken concerning him.
20 The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
So Yahweh said, The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because it hath become great, —And their sin, because it hath become exceeding 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.”
Let me go down, pray, and let me behold, whether according to their outcry which hath come in unto me, they have done altogether, And if not. I must know!
22 The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
And the men turned from thence, and went their way, towards Sodom, —but, Yahweh was yet standing before Abraham.
23 Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?
So then Abraham drew near and said, Wilt thou really sweep away, the righteous with the lawless?
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?
Peradventure there are fifty righteous, in the midst of the city, Wilt thou really sweep away, and not spare the place, for the sake of the fifty righteous which are therein?
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. Should not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
Far be it from thee! to do after this manner. to put to death the righteous with the lawless! Then should righteous and lawless be alike, Far be it from thee! Shall, 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 Yahweh said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then will I spare 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 responded and said, —Behold I pray thee I have ventured to speak unto My Lord, though 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.”
Peradventure there may lack, of the fifty righteous, five, Wilt thou destroy for five all the city? And he said, I will not destroy, if I find there forty and 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 added, yet once more, to speak unto him, and said, Peradventure there may be found there—forty. And he said—I will not do it, for the sake of the forty.
30 He said, “Oh do not 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 said Let it not, I pray thee, be vexing to My Lord, but let me speak, Peradventure there may be found there—thirty And he said, I will not to 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 said Behold, I pray thee, I have ventured to speak unto My Lord, Peradventure there may be found there—twenty. And he said I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty.
32 He said, “Oh do not 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 said, Let it not, I pray thee, be vexing to My Lord, but let me speak only this once, Peradventure there may be found there—ten. And he said, I will not destroy [it], for the sake 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 Yahweh went his way, when he had made an end. of speaking unto Abraham, —Abraham, also returned to his place.
