Genesis 18

1Then the LORDH3068 appearedH7200 toH413 Abraham by the OaksH4361 of MamreH4471 in the heatH2527 of the dayH3117, while heH1931 was sittingH3427 at the entranceH6607 of his tentH168. 2And Abraham looked upH5375H5869 and sawH7200H2009 threeH7969 menH582 standingH5324 nearbyH5921. When he saw themH7200, he ran fromH7323 the entranceH6607 of his tentH168 to meet themH7122 and bowed lowH7812 to the groundH776.

3“My lordH113,” saidH559 Abraham, “ifH518 I have foundH4672 favorH2580 in your sightH5869, pleaseH4994 do notH408H4994 passH5674H5921 your servant byH5650. 4Let a littleH4592 waterH4325 be broughtH3947H4994, that you may washH7364 your feetH7272 and restH8172 yourselves underH8478 the treeH6086. 5And I will bringH3947 a bitH6595 of breadH3899 so that you may refreshH5582 yourselvesH3820. This is whyH3588H5921H3651 you have passedH5674 your servant’s wayH5650. After thatH310, you may continue on your wayH5674H5921.”

“YesH3651,” they repliedH559, “you may doH6213 asH834 you have saidH1696.”

6So AbrahamH85 hurriedH4116 into the tentH168 and saidH559 toH413 SarahH8283, “Quick! PrepareH4116 threeH7969 seahsH5429 of fineH5560 flourH7058,2 knead itH3888, and bakeH6213 some breadH5692.”

7Meanwhile, AbrahamH85 ranH7323 toH413 the herdH1241, selectedH3947 a tenderH7390 and choiceH2896 calfH1121H1241, and gaveH5414 it toH413 a servantH5288, who hurriedH4116 to prepareH6213 itH853. 8Then Abraham broughtH3947 curdsH2529 and milkH2461 and the calfH1121H1241 thatH834 had been preparedH6213, and he set themH5414 before the menH6440 andH1931 stoodH5975 by themH5921 underH8478 the treeH6086 as they ateH398.

Sarah Laughs at the Promise

9“WhereH346 is your wifeH802 SarahH8283?” they askedH559H413.

“ThereH2009, in the tentH168,” he repliedH559.

10Then the LORD saidH559, “I will surely returnH7725 to youH413 at this time next yearH6256H2416H2009, and your wifeH802 SarahH8283 will have a sonH1121!”

Now SarahH8283H1931 was behind himH310, listeningH8085 at the entranceH6607 to the tentH168. 11And AbrahamH85 and SarahH8283 were already oldH2205 and well alongH935 in yearsH3117; SarahH8283 had passedH2308H1961 the age of childbearingH734H802. 12SoH8283 she laughedH6711 to herselfH7130, sayingH559, “AfterH310 I am worn outH1086 and my masterH113 is oldH2204, will I now haveH1961 this pleasureH5730?”

13And the LORDH3068H413 askedH559 AbrahamH85, “WhyH4100H2088 did SarahH8283 laughH6711 and sayH559, ‘Can I reallyH637H552 bear a childH3205 when I amH589 oldH2204?’ 14Is anythingH1697 too difficultH6381 for the LORDH3068? At the appointed timeH4150 I will returnH7725 to youH413—in about a yearH6256H2416—and SarahH8283 will have a sonH1121.”3

15But SarahH8283 was afraidH3372, soH3588 she denied itH3584 and saidH559, “I did notH3808 laughH6711.”

“NoH3808,” repliedH559 the LORD, “butH3588 you did laughH6711.”

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

16When the men got upH6965 to leaveH8033, they looked outH8259 overH5921H6440 SodomH5467, and AbrahamH85 walked alongH1980 with themH5973 to see them offH7971.

17And the LORDH3068 saidH559, “Shall IH589 hideH3680 from AbrahamH85 whatH834 IH589 am about to doH6213? 18AbrahamH85 will surely becomeH1961 a greatH1419 and powerfulH6099 nationH1471, and through him allH3605 the nationsH1471 of the earthH776 will be blessedH1288. 19ForH3588 I have chosenH3045 himH4616, so thatH834 he will commandH6680 his childrenH1121 andH853 his householdH1004 after himH310 to keepH8104 the wayH1870 of the LORDH3068 by doingH6213 what is rightH6666 and justH4941, in order thatH4616 the LORDH3068 may bringH935 uponH5921 AbrahamH85 whatH834 He has promisedH1696.”

20Then the LORDH3068 saidH559, “The outcryH2201 against SodomH5467 and GomorrahH6017 is greatH7231. BecauseH3588 their sinH2403 is soH3966 grievousH3513, 21I will go downH3381H4994 to seeH7200 if their actionsH6213 fullyH3617 justify the outcryH6818 that has reachedH935 MeH413. IfH518 notH3808, I will find outH3045.”

22And the two menH582 turnedH6437 awayH8033 and wentH1980 toward SodomH5467, but AbrahamH85 remainedH5750 standingH5975 beforeH6440 the LORDH3068.

23AbrahamH85 stepped forwardH5066 and saidH559, “Will You reallyH637 sweep awayH5595 the righteousH6662 withH5973 the wickedH7563? 24What ifH194 there areH3426 fiftyH2572 righteous onesH6662 inH8432 the cityH5892? Will You reallyH637 sweep it awayH5595 and notH3808 spareH5375 the placeH4725 for the sake ofH4616 the fiftyH2572 righteous onesH6662 whoH834 are thereH7130? 25Far be itH2486 from You to doH6213 suchH2088 a thingH1697—to killH4191 the righteousH6662 withH5973 the wickedH7563, so that the righteousH6662 and the wickedH7563 are treated alikeH1961. Far be itH2486 from You! Will notH3808 the JudgeH8199 of allH3605 the earthH776 doH6213 what is rightH4941?”

26So the LORDH3068 repliedH559, “IfH518 I findH4672 fiftyH2572 righteous onesH6662 withinH8432 the cityH5892 of SodomH5467, on their accountH5668 I will spareH5375 the wholeH3605 placeH4725.”

27Then AbrahamH85 answeredH559H6030, “Now thatH2009H4994 I have venturedH2974 to speakH1696 toH413 the LordH136—though IH595 am but dustH6083 and ashesH665— 28supposeH194 the fiftyH2572 righteous onesH6662 lackH2637 fiveH2568. Will You destroyH7843 the wholeH3605 cityH5892 for the lack of fiveH2568?”

He repliedH559, “IfH518 I findH4672 forty-fiveH705H2568 thereH8033, I will notH3808 destroyH7843 it.”

29Once againH3254H5750 Abraham spokeH1696 toH413 the LORD, “SupposeH194 fortyH705H559 are foundH4672 thereH8033?”

He answeredH559, “On accountH5668 of the fortyH705, I will notH3808 do itH6213.”

30Then Abraham saidH559, “May the LordH136 notH408H4994 be angryH2734, but let me speakH1696 further. SupposeH194 thirtyH7970 are foundH4672 thereH8033?”

He repliedH559, “IfH518 I findH4672 thirtyH7970 thereH8033, I will notH3808 do itH6213.”

31And Abraham saidH559, “Now thatH2009H4994 I have venturedH2974 to speakH1696 toH413 the LordH136, supposeH194 twentyH6242 are foundH4672 thereH8033?”

He answeredH559, “On accountH5668 of the twentyH6242, I will notH3808 destroyH7843 it.”

32Finally, Abraham saidH559, “May the LordH136 notH408H4994 be angryH2734, but let me speakH1696H389 once moreH6471. SupposeH194 tenH6235 are foundH4672 thereH8033?”

And He answeredH559, “On accountH5668 of the tenH6235, I will notH3808 destroyH7843 it.”

33WhenH834 the LORDH3068 had finishedH3615 speakingH1696 withH413 AbrahamH85, He departedH1980, and AbrahamH85 returnedH7725 homeH4725.