Genesis 18

1Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre as he sat at the tent entrance in the heat of the day.

2He raised his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing before him; when he saw them, he ran from the tent's doorway to meet them and bowed to the earth.

3He said, "My lord, please, if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass from your servant."

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

5Let me bring a morsel of bread so you may refresh your hearts. After that you may go on your way, for this is why you have come to your servant. They said, "Do so, as you have spoken."

6Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Hurry, knead three measures of fine flour and make cakes."

7Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, and gave it to the young man, who hurried to prepare it.

8He took butter and milk and the calf he had prepared, set them before them, stood by them under the tree, and they ate.

9They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife?" He said, "There, in the tent."

10He said, "I will surely return to you at this time next year; look, a son for Sarah your wife." Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.

11Abraham and Sarah were aged, advanced in years. It had ceased to be with Sarah the way of women.

12Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I am worn out, shall delight be mine, my lord being old too?"

13Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I really give birth, when I myself have grown old?'"

14Is anything too hard for Yahweh? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.

15Sarah denied, saying, "I did not laugh," because she was afraid. He said, "No, for you did laugh."

16The men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them off.

17Yahweh said, "Shall I conceal from Abraham what I do?"

18Abraham will indeed become a great and powerful nation, and all nations of the earth will be blessed in him.

19For I have known him, so that he commands his children and his household after him to keep the way of Yahweh by doing righteousness and justice, so that Yahweh brings upon Abraham what he has spoken about him.

20Yahweh said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so exceedingly grievous."

21I will go down now and see if the things they have done are entirely like the outcry that has reached me; if not, I will know.

22The men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before Yahweh.

23Abraham approached and said, "Will you also sweep away the righteous with the wicked?"

24What if there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city? Will you also destroy it and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in its midst?

25Far be it from you to do such a thing, putting the righteous to death with the wicked so that the righteous fares like the wicked—far be it from you! Does the Judge of all the earth not perform justice?

26Yahweh said, "If I find fifty righteous in the midst of Sodom's city, then I will spare the entire place for their sake."

27Abraham answered, "Please, I have presumed to speak to the Lord—I who am dust and ashes."

28What if five fall short of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy the whole city for five? He said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."

29He spoke to him again and said, "What if forty are found there?" He said, "I will not do it because of the forty."

30He said, "Please don't be angry, Lord, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."

31He said, “See, please—I have ventured to speak to my Lord; perhaps twenty will be found there.” He said, “I will not destroy it because of the twenty.”

32He said, "Please don't be angry, my Lord—let me speak just this one time. Perhaps ten will be found there." He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten."

33Yahweh departed when he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.