Genesis 18
1
And Jehovah appeareth unto him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about
the heat of the day; 2 and he lifteth up his eyes and
looketh, and lo, three men standing by him, and he seeth, and runneth to meet them
from the opening of the tent, and boweth himself
towards the earth, 3 And he saith, `My Lord, if, I
pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, do not, I pray thee, pass on from
thy servant; 4 let, I pray thee, a little water be accepted, and wash your
feet, and recline under the tree; 5 and I bring a piece of bread, and support
ye your heart; afterwards pass on, for therefore have ye passed over unto your
servant;' and they say, `So mayest thou do as thou
has spoken.' 6 And Abraham hasteth towards the tent,
unto Sarah, and saith, `Hasten three measures of
flour-meal, knead, and make cakes;' 7 and Abraham ran unto the herd, and taketh
a son of the herd, tender and good, and giveth unto the young man, and he hasteth to prepare it; 8 and he taketh butter and milk, and
the son of the herd which he hath prepared, and setteth
before them; and he is standing by them under the tree, and they do eat. 9 And
they say unto him, `Where [is] Sarah thy wife?' and he saith,
`Lo--in the tent;' 10 and he saith, `returning I
return unto thee, about the time of life, and lo, to Sarah thy wife a son.' 11
And Sarah is hearkening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him; 12 and
Abraham and Sarah [are] aged, entering into days--the way of women hath ceased
to be to Sarah; 13 and Sarah laugheth in her heart,
saying, `After I have waxed old I have had pleasure!--my lord also [is] old!'
14 And Jehovah saith unto Abraham, `Why [is] this?
Sarah hath laughed, saying, Is it true really--I bear--and I am aged? Is any thing too wonderful for Jehovah? at the appointed time
I return unto thee, about the time of life, and Sarah hath a son.' 15 And Sarah
denieth, saying, `I did not laugh;' for she hath been
afraid; and He saith, `Nay, but thou didst laugh.' 16
And the men rise from thence, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is
going with them to send them away; 17 and Jehovah said, `Am I concealing from
Abraham that which I am doing, 18 and Abraham certainly becometh
a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the
earth? 19 for I have known him, that he commandeth
his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of Jehovah),
to do righteousness and judgment, that Jehovah may bring on Abraham that which
He hath spoken concerning him.' 20 And Jehovah saith,
`The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah--because great; and their sin--because exceeding
grievous: 21 I go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is
coming unto Me they have done completely--and if not--I know;' 22 and the men
turn from thence, and go towards Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before
Jehovah. 23 And Abraham draweth nigh and saith, `Dost Thou also consume
righteous with wicked? 24 peradventure there are fifty righteous in the midst
of the city; dost Thou also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake
of the fifty--the righteous who [are] in its midst? 25 Far be it from Thee to
do according to this thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked; that
it hath been--as the righteous so the wicked--far be it from Thee; doth the
Judge of all the earth not do justice?' 26 And Jehovah saith,
`If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne
with all the place for their sake.' 27 And Abraham answereth
and saith, `Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak
unto the Lord, and I--dust and ashes; 28 peradventure there are lacking five of
the fifty righteous--dost Thou destroy for five the whole of the city?' and He saith, `I destroy [it] not, if I find there forty and
five.' 29 And he addeth again to speak unto Him and saith, `Peradventure there are found there forty?' and He saith, `I do [it] not, because of the forty.' 30 And he saith, `Let it not be, I Pray thee, displeasing to the
Lord, and I speak: peradventure there are found there thirty?' and He saith, `I do [it] not, if I find there thirty.' 31 And he saith, `Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the
Lord: peradventure there are found there twenty?' and He saith,
`I do not destroy [it], because of the twenty.' 32 And he saith,
`Let it not be, I pray Thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this
time: peradventure there are found there ten?' and He saith,
`I do not destroy [it], because of the ten.' 33 And Jehovah goeth
on, when He hath finished speaking unto Abraham, and Abraham hath turned back
to his place.