Genesis 18

1Yahweh appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre as he was sitting at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day.

2He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed down to the ground.

3He said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant.

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

5Let me get a bit of bread so you can refresh yourselves, and after that you may go on your way, since that is why you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”

6So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick, take three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.”

7Then Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and choice, and gave it to a young servant, who hurried to prepare it.

8He took curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared and set them before the men, and he stood near them under the tree while they ate.

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

10Then he said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.

11Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.

12So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “After I am worn out, and my husband is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

13Then Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’

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

15But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. He said, “No, you did laugh.”

16When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.

17Then Yahweh said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

18since Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him?

19For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of Yahweh by doing what is right and just, so that Yahweh will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”

20Then Yahweh said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great indeed, and their sin is very serious.

21I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether as the outcry that has reached me suggests. If not, I will know.”

22So the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before Yahweh.

23Then Abraham came near and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

24What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?

25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”

26Yahweh said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

27Abraham answered, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am only dust and ashes,

28what if the fifty righteous are five short? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

29Once again he spoke to him and said, “What if forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of the forty I will not do it.”

30Then he said, “Please do not let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if thirty are found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

31He said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if twenty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of the twenty I will not destroy it.”

32Then he said, “Please do not let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “For the sake of the ten I will not destroy it.”

33When Yahweh had finished speaking with Abraham, he went his way, and Abraham returned to his place.