Gen 18:23-32 | NET2full | STEP | Abraham approached and said , “Will you really sweep away the godly along with the wicked ?

‏ Genesis 18:23-32

23 Abraham approached and said, “Will you really sweep away the godly along with the wicked? 24 What if there are 50 godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare ^{▼▼tn Heb “lift up,” perhaps in the sense of “bear with” (cf. NRSV “forgive”).} the place for the sake of the 50 godly people who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge ^{▼▼tn Or “ruler.”} of the whole earth do what is right?” ^{▼▼sn Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right? For discussion of this text see J. L. Crenshaw, “Popular Questioning of the Justice of God in Ancient Israel,” ZAW 82 (1970): 380-95, and C. S. Rodd, “Shall Not the Judge of All the Earth Do What Is Just?” ExpTim 83 (1972): 137-39.}

26 So the Lord replied, “If I find in the city of Sodom 50 godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

27 Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord ^{▼▼tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 30, 31, 32 is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay).} (although I am but dust and ashes), ^{▼▼tn The disjunctive clause is a concessive clause here, drawing out the humility as a contrast to the Lord.} 28 what if there are five less than the 50 godly people? Will you destroy ^{▼▼tn The Hebrew verb שָׁחַת (shakhat, “to destroy”) was used earlier to describe the effect of the flood.} the whole city because five are lacking?” ^{▼▼tn Heb “because of five.”} He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find 45 there.”

29 Abraham ^{▼▼tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} spoke to him again, ^{▼▼tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys—the preterite (“he added”) is combined with an adverb “yet” and an infinitive “to speak.”} “What if 40 are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the 40.”

30 Then Abraham ^{▼▼tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} said, “May the Lord not be angry ^{▼▼tn Heb “let it not be hot to the Lord.” This is an idiom which means “may the Lord not be angry.”} so that I may speak! ^{▼▼tn After the jussive, the cohortative indicates purpose/result.} What if 30 are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find 30 there.”

31 Abraham ^{▼▼tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only 20 are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the 20.”

32 Finally Abraham ^{▼▼tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if 10 are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the 10.”