Genesis 18

Birth of Isaac Promised

1Now athe Lord appeared to him by the
Or terebinths
,
coaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.
2When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three dmen were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth, 3and said,
Or O Lord
My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not
Lit pass away from Your servant
pass Your servant by.
4Please let a little water be brought and gwash your feet, and
Lit support
rest yourselves under the tree;
5and I will
Lit take
,
jbring a piece of bread, that you may
Lit sustain your heart
refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have
Lit come to
visited your servant.” And they said, “So do, as you have said.”
6So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said,
Lit Hasten three measures
Quickly, prepare three
Heb seah; i.e. one seah equals approx eleven qts
measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.”
7Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and
Lit good
choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.
8He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree
Lit and
as they ate.

9Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” 10He said, qI will surely return to you
Lit when the time revives
at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.
11Now sAbraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was tpast
Lit the manner of women
childbearing.
12Sarah laughed
Lit within
to herself, saying, wAfter I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my xlord being old also?”
13And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed
Lit surely bear
bear a child, when I am so old?’
14 zIs anything too
Or wonderful
difficult for the Lord? At the abappointed time I will return to you,
Lit when the time revives
at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
15Sarah denied it however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

16Then adthe men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off. 17 aeThe Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham afwhat I am about to do, 18since Abraham will surely become a great and
Or populous
mighty nation, and in him ahall the nations of the earth will be blessed?
19“For I have
Lit known
,
ajchosen him, so that he may akcommand his children and his household after him to alkeep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham amwhat He has spoken about him.”
20And the Lord said, anThe outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. 21“I will aogo down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

22Then apthe men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before aqthe Lord. 23Abraham came near and said, arWill You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not
Or forgive
spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?
25Far be it from You to do
Lit after this manner
such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not authe Judge of all the earth
Lit do justice
deal justly?”
26So the Lord said, awIf I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will
Or forgive
spare the whole place on their account.”
27And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have
Lit undertaken
ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but azdust and ashes.
28Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29He spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it on account of the forty.” 30Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31And he said, “Now behold, I have
Lit undertaken
ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.”
32Then he said, bbOh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten.” 33As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham bcthe Lord departed, and Abraham returned to his place.
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