Genesis [Origin] 18

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¹Adonai appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre Bitter, Fatness, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.

²He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,

³and said, “My lord, if now I have found chen ·grace· in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.

⁴Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

⁵I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”

⁶Abraham Father of a multitude hurried into the tent to Sarah Princess, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs 23.1 qt; 21.9 L of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”

⁷Abraham Father of a multitude ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.

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

⁹They asked him, “Where is Sarah Princess, your wife?” He said, “See, in the tent.”

¹⁰He said, “I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah Princess your wife will have a son.” Sarah Princess sh'ma ·hear obey· in the tent door, which was behind him.

¹¹Now Abraham Father of a multitude and Sarah Princess were old, well advanced in age. Sarah Princess had passed the age of childbearing.

¹²Sarah Princess laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

¹³Adonai said to Abraham Father of a multitude, “Why did Sarah Princess laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?’

¹⁴Is anything too hard for Adonai ? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah Princess will have a son.” (2)

¹⁵Then Sarah Princess denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

¹⁶The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom Burning. Abraham Father of a multitude went with them to see them on their way.

¹⁷Adonai said, “Will I hide from Abraham Father of a multitude what I do,

¹⁸since Abraham Father of a multitude will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?

¹⁹For I have known him, to the end that he may enjoin his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Adonai , to do righteousness and right judgement; to the end that Adonai may bring on Abraham Father of a multitude that which he has spoken of him.”

²⁰Adonai said, “Because the cry of Sodom Burning and Gomorrah Rebellious people, Tyrants is great, and because their sin is very grievous,

²¹I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”

²²The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom Burning, but Abraham Father of a multitude stood yet before Adonai .

²³Abraham Father of a multitude came near, and said, “Will you consume the upright with the wicked?

²⁴What if there are fifty upright within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty upright who are in it?

²⁵Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the upright with the wicked, so that the upright should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Should not the Judge of all the earth do right judgement?”

²⁶Adonai said, “If I find in Sodom Burning fifty upright within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

²⁷Abraham Father of a multitude answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.

²⁸What if there will lack five of the fifty upright? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there.”

²⁹He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.”

³⁰He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”

³¹He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”

³²He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”

³³Adonai went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham Father of a multitude, and Abraham Father of a multitude returned to his place.