Genesis 18

1 The LORD appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre. He was sitting at the door of the tent in the heat of the day. 2 He looked up and saw three men standing over him. When he saw them, he ran from the door of the tent to meet them. He bowed down to the ground. 3 He said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a little water be brought. Wash your feet, and rest under the tree. 5 Let me bring a bit of bread, and refresh yourselves. After that you may go on, since this is why you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said." 6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quick! Take three measures of fine flour. Knead it and make cakes." 7 Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good. He gave it to the young man, and he hurried to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf he had prepared, and set them before them. He stood over them under the tree, and they ate.

9 They said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" He said, "There, in the tent." 10 He said, "I will surely return to you when the time comes round again, and your wife Sarah will have a son." Sarah was listening at the door of the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were old, well along in years. Sarah had stopped having her monthly periods. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself. She said, "After I am worn out, has there been pleasure for me? And my lord is old!" 13 The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Can I really give birth, now that I am old?' 14 Is any word too wonderful for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, when the time comes round again, and Sarah will have a son." 15 Sarah denied it. "I did not laugh," she said, because she was afraid. He said, "No, you did laugh." 16 Then the men got up from there and looked down on Sodom. Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.

17 The LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing? 18 Abraham will surely become a great and numerous nation, and all the nations of the land will be blessed in him. 19 For I have known him, so that he will command his children and his household after him, and they will keep the way of the LORD by doing justice and judgment, so that the LORD may bring about for Abraham what he has spoken about him." 20 Then the LORD said, "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is very heavy. 21 Let me go down and see. Have they done what its outcry that has come to me says, a full end? And if not, I will know." 22 The men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the LORD. 23 Abraham came near and said, "Will you really sweep away the just with the guilty? 24 Perhaps there are 50 just people in the city. Will you really sweep away? Will you not spare the place for the sake of the 50 just people in it?

25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the just to death with the guilty, so that the just are treated like the guilty! Far be it from you! Shall the judge of all the land not do judgment?" 26 The LORD said, "If I find 50 just people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place. I will do it for their sake." 27 Abraham answered, "Look, I have dared to speak to the Lord, and I am dust and ashes. 28 Perhaps the 50 just people will be five short. Will you destroy the whole city because of five?" He said, "I will not destroy it if I find 45 there." 29 Once again he spoke to him and said, "Perhaps 40 will be found there." He said, "For the sake of the 40 I will not do it." 30 Then he said, "Please do not let the Lord be angry, and let me speak. Perhaps 30 will be found there." He said, "I will not do it if I find 30 there." 31 He said, "Look, I have dared to speak to the Lord. Perhaps 20 will be found there." He said, "For the sake of the 20 I will not destroy it." 32 Then he said, "Please do not let the Lord be angry, and let me speak only this once more. Perhaps 10 will be found there." He said, "For the sake of the 10 I will not destroy it."

33 When the LORD had finished speaking to Abraham, he went his way. And Abraham returned to his place.