CHAPTER 18
Then the LORD
appeared
to
Abraham by the oaks
of Mamre
in the heat
of the day,
while he
was sitting
at the entrance
to his tent.
And Abraham lifted up
his eyes
and saw
three
men
standing
nearby.
When he saw them,
he ran from
the entrance
of his tent
to meet them
and bowed low
to the ground.
“My lord,”
said Abraham,
“if
I have found
favor
in your sight,
please
do not
pass
your servant by.
And I will bring
a bit
of bread
so that you may refresh
yourselves.
This is why
you have passed
your servant’s way.
After that,
you may continue on your way.”
“Yes,”
they replied,
“you may do
as
you have said.”
So Abraham
hurried
into the tent
and said
to
Sarah,
“Quick! Prepare
three
seahs
of fine
flour,
knead it,
and bake
some bread.”
Meanwhile, Abraham
ran
to
the herd,
selected
a tender,
choice
calf,
and gave
it to
a servant,
who hurried
to prepare it.
Then Abraham brought
curds
and milk
and the calf
that
had been prepared,
and he set
them before the men
and
stood
by them
under
the tree
as they ate.
Then the LORD said,
“I will surely
return
to you
at this time next year,
and your wife
Sarah
will have a son!”
Now Sarah
was behind him,
listening
at the entrance
to the tent.
And Abraham
and Sarah
were already old
and well along
in years.
Sarah
had passed
the age of childbearing.
So she
laughed
to herself,
saying,
“After
I am worn out
and my master
is old,
will I now have
this pleasure?”
And the LORD
asked
Abraham,
“Why
did Sarah
laugh
and say,
‘Can I really
bear a child
when I am
old?’
Is anything
too difficult
for the LORD?
At the appointed time
I will return
to you—
in about a year—
and Sarah
will have a son.”
But Sarah
denied it,
saying,
“I did not
laugh.”
For
she was afraid.
“No,”
replied the LORD,
“but you did
laugh.”
When the men got up
to leave
they
looked out
over
Sodom,
and Abraham
walked along
with
them to see them off.
Abraham
will surely
become
a great
and powerful
nation,
and through him
all
the nations
of the earth
will be blessed.
For
I have chosen
him,
so that
he will command
his children
and
his household
after
him to keep
the way
of the LORD
by doing
what is right
and just,
in order that
the LORD
may bring
upon
Abraham
what
He has promised."
Then the LORD
said,
“The outcry
against Sodom
and Gomorrah
is great.
Because
their sin
is so
grievous,
I will go down
to see
if their actions
fully
justify the outcry
that has reached
Me.
If
not,
I will find out.”
And the two men
turned
away
and went
toward Sodom,
but Abraham
remained
standing
before
the LORD.
What if
there are
fifty
righteous
ones in
the city?
Will You really
sweep it away
and not
spare
the place
for the sake of
the fifty
righteous
ones
who are there?
Far be it from You
to do
such
a thing—
to kill
the righteous
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 right?”
So the LORD
replied,
“If
I find
fifty
righteous ones
within
the city
of Sodom,
on their account
I will spare
the whole
place.”
Then Abraham
answered,
“Now that
I have ventured
to speak
to
the Lord—
though I
am but dust
and ashes—
suppose
the fifty
righteous ones
lack
five.
Will you destroy
the whole
city
for the lack of five?”
He replied,
“If
I find
forty-five
there,
I will not
destroy it.”
Once again
Abraham spoke
to the LORD,
“Suppose
forty
are found
there?”
He answered,
“On account
of the forty,
I will not
do it.”
Then Abraham said,
“May the Lord
not
be angry,
but let me speak further.
Suppose
thirty
are found
there?”
He answered,
“If
I find
thirty
there,
I will not
do it.”
And Abraham said,
“Now that
I have ventured
to speak
to
the Lord,
suppose
twenty
are found
there?”
He replied,
“On account
of the twenty,
I will not
destroy it.”
Finally, Abraham said,
“May the Lord
not
be angry,
but let me speak
once more.
Suppose
ten
are found
there?”
And He answered,
“On account
of the ten,
I will not
destroy it.”