18:1 Yahweh appeared to Abraham
at the oaks of Mamre
while sitting at the entrance of his tent
during the heat of the day.
18:2 Abraham looked up
and he saw three Lords
standing in front of him
When he saw Them he ran
from the entrance of the tent
to greet Them
and bowed before Them.
18:3 He said to them:
Lords if I have pleased you
please do not leave Your servant.
18:4 Allow a little water be fetched
so You may wash Your feet
and rest Yourselves beneath the tree.
18:5 I will bring some food
to replenish Yourselves
before you continue on Your way
now that You’ve come to Your servant.
They replied:
By all means do as you suggest.
18:6 Then Abraham hurried into the tent
and told Sarah:
Quick! Knead three measures of fine flour
and make bread.
18:7 Abraham went out to the farm
and fetched some choice food.
He gave it to a young man
who hurried to prepare it.
18:8 Abraham then brought curds and whey
and the food that had been prepared
and set them before the Lords.
He served Them
as they ate under the tree.
18:9 They asked him:
Where is Sarah your wife?
He answered:
Over there in the tent.
18:10 Yahweh spoke to him:
Surely I will return in a year
and your wife Sarah will have a son.
Sarah heard Them at the tent entrance.
18:11 Abraham and Sarah were old
and advanced in years.
Sarah had passed the childbearing age.
18:12 Thus Sarah chuckled to herself:
After I am worn out
and my husband is old
can I still have pleasure?
18:13 Then Yahweh asked Abraham:
Why would Sarah laugh
about having a baby when she’s old?
18:14 Is anything impossible for Yahweh?
I said I will come back to you
in about a year she will have a son.
18:15 Sarah denied it, saying:
I did not laugh
because she was worried.
But He replied:
No you laughed.
18:16 The Lords rose up from that place
and looked towards
Abraham walked with them
to see Them on their way.
18:17 Then Yahweh spoke:
I will conceal from Abraham
what I do.
18:18 Abraham will surely become
a great and powerful person.
And all the peoples of earth
will be blessed through him.
18:19 For I know him
and he will instruct his followers
and his household to keep
the way of Yahweh
doing what is right and just.
This is how Yahweh will fulfill
to Abraham what he promised.
18:20 Then Yahweh declared:
The cries of distress
from
As a result their penalty
will be significantly grievous.
18:21 I will descend
to see whether they have done
supports the cries of distress
that have been sent to Me.
Therefore I will get to the bottom of it.
18:22 The two Lords turned around
and went towards
while Abraham remained
standing before Yahweh.
18:23 Abraham approached and asked:
Will you destroy the righteous
with the wicked?
18:24 What if fifty righteous people
are in the city?
Will you destroy it anyway
instead of sparing the place
for the sake of the fifty righteous people?
18:25 You would not do this:
Killing the righteous with the wicked
treating the righteous and the wicked alike.
You could not do that.
Shall the Judge of the earth
not do what is just?
18:26 Yahweh replied:
If I find fifty righteous people
in the city of
I will spare the whole place
for their sake.
18:27 Then Abraham answered:
Since I have risked
speaking to my Lord
though I am dust and ashes
18:28 suppose the fifty righteous lack five.
Will you destroy the whole city
for lack of five?
The Lord replied:
I will not destroy it
if I find there forty-five.
18:29 Then Abraham asked:
What if forty are found there?
He answered:
I will not do it on account of forty.
18:30 Then he said:
Let my Lord not be offended
and I will ask further.
Suppose thirty are found there?
He replied:
I will not do it if I find thirty there.
18:31 Then he said:
Since I have risked asking to speak to my Lord
suppose twenty are found there?
He replied:
I will not destroy it on account of twenty.
18:32 Then he asked:
Please my Lord do not be offended
and I will ask once more:
Suppose ten are found there?
He answered:
I will not destroy it on account of ten.
18:33 When Yahweh finished
speaking with Abraham
He departed that place
and Abraham returned to his tent.
