[1] Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door
in the heat of the day. [2] He 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, [3] and said, "My lord, if
now I have found favor in your sight, please don`t go away from your
servant. [4] Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest
yourselves under the tree. [5] I 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." [6]
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly make ready three
measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes." [7] Abraham ran to the
herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He
hurried to dress it. [8] He 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. [9] They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife? He said, "See,
in the tent." [10] He said, "I will certainly return to you when the season
comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah heard in
the tent door, which was behind him. [11] Now Abraham and Sarah were old,
well advanced in age. It had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of
women. [12] Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old
will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" [13] Yahweh said to Abraham,
"Why did Sarah laugh, saying, `Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?`
[14] Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you,
when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son." [15] Then Sarah
denied, saying, "I didn`t laugh," for she was afraid." He said, "No,
but you did laugh." [16] The men rose up from there, and looked toward
Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way. [17] Yahweh said,
"Will I hide from Abraham what I do, [18] seeing that Abraham has surely
become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be
blessed in him? [19] For I have known him, to the end that he may command
his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of
Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring
on Abraham that which he has spoken of him." [20] Yahweh said, "Because the
cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
[21] I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether
according to the cry of it, which is come to me. If not, I will know." [22]
The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet
before Yahweh. [23] Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the
righteous with the wicked? [24] What if there are fifty righteous within
the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous
who are therein? [25] Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill
the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the
wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn`t the Judge of all the earth do
right?" [26] Yahweh said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the
city, then I will spare all the place for their sake." [27] Abraham
answered, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, who am
but dust and ashes. [28] What if there will lack five of the fifty
righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?" He said, "I
will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there." [29] He 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." [30] He 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." [31] He 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."
[32] He said, "Oh don`t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but
this once. What if ten are found there?" He said, "I will not destroy
it for the ten`s sake." [33] Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had
finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
