1 N ow the Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks or terebinths of Mamre; as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day,

And Jehovah appeareth unto him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about the heat of the day;

2 H e lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood at a little distance from him. He ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the ground

and he lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, three men standing by him, and he seeth, and runneth to meet them from the opening of the tent, and boweth himself towards the earth,

3 A nd said, My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant, I beg of you.

And he saith, `My Lord, if, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, do not, I pray thee, pass on from thy servant;

4 L et a little water be brought, and you may wash your feet and recline and rest yourselves under the tree.

let, I pray thee, a little water be accepted, and wash your feet, and recline under the tree;

5 A nd I will bring a morsel (mouthful) of bread to refresh and sustain your hearts before you go on further—for that is why you have come to your servant. And they replied, Do as you have said.

and I bring a piece of bread, and support ye your heart; afterwards pass on, for therefore have ye passed over unto your servant;' and they say, `So mayest thou do as thou has spoken.'

6 S o Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah and said, Quickly get ready three measures of fine meal, knead it, and bake cakes.

And Abraham hasteth towards the tent, unto Sarah, and saith, `Hasten three measures of flour-meal, knead, and make cakes;'

7 A nd Abraham ran to the herd and brought a calf tender and good and gave it to the young man; then he hastened to prepare it.

and Abraham ran unto the herd, and taketh a son of the herd, tender and good, and giveth unto the young man, and he hasteth to prepare it;

8 A nd he took curds and milk and the calf which he had made ready, and set it before; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

and he taketh butter and milk, and the son of the herd which he hath prepared, and setteth before them; and he is standing by them under the tree, and they do eat.

9 A nd they said to him, Where is Sarah your wife? And he said, in the tent.

And they say unto him, `Where Sarah thy wife?' and he saith, `Lo -- in the tent;'

10 s aid, I will surely return to you when the season comes round, and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son. And Sarah was listening and heard it at the tent door which was behind Him.

and he saith, `returning I return unto thee, about the time of life, and lo, to Sarah thy wife a son.'

11 N ow Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in years; it had ceased to be with Sarah as with women..

And Sarah is hearkening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him;

12 T herefore Sarah laughed to herself, saying, After I have become aged shall I have pleasure and delight, my lord (husband), being old also?

and Abraham and Sarah aged, entering into days -- the way of women hath ceased to be to Sarah;

13 A nd the Lord asked Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I really bear a child when I am so old?

and Sarah laugheth in her heart, saying, `After I have waxed old I have had pleasure! -- my lord also old!'

14 I s anything too hard or too wonderful for the Lord? At the appointed time, when the season comes around, I will return to you and Sarah shall have borne a son.

And Jehovah saith unto Abraham, `Why this? Sarah hath laughed, saying, Is it true really -- I bear -- and I am aged? Is any thing too wonderful for Jehovah? at the appointed time I return unto thee, about the time of life, and Sarah hath a son.'

15 T hen Sarah denied it, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And He said, No, but you did laugh.

And Sarah denieth, saying, `I did not laugh;' for she hath been afraid; and He saith, `Nay, but thou didst laugh.'

16 T he men rose up from there and faced toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

And the men rise from thence, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away;

17 A nd the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am going to do,

and Jehovah said, `Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,

18 S ince Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him and shall bless themselves by him?

and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth?

19 F or I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him, so that he may teach and command his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord and to do what is just and righteous, so that the Lord may bring Abraham what He has promised him.

for I have known him, that he commandeth his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of Jehovah), to do righteousness and judgment, that Jehovah may bring on Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him.'

20 A nd the Lord said, Because the shriek of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is exceedingly grievous,

And Jehovah saith, `The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah -- because great; and their sin -- because exceeding grievous:

21 I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether as is the cry of it which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.

I go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming unto Me they have done completely -- and if not -- I know;'

22 N ow the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.

and the men turn from thence, and go towards Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before Jehovah.

23 A nd Abraham came close and said, Will You destroy the righteous (those upright and in right standing with God) together with the wicked?

And Abraham draweth nigh and saith, `Dost Thou also consume righteous with wicked?

24 S uppose there are in the city fifty righteous; will You destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous in it?

peradventure there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city; dost Thou also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty -- the righteous who in its midst?

25 F ar be it from You to do such a thing—to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as do the wicked! Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth execute judgment and do righteously?

Far be it from Thee to do according to this thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked; that it hath been -- as the righteous so the wicked -- far be it from Thee; doth the Judge of all the earth not do justice?'

26 A nd the Lord said, If I find in the city of Sodom fifty righteous (upright and in right standing with God), I will spare the whole place for their sake.

And Jehovah saith, `If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne with all the place for their sake.'

27 A braham answered, Behold now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord.

And Abraham answereth and saith, `Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord, and I -- dust and ashes;

28 I f five of the fifty righteous should be lacking—will You destroy the whole city for lack of five? He said, If I find forty-five, I will not destroy it.

peradventure there are lacking five of the fifty righteous -- dost Thou destroy for five the whole of the city?' and He saith, `I destroy not, if I find there forty and five.'

29 A nd spoke to Him yet again, and said, Suppose forty shall be found there. And He said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.

And he addeth again to speak unto Him and saith, `Peradventure there are found there forty?' and He saith, `I do not, because of the forty.'

30 T hen said to Him, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty shall be found there. And He answered, I will not do it if I find thirty there.

And he saith, `Let it not be, I Pray thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak: peradventure there are found there thirty?' and He saith, `I do not, if I find there thirty.'

31 A nd said, Behold now, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty shall be found there. And replied, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.

And he saith, `Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there are found there twenty?' and He saith, `I do not destroy, because of the twenty.'

32 A nd he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again only this once. Suppose ten shall be found there. And said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

And he saith, `Let it not be, I pray Thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: peradventure there are found there ten?' and He saith, `I do not destroy, because of the ten.'

33 A nd the Lord went His way when He had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

And Jehovah goeth on, when He hath finished speaking unto Abraham, and Abraham hath turned back to his place.