1 T he Lord showed Himself to Abraham by the oak trees of Mamre, as he sat at the tent door in the heat of the day.

And Jehovah appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre. And he sat at the tent-door in the heat of the day.

2 A braham looked up and saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them. He put his face to the ground

And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men standing near him. And when he saw, he ran to meet them from the tent-door, and bowed himself to the earth,

3 a nd said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant.

and said, Lord, if now I have found favour in thine eyes, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.

4 L et us have a little water brought to wash your feet. Rest yourselves under the tree.

Let now a little water be fetched, that ye may wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

5 A nd I will get a piece of bread so you may eat and get strength. After that you may go on your way, since you have come to your servant.” The men said, “Do as you have said.”

And I will fetch a morsel of bread; and refresh yourselves; after that ye shall pass on; for therefore have ye passed on towards your servant. And they said, So do as thou hast said.

6 S o Abraham ran into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Hurry and get three pails of fine flour, mix it well, and make bread.”

And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Knead quickly three seahs of wheaten flour, and make cakes.

7 T hen Abraham ran to the cattle and took out a young and good calf. He gave it to the servant to make it ready in a hurry.

And Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf tender and good, and gave to the attendant; and he hasted to dress it.

8 H e took milk and cheese and the meat which he had made ready, and set it in front of them. He stood by them under the tree while they ate.

And he took thick and sweet milk, and the calf that he had dressed, and set before them; and he stood before them under the tree, and they ate.

9 T hen they said to him, “Where is your wife Sarah?” And he said, “There in the tent.”

And they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

10 T he Lord said, “I will be sure to return to you at this time next year. And your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.

And he said, I will certainly return to thee at time of the year, and behold, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah was listening at the tent-door, which was behind him.

11 N ow Abraham and Sarah were old. They had lived many years. The way of women had stopped for Sarah.

Now Abraham and Sarah were old advanced in age: it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12 S o Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “Will I have this joy after my husband and I have grown old?”

And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am become old, shall I have pleasure, and my lord old?

13 T hen the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘How can I give birth to a child when I am so old?’

And Jehovah said to Abraham, Why is this, that Sarah laughs, saying, Shall I indeed bear, when I am become old?

14 I s anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Is matter too wonderful for Jehovah? At the time appointed I will return to thee, at time of the year, and Sarah shall have a son.

15 B ut Sarah said, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.” Abraham Cries Out for Sodom

And Sarah denied, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And he said, No; but thou didst laugh.

16 T hen the men got up from there and looked down toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to send them on their way.

And the men rose up thence, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to conduct them.

17 A nd the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?

18 s ince Abraham will become a great and powerful nation, because good will come to all the nations of the earth through him?

Since Abraham shall indeed become a great and mighty nation; and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.

19 F or I have chosen him, so that he may teach his children and the sons of his house after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and fair. So the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has promised him.”

For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice, in order that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham what he hath spoken of him.

20 T hen the Lord said, “The cry against Sodom and Gomorrah is loud. Their sin is very bad.

And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grievous,

21 I will now go down and see if they have done as much wrong as the cry against them has told Me they have. And if not, I will know.”

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

22 T hen the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom. But Abraham still stood before the Lord.

And the men turned thence, and went towards Sodom; and Abraham remained yet standing before Jehovah.

23 A braham came near and said, “Will You destroy the good also, with the bad?

And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also cause the righteous to perish with the wicked?

24 W hat if there are fifty good people within the city? Will You destroy the place and not save it because of the fifty good people in it?

There are perhaps fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not forgive the place for the sake of the fifty righteous that are therein?

25 M ay You never do such a thing as to destroy the good with the bad! May the good never be punished like the bad! You would never do such a thing! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

Far be it from thee to do so, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that the righteous should be as the wicked—far be it from thee! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?

26 S o the Lord said, “If I find fifty good people in the city of Sodom, I will save the whole place because of them.”

And Jehovah said, If I find at Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sakes.

27 A braham said, “Now see, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am only dust and ashes.

And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have ventured to speak unto the Lord; I, who am dust and ashes.

28 W hat if five of the fifty good people are not so good. Will You destroy the whole city because of five?” The Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five good people there.”

Perhaps there may want five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city on account of the five? And he said, If I shall find forty-five there, I will not destroy.

29 A braham spoke to Him again and said, “What if only forty are found there?” The Lord said, “I will not destroy it if there are forty.”

And he continued yet to speak with him, and said, Perhaps there may be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for the forty's sake.

30 T hen Abraham said, “O may the Lord not be angry, and I will speak. What if only thirty are found there?” The Lord said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry that I speak! Perhaps there may be thirty found there. And he said, I will not do it if I find thirty there.

31 A braham said, “Now see, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. What if twenty are found there?” The Lord said, “I will not destroy it because of the twenty.”

And he said, Behold now, I have ventured to speak with the Lord. Perhaps there may be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy for the twenty's sake.

32 T hen Abraham said, “O may the Lord not be angry. And I may speak once more. What if ten are found there?” The Lord said, “I will not destroy it because of the ten.”

And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, that I speak yet but this time! Perhaps there may be ten found there. And he said, I will not destroy for the ten's sake.

33 T hen the Lord went on His way when He finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

And Jehovah went away when he had ended speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.