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.

Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in 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

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

and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.

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

Now let a little water be fetched, 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.”

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 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.”

Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, 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.

Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried 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.

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

They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “See, 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.

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 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, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

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

Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

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?’

Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child, yet I am 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 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 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

Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did 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.

The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.

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

Yahweh said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,

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 will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will 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 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 T hen the Lord said, “The cry against Sodom and Gomorrah is loud. Their sin is very bad.

Yahweh said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because 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 their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. 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.

The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh.

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

Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous 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?

What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?

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?”

Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t 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.”

Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

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

Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I 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.”

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 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.”

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 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.”

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 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.”

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 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.”

He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it 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.

Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.