1 Y ahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.

Now 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,

2 H e 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,

He 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

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

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

4 N ow let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

Let a little water be brought, and you may wash your feet and recline 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.”

And 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.

6 A braham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”

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

7 A braham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.

And 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.

8 H e 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.

And 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.

9 T hey asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “See, in the tent.”

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

10 H e 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.

said, 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.

11 N ow Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

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

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

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

13 Y ahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?’

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

14 I s 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.”

Is 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.

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

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

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

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

17 Y ahweh said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,

And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am going to do,

18 s ince Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?

Since 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?

19 F or 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.”

For 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.

20 Y ahweh said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,

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

21 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.”

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.

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

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

23 A braham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?

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

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

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

25 B e 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?”

Far 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?

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

And 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.

27 A braham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.

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

28 W hat 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.”

If 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.

29 H e 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.”

And 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.

30 H e 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.”

Then 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.

31 H e 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.”

And 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.

32 H e 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.”

And 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.

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

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