1The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. 2He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.

3“My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. 4Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. 5And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.”

“All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”

6So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures#18:6 Hebrew 3 seahs, about half a bushel or 22 liters. of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” 7Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. 8When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.

9“Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked.

“She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.

10Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”

Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. 11Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. 12So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?”

13Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 14Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

15Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.”

But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.”

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

16Then the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way.

17“Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the Lord asked. 18“For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. 19I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”

20So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. 21I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”

22The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham. 23Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? 24Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? 25Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

26And the Lord replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.”

27Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. 28Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?”

And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.”

29Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?”

And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.”

30“Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?”

And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”

31Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

32Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

33When the Lord had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent.

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Genesis 18

1And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre (firmness; fatling (fat cattle) offering): and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

3And said, My Lord-Adonai [The Father] (Greatest Above All), if now I have found favour in youri sight, pass not away, I pray youi, from youri servant:

4Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash yourf feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

5And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort you1sf yourf hearts; after that you1sf shall pass on: for therefore are you1sf come to yourf servant. And they said, So do, as youi have said.

6And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] hastened into the tent unto Sarah [Princess], and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

7And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave [it] unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

8And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set [it] before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

9And they said unto him, Where [is] Sarah [Princess] youri wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

10And he said, I will certainly return unto youi according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah [Princess] youri wife shall have a son. And Sarah [Princess] heard [it] in the tent door, which [was] behind him.

11Now Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] and Sarah [Princess] [were] old [and] well stricken in age; [and] it ceased to be with Sarah [Princess] after the manner of women.

12Therefore Sarah [Princess] laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

13And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) said unto Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will], For what reason did Sarah [Princess] laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

14Is anything too hard for the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate)? At the time appointed I will return unto youi, according to the time of life, and Sarah [Princess] shall have a son.

15Then Sarah [Princess] denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, No; but youi did laugh.

16And the men rose up from there, and looked toward S’dom (burning, denotes penal constrictions around the ankles): and Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] went with them to bring them on the way.

17And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) said, Shall I hide from Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] that thing which I do;

18Seeing that Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be Blessed (Favored by God; happy; prosperous) in him?

19For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate), to do justice and judgment; that the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) may bring upon Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] that which he has spoken of him.

20And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) said, Because the cry of S’dom (burning, denotes penal constrictions around the ankles) and ‘Amora (submersion, Tyrants, bind sheaves, People of Fear) is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

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

22And the men turned their faces from there, and went toward S’dom (burning, denotes penal constrictions around the ankles): but Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] stood yet before the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate).

23And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] drew near, and said, Will youi also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24Perhaps there be fifty righteous within the city: will youi also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that [are] in it?

25That be far from youi to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from youi: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

26And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) said, If I find in S’dom (burning, denotes penal constrictions around the ankles) fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27And Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord-Adonai (Greatest Above All) GOD-Yehōvih [THE FATHER], which [am but] dust and ashes:

28Perhaps there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: will youi destroy all the city for [lack of] five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy [it].

29And he spoke unto him yet again, and said, Perhaps there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do [it] for forty’s sake.

30And he said [unto him], Oh let not the Lord-Adonai (The Father) [Greatest Above All] be angry, and I will speak: Perhaps there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do [it], if I find thirty there.

31And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord-Adonai (Greatest Above All) GOD-Yehōvih [THE FATHER]: Perhaps there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for twenty’s sake.

32And he said, Oh let not the Lord-Adonai (Greatest Above All) GOD-Yehōvih [THE FATHER] be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Perhaps ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for ten’s sake.

33And the Lord-Yehōvah (Messiah Pre-Incarnate) went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will]: and Avraham [exalted father/Fly They Will] returned unto his place.

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Genesis 18

Genesis 18