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.

Genesis 18

1-2 God appeared to Abraham at the Oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent. It was the hottest part of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing. He ran from his tent to greet them and bowed before them.

3-5He said, “Master, if it please you, stop for a while with your servant. I’ll get some water so you can wash your feet. Rest under this tree. I’ll get some food to refresh you on your way, since your travels have brought you across my path.”

They said, “Certainly. Go ahead.”

6Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. He said, “Hurry. Get three cups of our best flour; knead it and make bread.”

7-8Then Abraham ran to the cattle pen and picked out a nice plump calf and gave it to the servant who lost no time getting it ready. Then he got curds and milk, brought them with the calf that had been roasted, set the meal before the men, and stood there under the tree while they ate.

9The men said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”

He said, “In the tent.”

10One of them said, “I’m coming back about this time next year. When I arrive, your wife Sarah will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the tent opening, just behind the man.

11-12Abraham and Sarah were old by this time, very old. Sarah was far past the age for having babies. Sarah laughed within herself, “An old woman like me? Get pregnant? With this old man of a husband?”

13-14 God said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Me? Have a baby? An old woman like me?’ Is anything too hard for God? I’ll be back about this time next year and Sarah will have a baby.”

15Sarah lied. She said, “I didn’t laugh,” because she was afraid.

But he said, “Yes you did; you laughed.”

* * *

16When the men got up to leave, they set off for Sodom. Abraham walked with them to say good-bye.

17-19Then God said, “Shall I keep back from Abraham what I’m about to do? Abraham is going to become a large and strong nation; all the nations of the world are going to find themselves blessed through him. Yes, I’ve settled on him as the one to train his children and future family to observe God’s way of life, live kindly and generously and fairly, so that God can complete in Abraham what he promised him.”

20-21 God continued, “The cries of the victims in Sodom and Gomorrah are deafening; the sin of those cities is immense. I’m going down to see for myself, see if what they’re doing is as bad as it sounds. Then I’ll know.”

22The men set out for Sodom, but Abraham stood in God’s path, blocking his way.

23-25Abraham confronted him, “Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad? What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot? Wouldn’t you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can’t believe you’d do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn’t the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?”

26 God said, “If I find fifty decent people in the city of Sodom, I’ll spare the place just for them.”

27-28Abraham came back, “Do I, a mere mortal made from a handful of dirt, dare open my mouth again to my Master? What if the fifty fall short by five—would you destroy the city because of those missing five?”

He said, “I won’t destroy it if there are forty-five.”

29Abraham spoke up again, “What if you only find forty?”

“Neither will I destroy it if for forty.”

30He said, “Master, don’t be irritated with me, but what if only thirty are found?”

“No, I won’t do it if I find thirty.”

31He pushed on, “I know I’m trying your patience, Master, but how about for twenty?”

“I won’t destroy it for twenty.”

32He wouldn’t quit, “Don’t get angry, Master—this is the last time. What if you only come up with ten?”

“For the sake of only ten, I won’t destroy the city.”

33When God finished talking with Abraham, he left. And Abraham went home.

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Genesis 18

Genesis 18