1The LORD appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he sat at the entrance of his tent in the day’s heat. 2He looked up and suddenly saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them, he ran from his tent entrance to greet them and bowed deeply. 3He said, “Sirs, if you would be so kind, don’t just pass by your servant. 4Let a little water be brought so you may wash your feet and refresh yourselves under the tree. 5Let me offer you a little bread so you will feel stronger, and after that you may leave your servant and go on your way—since you have visited your servant.”

They responded, “Fine. Do just as you have said.”

6So Abraham hurried to Sarah at his tent and said, “Hurry! Knead three seahs#18.6 One seah is seven and a half quarts. of the finest flour and make some baked goods!” 7Abraham ran to the cattle, took a healthy young calf, and gave it to a young servant, who prepared it quickly. 8Then Abraham took butter, milk, and the calf that had been prepared, put the food in front of them, and stood under the tree near them as they ate.

9They said to him, “Where’s your wife Sarah?”

And he said, “Right here in the tent.”

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

Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11Now Abraham and Sarah were both very old. Sarah was no longer menstruating. 12So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, I’m no longer able to have children and my husband’s old.

13The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Me give birth? At my age?’ 14Is anything too difficult for the LORD? When I return to you about this time next year, Sarah will have a son.”

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

But he said, “No, you laughed.”

Abraham pleads for Sodom

16The men got up from there and went over to look down on Sodom. Abraham was walking along with them to send them off 17when the LORD said, “Will I keep from Abraham what I’m about to do? 18Abraham will certainly become a great populous nation, and all the earth’s nations will be blessed because of him. 19I have formed a relationship with him so that he will instruct his children and his household after him. And they will keep to the LORD’s path, being moral and just so that the LORD can do for Abraham everything he said he would.” 20Then the LORD said, “The cries of injustice from Sodom and Gomorrah are countless, and their sin is very serious! 21I will go down now to examine the cries of injustice that have reached me. Have they really done all this? If not, I want to know.”

22The men turned away and walked toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing in front of the LORD.#18.22 Some ancient manuscripts read but the LORD remained standing in front of Abraham. 23Abraham approached and said, “Will you really sweep away the innocent#18.23 Or righteous with the guilty?#18.23 Or wicked 24What if there are fifty innocent people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not save the place for the sake of the fifty innocent people in it? 25It’s not like you to do this, killing the innocent with the guilty as if there were no difference. It’s not like you! Will the judge of all the earth not act justly?”

26The LORD said, “If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will save it because of them.”

27Abraham responded, “Since I’ve already decided to speak with my Lord, even though I’m just soil and ash, 28what if there are five fewer innocent people than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city over just five?”

The LORD said, “If I find forty-five there, I won’t destroy it.”

29Once again Abraham spoke, “What if forty are there?”

The LORD said, “For the sake of forty, I will do nothing.”

30He said, “Don’t be angry with me, my Lord, but let me speak. What if thirty are there?”

The LORD said, “I won’t do it if I find thirty there.”

31Abraham said, “Since I’ve already decided to speak with my Lord, what if twenty are there?”

The LORD said, “I won’t do it, for the sake of twenty.”

32Abraham said, “Don’t be angry with me, my Lord, but let me speak just once more. What if there are ten?”

And the LORD said, “I will not destroy it because of those ten.” 33When the LORD finished speaking with Abraham, he left; but Abraham stayed there in that place.

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Genesis 18

1¶ And the Lord appeared unto him among the terebinth trees of Mamre; and he was sitting in the door of his tent in the heat of the day;

2and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, 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, if now I have found grace in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy slave.

4Let a little water, I pray you, be brought and wash your feet and rest yourselves under a tree;

5and I will bring a morsel of bread and comfort your hearts; after that ye shall pass on because for this ye are come to your slave. And they said, So do as thou hast said.

6And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make bread baked under the ashes.

7And Abraham ran unto the herd and brought a calf tender and good and gave it unto a young man; and he hastened 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 ate.

9¶ And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Here, in the tent.

10Then he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, behold, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

11Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age, and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

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

13Then the Lord said unto Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child when I am old?

14Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

15Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, No, but thou didst laugh.

16¶ And the men rose up from there and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

17And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do,

18seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation and that all the Gentiles of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19For I know him, that he will command his sons and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he has spoken of him.

20And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah 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 Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.

23¶ And Abraham drew near and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are in it?

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

26And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes;

28peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.

29And he spoke unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure 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 now be angry if I shall speak; peradventure 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; peradventure 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 be angry, and I will speak yet but this once; peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.

33And the Lord went away as soon as he had left communing with Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.

The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International

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Genesis 18

Genesis 18