Abraham’s Visitors
1 The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat by the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted his eyes and looked and saw that three men stood near him.
When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door and bowed to the ground 3 and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass by your servant. 4 Now let a little water be brought, wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh yourselves. 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 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly prepare three measures of fine grain, knead it, and make some bread.”
7 Abraham ran to the herd and brought in a good, tender calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to prepare it. 8 He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had prepared, set it before them, and stood under a tree by them as they ate.
Sarah Laughs at the Promise
9 They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?”
He said, “There, in the tent.”
10 He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year, and Sarah, your wife will have a son.”
Sarah was listening from the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid.
He said, “No, you did laugh.”
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
16 The men rose up from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17 The Lord said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I am doing, 18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him? 19 For I have known him, so that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the Lord with righteousness and justice; to the end that the Lord may bring on Abraham that which he has promised of him.”
20 The Lord said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very 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.”
22 The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 Abraham came near and said, “Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are 50 righteous people within the city? Will you destroy the place, not sparing, it for the 50 righteous people who are in it? 25 May it be far from you to do such a thing, 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 what is right?”
26 The Lord said, “If I find in Sodom 50 righteous people within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes. 28 What if there are five fewer than the 50 righteous people? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?”
He said, “I will not destroy it if I find 45 there.”
29 He spoke to him yet again and said, “What if there are 40 found there?”
He said, “I will not do it for the sake of 40.”
30 He said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are 30 found there?”
He said, “I will not do it if I find 30 there.”
31 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 sake of twenty.”
32 He said, “Oh do not 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 sake of ten.”
33 The Lord went his way, as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.