The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Genesis 18
1 Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks
of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the
heat of the day.
2 He lifted up 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 himself to the earth,
3 and said, “My lord, if now I have found
favor in your sight, please don’t go away
from your servant.
4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash
your feet, and rest yourselves under the
tree.
5 I will get a piece 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.”
6 Abrahamhurried into the tentto Sarah,
and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs† of
fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
7 Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched
a tender and good calf, and gave it to the
servant. He hurried to dress it.
8 He 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.
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 behold,
Sarah your wife will have a son.”
Sarah heard in 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 within herself, saying,
“After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13 Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did
Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a
child when I am old?’
14 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? 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, but you did laugh.”
16 The men rose up from there, and
looked toward Sodom. Abraham went
with them to see them on their way.
17 Yahweh said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
18 since Abraham will surely become a
great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth
will be blessed in him?
19 For 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.”
20 Yahweh 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 stood yet before Yahweh.
23 Abraham came near, and said, “Will
you consume the righteous with the
wicked?
24 Whatifthere arefifty righteous within
the city? Will you consume and not spare
the place for the fifty righteous who are in
it?
25 May it be 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?”
26 Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty
righteous within the city, then I will spare
the whole place for their sake.”
27 Abraham answered, “See now, I have
taken it on myself to speak to the Lord,
although I am dust and ashes.
28 What 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.”
29 He 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.”
30 He 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.”
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
twenty’s sake.”
32 He 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.”
33 Yahweh went his way as soon as he
had finished communing with Abraham,
and Abraham returned to his place.
18:6 1 seah is about 7 liters or 1.9 gallons or 0.8 pecks