18:1 Yahweh appeared to Abraham
at
the oaks of Mamre
while
sitting at the entrance of his tent
during
the heat of the day.
18:2
Abraham looked up
and
he saw three Lords
standing
in front of him
When
he saw Them he ran
from
the entrance of the tent
to
greet Them
and
bowed before Them.
18:3 He said to them:
Lords
if I have pleased you
please
do not leave Your servant.
18:4 Allow a little water be fetched
so
You may wash Your feet
and
rest Yourselves beneath the tree.
18:5 I will bring some food
to
replenish Yourselves
before
you continue on Your way
now
that You’ve come to Your servant.
They
replied:
By
all means do as you suggest.
18:6 Then Abraham hurried into the tent
and
told Sarah:
Quick!
Knead three measures of fine flour
and
make bread.
18:7 Abraham went out to the farm
and
fetched some choice food.
He
gave it to a young man
who
hurried to prepare it.
18:8 Abraham then brought curds and whey
and
the food that had been prepared
and
set them before the Lords.
He
served Them
as
they ate under the tree.
18:9 They asked him:
Where
is Sarah your wife?
He
answered:
Over
there in the tent.
18:10 Yahweh spoke to him:
Surely
I will return in a year
and
your wife Sarah will have a son.
Sarah
heard Them at the tent entrance.
18:11 Abraham and Sarah were old
and
advanced in years.
Sarah
had passed the childbearing age.
18:12 Thus Sarah chuckled to herself:
After
I am worn out
and
my husband is old
can
I still have pleasure?
18:13 Then Yahweh asked Abraham:
Why
would Sarah laugh
about
having a baby when she’s old?
18:14 Is anything impossible for Yahweh?
I
said I will come back to you
in
about a year she will have a son.
18:15 Sarah denied it, saying:
I
did not laugh
because
she was worried.
But
He replied:
No
you laughed.
18:16 The Lords rose up from that place
and
looked towards
Abraham
walked with them
to
see Them on their way.
18:17 Then Yahweh spoke:
I
will conceal from Abraham
what
I do.
18:18 Abraham will surely become
a
great and powerful person.
And
all the peoples of earth
will
be blessed through him.
18:19 For I know him
and
he will instruct his followers
and
his household to keep
the
way of Yahweh
doing
what is right and just.
This
is how Yahweh will fulfill
to
Abraham what he promised.
18:20 Then Yahweh declared:
The
cries of distress
from
As
a result their penalty
will
be significantly grievous.
18:21 I will descend
to
see whether they have done
supports
the cries of distress
that
have been sent to Me.
Therefore
I will get to the bottom of it.
18:22 The two Lords turned around
and
went towards
while
Abraham remained
standing
before Yahweh.
18:23 Abraham approached and asked:
Will
you destroy the righteous
with
the wicked?
18:24 What if fifty righteous people
are
in the city?
Will
you destroy it anyway
instead
of sparing the place
for
the sake of the fifty righteous people?
18:25 You would not do this:
Killing
the righteous with the wicked
treating
the righteous and the wicked alike.
You
could not do that.
Shall
the Judge of the earth
not
do what is just?
18:26 Yahweh replied:
If
I find fifty righteous people
in
the city of
I
will spare the whole place
for
their sake.
18:27 Then Abraham answered:
Since
I have risked
speaking
to my Lord
though
I am dust and ashes
18:28 suppose the fifty righteous lack five.
Will
you destroy the whole city
for
lack of five?
The
Lord replied:
I
will not destroy it
if
I find there forty-five.
18:29 Then Abraham asked:
What
if forty are found there?
He
answered:
I
will not do it on account of forty.
18:30 Then he said:
Let
my Lord not be offended
and
I will ask further.
Suppose
thirty are found there?
He
replied:
I
will not do it if I find thirty there.
18:31 Then he said:
Since
I have risked asking to speak to my Lord
suppose
twenty are found there?
He
replied:
I
will not destroy it on account of twenty.
18:32 Then he asked:
Please
my Lord do not be offended
and
I will ask once more:
Suppose
ten are found there?
He
answered:
I
will not destroy it on account of ten.
18:33 When Yahweh finished
speaking
with Abraham
He
departed that place
and
Abraham returned to his tent.
