Jan.
18
Genesis
18
Gen
18:1 Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the
tent door in the heat of the day.
Gen
18:2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood
opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent
door, and bowed himself to the earth,
Gen
18:3 and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your
sight, please don't go away from your servant.
Gen
18:4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest
yourselves under the tree.
Gen
18:5 I will get a morsel 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."
Gen
18:6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly
make ready three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes."
Gen
18:7 Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf,
and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.
Gen
18:8 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.
Gen
18:9 They said to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife? He said,
"See, in the tent."
Gen
18:10 He said, "I will certainly return to you when the season
comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah
heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
Gen
18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. It had
ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Gen
18:12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown
old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"
Gen
18:13 Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying,
'Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?'
Gen
18:14 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return
to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son."
Gen
18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, "I didn't laugh," for she
was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."
Gen
18:16 The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham
went with them to see them on their way.
Gen
18:17 Yahweh said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
Gen
18:18 seeing that Abraham has surely become a great and mighty
nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
Gen
18:19 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."
Gen
18:20 Yahweh said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is
great, and because their sin is very grievous,
Gen
18:21 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."
Gen
18:22 The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham
stood yet before Yahweh.
Gen
18:23 Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the
righteous with the wicked?
Gen
18:24 What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you
consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in
it?
Gen
18:25 Be it 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?"
Gen
18:26 Yahweh said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within
the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."
Gen
18:27 Abraham answered, "See now, I have taken it on myself to
speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.
Gen
18:28 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."
Gen
18:29 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."
Gen
18:30 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."
Gen
18:31 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."
Gen
18:32 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."
Gen
18:33 Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with
Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.