Genesis 18:10–33

¹⁰and he saith, ‘returning I return unto thee, about the time of life, and lo, to Sarah thy wife a son.’ ¹¹And Sarah is hearkening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him; ¹²and Abraham and Sarah are aged, entering into days—the way of women hath ceased to be to Sarah; ¹³and Sarah laugheth in her heart, saying, ‘After I have waxed old I have had pleasure!—my lord also is old!’ ¹⁴And Jehovah saith unto Abraham, ‘Why is this? Sarah hath laughed, saying, Is it true really—I bear—and I am aged? Is any thing too wonderful for Jehovah? at the appointed time I return unto thee, about the time of life, and Sarah hath a son.’ ¹⁵And Sarah denieth, saying, ‘I did not laugh;’ for she hath been afraid; and He saith, ‘Nay, but thou didst laugh.’

¹⁶And the men rise from thence, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away; ¹⁷and Jehovah said, ‘Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing, ¹⁸and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth? ¹⁹for I have known him, that he commandeth his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of Jehovah), to do righteousness and judgment, that Jehovah may bring on Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him.’ ²⁰And Jehovah saith, ‘The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah—because great; and their sin—because exceeding grievous: ²¹I go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming unto Me they have done completely—and if not—I know;’ ²²and the men turn from thence, and go towards Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before Jehovah.

²³And Abraham draweth nigh and saith, ‘Dost Thou also consume righteous with wicked? ²⁴peradventure there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city; dost Thou also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty—the righteous who are in its midst? ²⁵Far be it from Thee to do according to this thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked; that it hath been—as the righteous so the wicked—far be it from Thee; doth the Judge of all the earth not do justice?’ ²⁶And Jehovah saith, ‘If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne with all the place for their sake.’ ²⁷And Abraham answereth and saith, ‘Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord, and I—dust and ashes; ²⁸peradventure there are lacking five of the fifty righteous—dost Thou destroy for five the whole of the city?’ and He saith, ‘I destroy it not, if I find there forty and five.’ ²⁹And he addeth again to speak unto Him and saith, ‘Peradventure there are found there forty?’ and He saith, ‘I do it not, because of the forty.’ ³⁰And he saith, ‘Let it not be, I Pray thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak: peradventure there are found there thirty?’ and He saith, ‘I do it not, if I find there thirty.’ ³¹And he saith, ‘Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there are found there twenty?’ and He saith, ‘I do not destroy it, because of the twenty.’ ³²And he saith, ‘Let it not be, I pray Thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: peradventure there are found there ten?’ and He saith, ‘I do not destroy it, because of the ten.’ ³³And Jehovah goeth on, when He hath finished speaking unto Abraham, and Abraham hath turned back to his place.

Chapter 19