Genesis 18

¹ And appearing to him is Yahweh Elohim among the oaks of Mamre. And sitting is he at the opening of the tent at noon, as the day is warm. ² And lifting is he his eyes and seeing, and behold! Three mortals are stationed by him. And seeing is he and running to meet them from the opening of the tent, and is prostrating to the earth. ³ And saying is he, "My lord, pray, should I find grace in your eyes, pray, you must not pass on from your servant. ⁴ Let a little water, pray, be taken, and they will wash your feet. And lean back under the tree. ⁵ And I will take a morsel of bread and you shall eat and brace your hearts. And afterward shall you pass on your way, for therefore you pass by your servant." And saying are they, "So be doing as you speak." ⁶ And hastening is Abraham toward the tent to Sarah. And saying is he to her, "Hasten! Three seahs of meal flour knead, and make ember cakes." ⁷ And to the herd runs Abraham, and is taking a young one of the herd, tender and good, and is giving it to the lad. And hastening is he to make it ready. ⁸ And taking is he clotted cream and milk, and the young one of the herd which he had made ready, and he is putting it before them. And he is standing by them under the tree, and eating are they. ⁹ And saying are they to him, "Where is Sarah, your wife?" And answering, he is saying, "Behold! In the tent." ¹⁰ And saying is He, "Return, yea, return will I to you according to this season of life, and, behold! A son has Sarah, your wife." And Sarah is hearing at the opening of the tent, for she was behind him. ¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah are old, coming into days. It had left off to come to Sarah, according to the path of women. ¹² And laughing is Sarah within herself saying, "After my decadence shall luxury come to me? It has not come to me till now. My lord also is old." ¹³ And saying is Yahweh to Abraham, "Why this? Sarah laughs, saying, 'Indeed, truly, shall I bear when I am old?'. ¹⁴ Is it a matter too marvelous for Yahweh Elohim? At the appointed time will I return to you according to the season of life, and Sarah has a son." ¹⁵ Then dissimulating is Sarah, saying, "Not laugh did I", for she is fearful. And saying is He, "No! For laugh did you." ¹⁶ And rising are the mortals thence, and they are gazing on the face of Sodom and Gomorrah. And Abraham is going with them to send them away. ¹⁷ And Yahweh says, "Shall I cover from Abraham, My servant, what I am doing, ¹⁸ when Abraham shall become, yea become a nation, great and staunch, and blessed in him are all the nations of the earth? ¹⁹ For I know him, that, responding, he will instruct his sons and his household after him, and keep will they the way of Yahweh to do justice and judgment, that Yahweh may bring on Abraham all that He speaks concerning him." ²⁰ And saying is Yahweh, "Seeing that the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is much, and that their sin is exceedingly heavy, ²¹ descend will I, pray, and see, do they according to all the cry which is coming to Me? And if not, I will know." ²² And facing thence are the mortals, and they are going to Sodom. And Yahweh still is standing before Abraham. ²³ And close is Abraham coming and saying, "Indeed, sweeping up are You the righteous with the wicked? So become the righteous as the wicked. ²⁴ Perhaps, forsooth, fifty righteous are there in the midst of the city. Indeed, sweeping them up are You and not bearing with the entire place on account of the fifty righteous who are within it? ²⁵ Far be it from You to do according to this word, to put to death the righteous with the wicked, and so come the righteous to be as the wicked. Far be it from You! The Judge of the entire earth, will He not execute judgment?" ²⁶ And saying is Yahweh, "If finding am I in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then bear will I with the entire place for their sake." ²⁷ And answering is Abraham and saying, "Behold, pray! Disposed am I to speak to Yahweh, and I am but soil and ashes. ²⁸ Perhaps lacking are the fifty righteous, five. Ruin wilt You, for five the entire city?" And saying is He, "Not ruin it will I if I shall find there forty five." ²⁹ And proceeding is he further to speak to Him and saying, "Perhaps will be found there forty." And saying is He, "Not do it will I for the sake of the forty." ³⁰ And saying is he, "My Lord must not, pray, be hot when I speak. Perhaps will be found there thirty." And saying is He, "Not do it will I if I shall find there thirty." ³¹ And saying is he, "Behold, pray! Disposed am I to speak to my Lord. Perhaps will be found there twenty." And saying is He, "Not ruin it will I, for the sake of the twenty." ³² And saying is he, "My Lord must not, pray, be hot, when I shall speak, yea, once more. Perhaps will be found there ten." And saying is He, "Not ruin it will I, for the sake of the ten." ³³ And going is Yahweh, as He finishes speaking to Abraham. And Abraham returns to his place.