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A promessa de um filho para Sara

18 O Senhor apareceu novamente a Abraão junto ao bosque de carvalhos que pertencia a Manre. Abraão estava sentado à entrada de sua tenda na hora mais quente do dia. Olhando para fora, viu três homens em pé, próximos à tenda. Quando os viu, correu até onde estavam e lhes deu as boas-vindas, curvando-se até o chão.

Abraão disse: “Meu senhor, se assim desejar, pare aqui um pouco. Descanse à sombra desta árvore enquanto mando trazer água para lavarem os pés. E, uma vez que honraram seu servo com esta visita, prepararei uma refeição para restaurar suas forças antes de seguirem viagem”.

“Está bem”, responderam eles. “Faça como você disse.”

Abraão voltou correndo para a tenda e disse a Sara: “Rápido! Pegue três medidas[a] da melhor farinha, amasse-a e faça alguns pães”. Em seguida, Abraão correu ao rebanho, escolheu um novilho tenro e o entregou a seu servo, que o preparou rapidamente. Quando a comida estava pronta, Abraão pegou coalhada, leite e a carne assada e os serviu aos visitantes. Enquanto comiam, Abraão permaneceu à disposição deles, à sombra das árvores.

“Onde está Sara, sua mulher?”, perguntaram os visitantes.

“Está dentro da tenda”, respondeu Abraão.

10 Então um deles disse: “Voltarei a visitar você por esta época, no ano que vem, e sua mulher, Sara, terá um filho”.

Sara estava ouvindo a conversa de dentro da tenda. 11 Abraão e Sara já eram bem velhos, e Sara tinha passado, havia muito tempo, da idade de ter filhos. 12 Por isso, riu consigo e disse: “Como poderia uma mulher da minha idade ter esse prazer, ainda mais quando meu senhor, meu marido, também é idoso?”.

13 Então o Senhor disse a Abraão: “Por que Sara riu? Por que disse: ‘Pode uma mulher da minha idade ter um filho’? 14 Existe alguma coisa difícil demais para o Senhor? Voltarei por esta época, no ano que vem, e Sara terá um filho”.

15 Sara teve medo e, por isso, mentiu: “Eu não ri”.

Mas ele disse: “Não é verdade. Você riu”.

Abraão intercede por Sodoma

16 Depois da refeição, os visitantes se levantaram e olharam em direção a Sodoma. Quando partiram, Abraão os acompanhou para despedir-se deles.

17 Então o Senhor disse: “Devo esconder meu plano de Abraão? 18 Afinal, Abraão certamente se tornará uma grande e poderosa nação, e todas as nações da terra serão abençoadas por meio dele. 19 Eu o escolhi para que ordene a seus filhos e às famílias deles que guardem o caminho do Senhor, praticando o que é certo e justo. Então farei por Abraão tudo que prometi”.

20 Portanto, o Senhor disse a Abraão: “Ouvi um grande clamor vindo de Sodoma e Gomorra, porque o pecado dessas duas cidades é extremamente grave. 21 Descerei para investigar se seus atos são, de fato, tão perversos quanto tenho ouvido. Se não forem, quero saber”.

22 Os outros visitantes partiram para Sodoma, mas Abraão permaneceu diante do Senhor. 23 Aproximou-se dele e disse: “Exterminarás tanto os justos como os perversos? 24 Suponhamos que haja cinquenta justos na cidade. Mesmo assim os exterminarás e não a pouparás por causa deles? 25 Claro que não farias tal coisa: destruir o justo com o perverso. Afinal, estarias tratando o justo e o perverso da mesma maneira! Certamente não farias isso! Acaso o Juiz de toda a terra não faria o que é certo?”.

26 O Senhor respondeu: “Se eu encontrar cinquenta justos em Sodoma, pouparei a cidade toda por causa deles”.

27 Abraão voltou a falar: “Embora eu seja apenas pó e cinza, permita-me dizer mais uma coisa ao meu Senhor. 28 Suponhamos que haja apenas quarenta e cinco justos, e não cinquenta. Destruirás a cidade toda por falta de cinco justos?”.

O Senhor disse: “Se encontrar ali quarenta e cinco justos, não a destruirei”.

29 Abraão levou seu pedido ainda mais longe: “Suponhamos que haja apenas quarenta”.

O Senhor respondeu: “Por causa dos quarenta, não a destruirei”.

30 “Por favor, não fiques irado comigo, meu Senhor”, suplicou Abraão. “Permita-me falar. Suponhamos que haja apenas trinta justos.”

O Senhor disse: “Se encontrar ali trinta justos, não a destruirei”.

31 Abraão prosseguiu: “Uma vez que tive a ousadia de falar ao Senhor, permita-me continuar. Suponhamos que haja apenas vinte”.

O Senhor respondeu: “Por causa dos vinte, não a destruirei”.

32 Por fim, Abraão disse: “Senhor, não fiques irado comigo por eu falar mais uma vez. Suponhamos que haja apenas dez”.

O Senhor respondeu: “Por causa dos dez, não a destruirei”.

33 Quando terminou a conversa com Abraão, o Senhor partiu, e Abraão voltou para sua tenda.

Footnotes

  1. 18.6 Em hebraico, 3 seás, cerca de 22 litros.

The Three Visitors

18 The Lord appeared to Abraham(A) near the great trees of Mamre(B) while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent(C) in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up(D) and saw three men(E) standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.(F)

He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(G) my lord,[a] do not pass your servant(H) by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet(I) and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat,(J) so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”

“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs[b] of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”(K)

Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf(L) and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds(M) and milk(N) and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them.(O) While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

“Where is your wife Sarah?”(P) they asked him.

“There, in the tent,(Q)” he said.

10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year,(R) and Sarah your wife will have a son.”(S)

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old,(T) and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.(U) 12 So Sarah laughed(V) to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord(W) is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’(X) 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord?(Y) I will return to you at the appointed time next year,(Z) and Sarah will have a son.”(AA)

15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

Abraham Pleads for Sodom

16 When the men(AB) got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. 17 Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham(AC) what I am about to do?(AD) 18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation,(AE) and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.[c] 19 For I have chosen him(AF), so that he will direct his children(AG) and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord(AH) by doing what is right and just,(AI) so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”(AJ)

20 Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom(AK) and Gomorrah is so great(AL) and their sin so grievous(AM) 21 that I will go down(AN) and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

22 The men(AO) turned away and went toward Sodom,(AP) but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.[d](AQ) 23 Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?(AR) 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare[e] the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?(AS) 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing(AT)—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous(AU) and the wicked alike.(AV) Far be it from you! Will not the Judge(AW) of all the earth do right?”(AX)

26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.(AY)

27 Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,(AZ) 28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?”

“If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”

29 Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?”

He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.”

30 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry,(BA) but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?”

He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

31 Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?”

He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.”

32 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more.(BB) What if only ten can be found there?”

He answered, “For the sake of ten,(BC) I will not destroy it.”

33 When the Lord had finished speaking(BD) with Abraham, he left,(BE) and Abraham returned home.(BF)

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 18:3 Or eyes, Lord
  2. Genesis 18:6 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms
  3. Genesis 18:18 Or will use his name in blessings (see 48:20)
  4. Genesis 18:22 Masoretic Text; an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition but the Lord remained standing before Abraham
  5. Genesis 18:24 Or forgive; also in verse 26

18 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

20 And the Lord 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 they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.

23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

26 And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.

30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

33 And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.