²⁷ Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord,^(A)

God’s Reply to the Prophet’s Complaint

Warning to Pay Attention

2 Therefore we must pay greater attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

⁴⁹ This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease but did not aid the poor and needy.^{(A) 50} They were haughty and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them when I saw it.^(B)

²² So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord.^{[a](A) 23} Then Abraham came near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?^{(B) 24} Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it?^{(C) 25} Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”^{(D) 26} And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.” ²⁷ Abraham answered, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to my lord, I who am but dust and ashes.^{(E) 28} Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” ²⁹ Again he spoke to him, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” ³⁰ Then he said, “Oh, do not let my lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” ³¹ He said, “Let me take it upon myself to speak to my lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” ³² Then he said, “Oh, do not let my lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”^{(F) 33} And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.