Genesis 18
Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh Appears to Abraham
18 Then (A)Yahweh appeared to him by the [a](B)oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three (C)men were standing nearby; he saw, and he ran from the tent door to meet them, and he bowed himself to the earth, 3 and he said, “[b]My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not [c]pass Your servant by. 4 Please let a little water be brought and (D)wash your feet, and [d]rest yourselves under the tree; 5 and let me [e](E)bring a piece of bread, that you may [f]refresh your hearts; after that you may pass on, since in such a manner you have passed by your servant.” And they said, “So you shall do, as you have said.” 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “[g]Hurry, prepare [h]three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and make bread cakes.” 7 Abraham also ran to the herd and took a tender and [i]choice calf and gave it to his young man, and he hurried to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree, and they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” 10 And He said, “(F)I will surely return to you [j]at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door which was behind him. 11 Now (G)Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was (H)past [k]childbearing. 12 And Sarah laughed [l]to herself, saying, “(I)After I am worn out, shall I have pleasure, my (J)lord being old also?” 13 And Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed [m]bear a son, when I am so old?’ 14 (K)Is anything too [n]difficult for Yahweh? At the (L)appointed time I will return to you, [o]at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” 15 Then Sarah denied it however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
Yahweh and Abraham Speak About Sodom
16 Then (M)the men rose up from there and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off. 17 (N)Now Yahweh said, “Shall I conceal from Abraham (O)what I am about to do, 18 since Abraham will surely become a great and [p]mighty nation, and in him (P)all the nations of the earth will be blessed? 19 For I have [q](Q)known him, so that he may (R)command his children and his household after him, (S)that they keep the way of Yahweh to do righteousness and justice, so that Yahweh may bring upon Abraham (T)what He has spoken about him.” 20 So Yahweh said, “(U)The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. 21 I will (V)go down now and see whether they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
22 Then (W)the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before (X)Yahweh. 23 Then Abraham came near and said, “(Y)Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not [r]spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from You to do [s]such a thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not (Z)the Judge of all the earth do justice?” 26 So Yahweh said, “(AA)If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will [t]spare the whole place on their account.” 27 And Abraham answered and said, “Now behold, I have [u]ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but (AB)dust and ashes. 28 Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 Then he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it on account of the forty.” 30 Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 And he said, “Now behold, I have [v]ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.” 32 Then he said, “(AC)Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten.” 33 And as soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham, (AD)Yahweh departed, and Abraham returned to his place.
Footnotes
- Genesis 18:1 Or terebinths
- Genesis 18:3 Or O Lord
- Genesis 18:3 Lit pass away from Your servant
- Genesis 18:4 Lit support
- Genesis 18:5 Lit take
- Genesis 18:5 Lit sustain your heart
- Genesis 18:6 Lit Hasten 3 measures
- Genesis 18:6 Approx. 21 qt. or 23 l, a seah was approx. 7 qt. or 7.7 l
- Genesis 18:7 Lit good
- Genesis 18:10 Lit when the time revives
- Genesis 18:11 Lit the manner of women
- Genesis 18:12 Lit within
- Genesis 18:13 Lit surely bear
- Genesis 18:14 Or marvelous
- Genesis 18:14 Lit when the time revives
- Genesis 18:18 Or populous
- Genesis 18:19 Or chosen
- Genesis 18:24 Or forgive
- Genesis 18:25 Lit after this manner
- Genesis 18:26 Or forgive
- Genesis 18:27 Lit undertaken
- Genesis 18:31 Lit undertaken
Genesis 18
King James Version
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;
2 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,
3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
5 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.
6 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.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
Genesis 18
New King James Version
The Son of Promise(A)
18 Then the Lord appeared to him by [a]the (B)terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 (C)So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; (D)and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 Please let (E)a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And (F)I will bring a morsel of bread, that (G)you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, (H)inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”
They said, “Do as you have said.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. 8 So (I)he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”
So he said, “Here, (J)in the tent.”
10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you (K)according to the time of life, and behold, (L)Sarah your wife shall have a son.”
(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) 11 Now (M)Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and [b]Sarah (N)had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Therefore Sarah (O)laughed within herself, saying, (P)“After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my (Q)lord being old also?”
13 And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ 14 (R)Is anything too hard for the Lord? (S)At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid.
And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
16 Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them (T)to send them on the way. 17 And the Lord said, (U)“Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, 18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be (V)blessed in him? 19 For I have known him, in order (W)that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” 20 And the Lord said, “Because (X)the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their (Y)sin is very grave, 21 (Z)I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, (AA)I will know.”
22 Then the men turned away from there (AB)and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 And Abraham (AC)came near and said, (AD)“Would You also (AE)destroy the (AF)righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so (AG)that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! (AH)Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
26 So the Lord said, (AI)“If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am (AJ)but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: 28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”
So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”
30 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
32 Then he said, (AK)“Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”
(AL)And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” 33 So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
Footnotes
- Genesis 18:1 Heb. Alon Mamre
- Genesis 18:11 Lit. the manner of women had ceased to be with Sarah
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
