Genesis 18
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 18
God Becomes a Guest.[a] 1 The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. 2 He looked up and saw three men standing nearby. As soon as he saw them, he ran to meet them from the entrance of his tent and bowed down to the ground, 3 saying, “My lord, if I have found favor with you, please do not pass on without stopping to visit your servant. 4 Let some water be brought so that you may wash your feet. Make yourselves comfortable under this tree. 5 Let me go and prepare a bit of food that you may refresh yourselves. Afterward, you can go on your way. It is for this that you have come to visit your servant.”
They answered, “Do as you have said.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick, take three seahs[b] of fine flour, knead it, and make it into rolls.”
7 He ran to the herd, took a choice calf, and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. 8 He then took curds[c] and milk, as well as the veal that had been prepared, and he placed them before his guests. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
9 They then said, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He answered, “She is in the tent.” 10 The Lord[d] said, “I will return this way a year from now, and by that time Sarah, your wife, will have a son.” Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, just behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. Sarah no longer had her monthly periods. 12 Sarah therefore laughed to herself and said, “After I am withered and my husband is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13 But the Lord said to Abraham, “Why is Sarah laughing and saying, ‘Can I really give birth now that I am so old?’ 14 Is anything impossible to the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time, one year from now, and Sarah will have a son.” 15 Sarah denied laughing, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
16 The “Friend” of God.[e] The men rose up and went along to look down upon Sodom from on high while Abraham accompanied them to show them the way. 17 The Lord said, “Should I keep hidden from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 for Abraham shall become a great and powerful nation and all of the nations of the earth shall be blessed through him? 19 I chose him so that he would instruct his sons and his family after him to observe the ways of the Lord and to act with justice and righteousness so that the Lord might fulfill what he has promised to Abraham.”
20 Therefore, the Lord said, “The cry against Sodom and Gomorrah is too great and their sin is very grave. 21 I am going to descend to see if they have really done all the evil that has cried out to me. I want to know this!”
22 While the two men departed and journeyed toward Sodom, Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23 Abraham approached him and said to him, “Is it true that you will destroy the just along with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really destroy it? Will you not spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous people that you found there? 25 Far be it from you to make the righteous die along with the wicked, so that the righteous would have the same fate as the wicked. Far be it from you! Is it possible that the judge of the whole earth does not practice justice?” 26 The Lord answered, “If I find fifty righteous people living in the city of Sodom, for their sake I will spare the city.”
27 Abraham spoke again, “Look how I dare to speak with my Lord, I who am dust and ashes. 28 What if there are five fewer than fifty righteous people, will you destroy the entire city because of those five?”
He answered, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
29 Abraham spoke again and said, “What if you find forty there?” He answered, “I will not do it, for the sake of those forty.” 30 And again he said, “Let my Lord not grow impatient with me if I continue to speak; what if thirty are found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 Once again he said, “Look how I dare to talk to my Lord! What if you find twenty there?” He said, “I will not destroy it, for the sake of those twenty.”
32 Yet again he said, “My Lord, do not grow impatient if I speak still another time; what if ten are found there?” He answered, “I will not destroy it, for the sake of the ten.” 33 When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent.
Footnotes
- Genesis 18:1 Chapters 18–19 are from the Yahwist tradition and might be entitled “The meaning of the covenant.” Three individuals appear before Abraham; he receives them with an act of homage. “He saw three but worshiped the One,” said the Fathers of the Church, who saw here a prefiguration of the Trinity.
- Genesis 18:6 Three seahs: a dry measure that equaled about one ephah.
- Genesis 18:8 Curds: a kind of soft cheese.
- Genesis 18:10 The Lord: literally, “he.”
- Genesis 18:16 For the first time in the Bible God’s justice is questioned; trusting in the Lord, Abraham begins to try to bend it. The sacred writer, like his contemporaries, is convinced that members of one and the same group have a joint responsibility as well as the same destiny, but he thinks that ten righteous persons can save an entire city. The prophets Jeremiah (Jer 5:1) and Ezekiel (Ezek 22:30) will claim that a single righteous person is enough. Abraham, however, does not feel able to push his request any further; perhaps there were no truly righteous persons in the city.
Genesis 18
English Standard Version
18 And the Lord appeared to him by the (A)oaks[a] of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. (B)When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth 3 and said, “O Lord,[b] if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. 4 Let a (C)little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, 5 while I bring a morsel of bread, that (D)you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—(E)since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” 6 And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs[c] of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
9 They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is (F)in the tent.” 10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you (G)about this time next year, and (H)Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now (I)Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 (J)So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, (K)“After I am worn out, and (L)my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 (M)Is anything too hard[d] for the Lord? (N)At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it,[e] saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
16 Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way. 17 The Lord said, (O)“Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be (P)blessed in him? 19 For I have (Q)chosen[f] him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” 20 Then the Lord said, “Because (R)the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, 21 (S)I will go down to see whether they have done altogether[g] according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, (T)I will know.”
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
22 (U)So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham (V)still stood before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, (W)“Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, (X)so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! (Y)Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26 And the Lord said, (Z)“If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 Abraham answered and said, (AA)“Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 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 and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31 He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, (AB)“Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” 33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Footnotes
- Genesis 18:1 Or terebinths
- Genesis 18:3 Or My lord
- Genesis 18:6 A seah was about 7.7 quarts or 7.3 liters
- Genesis 18:14 Or wonderful
- Genesis 18:15 Or acted falsely
- Genesis 18:19 Hebrew known
- Genesis 18:21 Or they deserve destruction; Hebrew they have made a complete end
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
Genesis 18
International Standard Version
Abraham’s Three Visitors
18 Later, the Lord appeared to Abraham[a] by the oaks[b] belonging to Mamre. As Abraham[c] was sitting near the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day, 2 he glanced up and saw three men standing there, not far from him. As soon as he noticed them, Abraham[d] ran from the tent entrance to greet them and bowed low to the ground. 3 “My lords,” he told them, “if I have found favor with you,[e] please don’t leave your servant. 4 I’ll have some water brought to wash your feet while you rest under the tree. 5 I’ll bring some food for you,[f] and after that you may continue your journey, since you have come to visit your servant.”
So they replied, “Very well! Do what you’ve proposed.”
6 Abraham hurried into the tent and told Sarah, “Quick! Take three measures[g] of the best flour, knead it, and make some flat bread.”
7 Next, Abraham ran to the herd, found a choice and tender calf, and gave it to the young men, who went off in a hurry to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds, milk, and the calf that had been prepared, placed the food in front of them, and stood near them under the tree while they ate.
Sarah Laughs at the Promise
9 The men asked him, “Where is your wife Sarah?”
“There, in the tent,” he replied.
10 Then one of them said, “I will certainly return to you in about a year’s time.[h] By then, your wife Sarah will have borne a son.”
Now Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were old—really old[i]—and Sarah was beyond the age of childbearing.[j] 12 That’s why Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “After I’m so old and my husband is old, too, am I going to have sex?”[k]
13 The Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and think, ‘Am I really going to bear a child, since I’m so old?’ 14 Is anything impossible[l] for the Lord? At the time set for it, I will return to you—about a year from now—and Sarah will have a son.”
15 But Sarah denied it. “I didn’t laugh,” she claimed, because she was afraid.
The Lord[m] replied, “No! You did laugh!”
God Reveals His Plans to Abraham
16 After this, the men set out from there and looked out over Sodom. Abraham went with them to send them off.
17 “Should I hide from Abraham what I’m about to do,” the Lord asked, 18 “since Abraham’s descendants will become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him? 19 Indeed, I’ve made myself known to him in order that he may encourage his sons and his household that is born after him to keep the way of the Lord, and to do what is right and just, so that the Lord may bring about for Abraham what he has promised.” 20 The Lord also said, “How great is the disapproval of Sodom and Gomorrah! Their sin is so very serious! 21 I’m going down to see whether they’ve acted according to the protests that have reached me. If not, I wish to know.”
22 Then two of[n] the men turned away from there and walked toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing in the presence of the Lord.
Abraham Negotiates with God
23 Abraham approached and asked, “Will you actually destroy the righteous along with the wicked? 24 Perhaps there are 50 righteous ones within the city. Will you actually destroy it and not forgive the place for the sake of the 50 righteous that are found there? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! The Judge of all the earth will do what is right, won’t he?”
26 The Lord said, “If I find 50 righteous people within Sodom, I’ll forgive the whole place for their sake.”
27 Abraham answered, “Look, even though I am only dust and ashes, I’ve ventured to speak to my Lord. 28 What if there are five less than 50 righteous ones? Will you bring destruction upon the city because of those five?”
The Lord[o] said, “I won’t destroy it if I find 45 there.”
29 Abraham[p] continued to speak to him, asking, “What if 40 are found there?”
The Lord[q] replied, “I won’t do it for the sake of those 40.”
30 Abraham[r] then asked, “I hope my Lord will not be angry if I speak. What if 30 are found there?”
The Lord[s] answered, “I won’t do it for the sake of those 30.”
31 “Look,” Abraham[t] said, “I’ve presumed to speak to my Lord… so what if 20 are found there?”
“For the sake of those 20,” the Lord[u] responded, “I won’t destroy it.”
32 Finally, Abraham[v] inquired, “I hope my Lord will not be angry if I speak only once more. What if ten are found there?”
He replied, “For the sake of those ten I won’t destroy it.”
33 As soon as he finished talking to Abraham, the Lord left and Abraham returned to where he had been sitting.[w]
Footnotes
- Genesis 18:1 Lit. him
- Genesis 18:1 Or terebinths
- Genesis 18:1 Lit. he
- Genesis 18:2 Lit. he
- Genesis 18:3 Lit. favor in your eyes
- Genesis 18:5 Lit. you, that you may nourish yourselves
- Genesis 18:6 Lit. seahs
- Genesis 18:10 Lit. you according to the time of life
- Genesis 18:11 Lit. well advanced in days
- Genesis 18:11 Lit. The way of women has ceased for Sarah
- Genesis 18:12 Lit. pleasure
- Genesis 18:14 Lit. wonderful
- Genesis 18:15 Lit. He
- Genesis 18:22 The Heb. lacks two of
- Genesis 18:28 Lit. He
- Genesis 18:29 Lit. He
- Genesis 18:29 Lit. He
- Genesis 18:30 Lit. He
- Genesis 18:30 Lit. He
- Genesis 18:31 Lit. He
- Genesis 18:31 Lit. He
- Genesis 18:32 Lit. He
- Genesis 18:33 Lit. to his place
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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