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Genesis 18
Evangelical Heritage Version
Genesis 18
Evangelical Heritage Version
Three Men Meet Abraham
18 The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he was sitting by the door to his tent during the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up, and he saw three men standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and he bowed down to the ground. 3 He said, “My lord,[a] if I have now found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by. 4 Now let me get a little water so that all of you can wash your feet and rest under the tree. 5 Let me get some bread so that you can refresh yourselves. After that you may go your way. That is why you have come to your servant.”
They said, “Yes, do as you have said.”
6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly prepare twenty quarts[b] of fine flour, knead it, and make some loaves of bread.” 7 Abraham ran to the herd, brought a good, tender calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to prepare it. 8 He took cheese curds, milk, and the calf that he had prepared and set it before them. He stood beside them under the tree while they ate.
9 They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?”
He said, “She is over there in the tent.”
10 One of the men said, “I will certainly return to you when this season comes around next year. Then Sarah your wife will have a son.”
Sarah was listening to this from the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well into old age. Sarah was past the age for childbearing.[c] 12 Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, will I have pleasure, since my lord is also old?”
13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really give birth to a child though I am old?’ 14 Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the set time next year I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Then Sarah denied it and said, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid.
The Lord said, “Yes, you did laugh.”
16 The men got up from there and looked down toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way. 17 The Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him? 19 For I have chosen him,[d] so that he may command his children and his household who follow after him to keep the way of the Lord by carrying out righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may deliver to Abraham what he has promised him.”
20 So the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very flagrant, 21 I will go down now and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has come to me. If not, I will know.”
22 The two men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23 Abraham approached him and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous along with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep them away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 You would never do such a thing, killing the righteous along with the wicked, treating the righteous the same as the wicked. You would never do such a thing. The Judge of all the earth should do right, shouldn’t he?”
26 The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people within the city of Sodom, then I will spare the entire place for their sake.”
27 Abraham answered, “See now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it on myself to speak to my Lord. 28 What if there are five fewer than fifty righteous? Will you destroy the entire city if the number is five short?”
He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
29 He spoke to him yet again and said, “What if only forty are found there?”
He said, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”
30 He said, “Please, do not be angry, my Lord, but I will speak again. What if thirty are found there?”
He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 He said, “See now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to my Lord. What if there are twenty found there?”
He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
32 He said, “Please, do not be angry, my Lord, but I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?”
He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
33 As soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham, the Lord went on his way, and Abraham returned to his place.
Footnotes
- Genesis 18:3 Or my Lord. The Hebrew writes this word as Adonai. That would make this a divine name, Lord, but did Abraham already recognize that the man was God?
- Genesis 18:6 Or thirty-six pounds. Hebrew three seahs. This is a huge amount.
- Genesis 18:11 Literally the way of women had ceased for Sarah
- Genesis 18:19 Literally have known him
Genesis 18
New International Version
Genesis 18
New International Version
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. 2 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)
3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(G) my lord,[a] do not pass your servant(H) by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet(I) and rest under this tree. 5 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.”
6 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)
7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf(L) and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 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.
9 “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
- Genesis 18:3 Or eyes, Lord
- Genesis 18:6 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms
- Genesis 18:18 Or will use his name in blessings (see 48:20)
- Genesis 18:22 Masoretic Text; an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition but the Lord remained standing before Abraham
- Genesis 18:24 Or forgive; also in verse 26
Genesis 18
English Standard Version
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
1599 Geneva Bible
Genesis 18
1599 Geneva Bible
18 2 Abraham receiveth three Angels into his house. 10 Isaac is promised again. 12 Sarah laugheth. 18 Christ is promised to all nations. 19 Abraham taught his family to know God. 21 The destruction of Sodom is declared unto Abraham. 23 Abraham prayeth for them.
1 Again the Lord (A)appeared unto him in the [a]plain of Mamre, as he sat in his tent door about the heat of the day.
2 And he lifted up his eyes, and looked: and lo, three [b]men stood by him, and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the ground.
3 And he said, [c]Lord, if I have now found favor in thy sight, go not, I pray thee, from thy servant.
4 Let a little water, I pray you, be brought, and [d]wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may comfort your hearts, afterward ye shall go your ways: for therefore are ye [e]come to your servant. And they said, Do even as thou hast said.
6 Then Abraham made haste into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready at once three [f]measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
7 And Abraham ran to the beasts, and took a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant, who hasted to make it ready.
8 And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had prepared, and set before them, and stood himself by them under the tree: and [g]they did eat.
9 ¶ Then they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he answered, Behold, she is in the tent.
10 And he said, (B)I will certainly come again unto thee according to the time of [h]life: and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son: and Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 (Now Abraham and Sarah were old and stricken in age, and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.)
12 Therefore Sarah [i]laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old, (C)and my lord also, shall I have lust?
13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah thus laugh, saying, Shall I certainly bear a child, which am old?
14 (Shall anything be [j](D)hard to the Lord? as the time appointed will I return unto thee, even according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.)
15 But Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not: for she was afraid. And he said, [k]It is not so: for thou laughedst.
16 ¶ Afterward, the men did rise up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 And the [l]Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do,
18 Seeing that Abraham shall be indeed a great and a mighty nation, and (E)all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him [m]that he will command his sons and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord to do righteousness and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that he hath spoken unto him.
20 Then the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is exceedingly grievous,
21 I will [n]go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to that [o]cry, which is come unto me: and if not, that I may know.
22 And the men turned thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
23 Then Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 If there be fifty righteous within the city, wilt thou destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 Be it far from thee from doing this thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be even as the wicked, be it far from thee. Shall not the Judge of all the world [p]do right?
26 And the Lord answered, If I shall find in Sodom [q]fifty righteous within the city, then will I spare all the place for their sakes.
27 Then Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have begun to speak unto my Lord, and I am [r]but dust and ashes,
28 If there shall lack five of fifty righteous, wilt thou destroy all the city for five? And he said, If I find there five and forty, I will not destroy it.
29 And he yet spake to him again, and said, What if there shall be found forty there? Then he answered, I will not do it for forty’s sake.
30 Again he said, Let not my Lord now be angry that I speak, What if thirty be found there? Then he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
31 Moreover he said, Behold now, I have begun to speak unto my Lord, What if twenty be found there? And he answered, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.
32 Then he said, Let not my Lord be now angry, and I will speak but this [s]once, What if ten be found there? And he answered, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.
33 ¶ And the Lord went his way, when he had left communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned unto his place.
Footnotes
- Genesis 18:1 Or, oak grove.
- Genesis 18:2 That is, three Angels in man’s shape.
- Genesis 18:3 Speaking to one of them in whom appeared to be most majesty, for he thought they had been men.
- Genesis 18:4 For men used because of the great heat to go bare footed in those parts.
- Genesis 18:5 As sent of God, that I should do my duty to you.
- Genesis 18:6 Hebrew, Seim.
- Genesis 18:8 For as God gave them bodies for a time, so gave he them the faculties thereof, to walk, to eat and drink, and such like.
- Genesis 18:10 That is, about this time when she shall be alive, or when the child shall come into this life.
- Genesis 18:12 For she rather had respect to the order of nature, than believed the promise of God.
- Genesis 18:14 Or, hid.
- Genesis 18:15 Hebrew, No.
- Genesis 18:17 Jehovah the Hebrew word which we call Lord, showeth that this Angel was Christ: for this word is only applied to God.
- Genesis 18:19 He showeth that fathers ought both to know God’s judgments, and to declare them to their children.
- Genesis 18:21 God speaketh after the fashion of men: that is, I will enter into judgment with good advice.
- Genesis 18:21 For our sins cry for vengeance, though none accuse us.
- Genesis 18:25 Hebrew, do judgment.
- Genesis 18:26 God declareth that his judgments were done with great mercy, forasmuch as all were so corrupt, that not only fifty but ten righteous men could not be found there, and also that the wicked are spared for the righteous’ sake.
- Genesis 18:27 Hereby we learn, that the nearer we approach unto God, the more doth our miserable estate appear, and the more are we humbled.
- Genesis 18:32 If God refused not the prayer for the wicked Sodomites, even to the sixth request, how much more will he grant the prayers of the godly for the afflicted Church?
Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.