Chapter 18

And the LORD appeared¹¹ unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat⁶ in the tent door in the heat of the day;

And he lift up⁴ his eyes and looked,⁴ and, lo, three men stood¹² by him: and when he saw⁴ [them], he ran⁴ to meet² them from the tent door, and bowed¹⁰¹ himself toward the ground,

And said,⁴ My Lord, if now I have found¹ favour in thy sight, pass not away,⁴ I pray thee, from thy servant:

Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched,⁹³ and wash³ your feet, and rest¹⁰ yourselves under the tree:

And I will fetch⁴ a morsel of bread, and comfort³ ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on:⁴ for therefore are ye come¹ to your servant. And they said,⁴ So do,⁴ as thou hast said.¹⁴

And Abraham hastened¹⁷ into the tent unto Sarah, and said,⁴ Make ready quickly¹⁶ three measures of fine meal, knead³ [it], and make³ cakes upon the hearth.

And Abraham ran¹ unto the herd, and fetcht⁴ a calf ¹²⁴¹ tender and good, and gave⁴ [it] unto a young man; and he hasted¹⁷ to dress² it.

And he took⁴ butter, and milk, and the calf ¹²⁴¹ which he had dressed,¹ and set⁴ [it] before them; and he stood⁶ by them under the tree, and they did eat.⁴

And they said⁴ unto him, Where [is] Sarah thy wife? And he said,⁴ Behold, in the tent.

And he said,⁴ I will certainly² return⁴ unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard⁶ [it] in the tent door, which [was] behind him.

Now Abraham and Sarah [were] old [and] well stricken⁶ in age; [and] it ceased¹ to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

Therefore Sarah laughed⁴ within herself, saying,² After I am waxed old² shall I have pleasure, my lord being old¹ also?

And the LORD said⁴ unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh,¹ saying,² Shall I of a surety bear⁴ a child, which am old?¹

Is any thing too hard¹¹ for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return⁴ unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Then Sarah denied,¹⁷ saying,² I laughed¹ not; for she was afraid.¹ And he said,⁴ Nay; but thou didst laugh.¹

And the men rose up⁴ from thence, and looked⁵⁵ toward Sodom: and Abraham went⁶ with them to bring them on the way.¹⁵

And the LORD said,¹ Shall I hide¹⁸ from Abraham that thing which I do;⁶

Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed⁸ in him?

For I know¹ him, that he will command¹⁷ his children and his household after him, and they shall keep¹ the way of the LORD, to do² justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring⁵³ upon Abraham that which he hath spoken¹⁴ of him.

And the LORD said,⁴ Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;¹

I will go down⁴ now, and see⁴ whether they have done¹ altogether according to the cry of it, which is come⁶ unto me; and if not, I will know.⁴

And the men turned their faces⁴ from thence, and went⁴ toward Sodom: but Abraham stood⁶ yet before the LORD.

And Abraham drew near,⁴ and said,⁴ Wilt thou also destroy⁴ the righteous with the wicked?

Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy⁴ and not spare⁴ the place for the fifty righteous that [are] therein?

That be far from thee to do² after this manner, to slay⁵³ the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge⁶ of all the earth do⁴ right?

And the LORD said,⁴ If I find⁴ in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare¹ all the place for their sakes.

And Abraham answered⁴ and said,⁴ Behold now, I have taken upon me⁵² to speak¹⁵ unto the Lord, which [am but] dust and ashes:

Peradventure there shall lack⁴ five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy⁵⁵ all the city for [lack of] five? And he said,⁴ If I find⁴ there forty and five, I will not destroy⁵⁵ [it].

And he spake¹⁵ unto him yet again,⁵⁵ and said,⁴ Peradventure there shall be forty found¹¹ there. And he said,⁴ I will not do⁴ [it] for forty's sake.

And he said⁴ [unto him], Oh let not the Lord be angry,⁴ and I will speak:¹⁷ Peradventure there shall thirty be found¹¹ there. And he said,⁴ I will not do⁴ [it], if I find⁴ thirty there.

And he said,⁴ Behold now, I have taken upon me⁵² to speak¹⁵ unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found¹¹ there. And he said,⁴ I will not destroy⁵⁵ [it] for twenty's sake.

And he said,⁴ Oh let not the Lord be angry,⁴ and I will speak¹⁷ yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found¹¹ there. And he said,⁴ I will not destroy⁵⁵ [it] for ten's sake.

And the LORD went his way,⁴ as soon as he had left¹⁴ communing¹⁵ with Abraham: and Abraham returned¹ unto his place.