Genesis 18:1 to 18:33
1 And Yahweh appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre. And he sat at the tent-door as the day grew hot.
2 And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men standing near him. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent-door, and bowed himself to the earth,
3 and said, "Lord, if now I have found favour in your eyes pass not away, I ask you, from your servant.
4 Let now a little water be fetched, that you may wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread; and refresh yourselves; after that you shall pass on; for therefore have you passed on towards your servant." And they said, "Go do as you havesaid."
6 And Father-of-Multitudes hastened in the tent to Princess, and said, "Knead quickly three seahs of wheat flour, and make cakes."
7 And Father-of-Multitudes ran to the herd, and took a calf tender and good, and gave it to the attendant; and he hasted to dress it.
8 And he took milk curds, and the calf that he had dressed, and set this before them; and he stood before them under the tree, and they ate.
9 And they said to him, "Where is Princess your wife?" And he said, "Behold, in the tent."
10 And he said, "I will certainly return to you at the time when life is due, and behold, Princess your wife shall have a son." And Princess was listening at the tent-door, which was behind him.
11 Now Father-of-Multitudes and Princess were well advanced in age: Sarah had ceased to have the periods of women.
12 And princess laughed within herself, saying, "After I am become old, shall I have pleasure, and my lord is also old?"
13 And Yahweh said to Father-of-Multitudes , "Why is this, that Princess laughs, saying, 'Shall I indeed bear, when I am become old?'
14 Is any matter too wonderful for Yahweh? At the time life is due I will return to you, and Sarah shall have a son."
15 And Sarah denied saying, "I did not laugh"; for she was afraid. And he said, "Yes, you did laugh."
16 And the men rose up from there and looked toward Sodom; and Father-of-Multitudes went with them to conduct them.
17 And Yahweh said, "Shall I hide from Father-of-Multitudes what I am doing?
18 Since Father-of-Multitudes shall indeed become a great and populous nation; and all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves through him.
19 For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice, in order that yahweh may bring upon Father-of-Multitudes what he has promised him."
20 And Yahweh said, "Because the outrage of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grievous,
21 I will go down now, and see whether their actions are like the outcry which has reached me or not. Then I will know."
22 And the men turned then and went towards Sodom; Yahweh paused in front of Father-of-Multitudes.
23 And Father-of-Multitudes drew near, and said, "Will you also cause the righteous to perish with the wicked?
24 There are perhaps fifty righteous within the city: will you also destroy and not forgive the place for the sake of the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 Far be it from you to do so, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that the righteous be treated the same as the wicked -- far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
26 And Yahweh said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sakes."
27 And Father-of-Multitudes spoke again, "Notice I have ventured to speak to the Lord; I, who am dust and ashes.
28 Perhaps there may want five of the fifty righteous: will you destroy all the city on account of the five?" And he said, "If I shall find forty-five there, I will not destroy it".
29 And he continued yet to speak with him, "Perhaps there may be forty found there." And he said, "I will not do it for the forty's sake."
30 And he said, "Oh, let not the Lord be angry that I speak! Perhaps there may be thirty found there." And he said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
31 And he said, "See, I have ventured to speak with the Lord. Perhaps there may be twenty found there." And he said, "I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake."
32 And he said, "Oh, let not the Lord be angry, that I speak yet but this time! Perhaps there may be ten found there." And he said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake."
33 And Yahweh went away as soon as he finished speaking to Father-of-Multitudes ; and Father-of-Multitudes returned to his home.
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