The Three Visitors

1. And Jehovah appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre,
as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.

2. And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood by him;
and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them,
and bowed himself toward the ground,

3. and said, “My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight,
do not pass away, I pray, from Your servant.

4. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet,
and rest yourselves under the tree;

5. and I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts;
after that you may pass on,
since you have come to your servant.”
And they said, “Do so, as you have said.”

6. And Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said,
“Quickly, make ready three measures 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 the young man, and he hurried to prepare it.

8. And 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 while they ate.

The Promise of Isaac

9. And they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”
And he said, “Behold, in the tent.”

10. And He said,
“I will certainly return to you according to the time of life,
and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.”
And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in days;
it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying,
“After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

13. And Jehovah said to Abraham,
“Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, being old?’

14. Is anything too hard for Jehovah?
At the appointed time I will return to you,
according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

15. Then Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid.
And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

The Lord Reveals His Plan for Sodom

16. And the men rose up from there and looked toward Sodom,
and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.

17. And Jehovah said,
“Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,

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 have known him, that he may command his children and his household after him,
that they keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice,
so that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken of him.”

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

20. And Jehovah said,
“Because the outcry 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 outcry that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

22. And the men turned from there and went toward Sodom,
but Abraham still stood before Jehovah.

23. And Abraham drew near and said,
“Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

24. Perhaps there are fifty righteous within the city;
will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place
for the fifty righteous who are in it?

25. Far be it from You to do such a thing — to slay the righteous with the wicked,
so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You!
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

26. And Jehovah 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 myself to speak to the Lord,
who am but dust and ashes.

28. Perhaps there lack five of the fifty righteous;
will You destroy all the city for lack of five?”
And He said, “I will not destroy it, if I find there forty-five.”

29. And he spoke to Him yet again and said,
“Perhaps forty shall be found there.”
And He said, “I will not do it for forty’s sake.”

30. And he said,
“Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak:
Perhaps thirty shall 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 it upon myself to speak to the Lord:
Perhaps twenty shall be 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 once more:
Perhaps ten shall be found there.”
And He said, “I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.”

33. And Jehovah went His way, as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham,
and Abraham returned to his place.