Genesis Chapter 18 (Index)

001  And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

002  And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

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

004  Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

005  And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

006  And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

007  And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

008  And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

009  And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

010  And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

011  Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

012  Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

013  And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

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

015  Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

016  And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

017  And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

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

019  For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

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

021  I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

022  And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

023  And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

024  Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

025  That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

026  And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

027  And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

028  Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

029  And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.

030  And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

031  And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

032  And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

033  And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.