[[Genesis 17|<< Genesis 17]] | [[Genesis|Genesis]] | [[Genesis 19|Genesis 19 >>]] ### Genesis 18 1 AND the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; ^1 2 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, ^2 3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: ^3 4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: ^4 5 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. ^5 6 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. ^6 7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave _it_ unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. ^7 8 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. ^8 9 ¶ And they said unto him, Where _is_ Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. ^9 10 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. ^10 11 Now Abraham and Sarah _were_ old _and_ well stricken in age; _and_ it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. ^11 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? ^12 13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? ^13 14 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. ^14 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, No; but thou didst laugh. ^15 16 ¶ And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. ^16 17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; ^17 18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? ^18 19 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 has spoken of him. ^19 20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; ^20 21 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. ^21 22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. ^22 23 ¶ And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? ^23 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that _are_ therein? ^24 25 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? ^25 26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. ^26 27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which _am_ _but_ dust and ashes: ^27 28 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-five, I will not destroy _it_. ^28 29 And he spoke 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. ^29 30 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. ^30 31 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. ^31 32 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. ^32 33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place. ^33