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18
1 And YHWH appears to him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about the heat of the day; 2 and he lifts up his eyes and looks, and behold, three men standing by him, and he sees, and runs to meet them from the opening of the tent, and bows himself toward the earth, 3 and he says, “My Lord, if now I have found grace in Your eyes, please do not pass on from Your servant; 4 please let a little water be accepted, and wash Your feet, and recline under the tree; 5 and I bring a piece of bread, and support Your heart; afterward pass on, for therefore You have passed over to Your servant”; and they say, “So may you do as you have spoken.” 6 And Abraham hurries toward the tent, to Sarah, and says, “Hurry three measures of flour-meal, knead, and make cakes”; 7 and Abraham ran to the herd, and takes a son of the herd, tender and good, and gives to the young man, and he hurries to prepare it; 8 and he takes butter and milk, and the son of the herd which he has prepared, and sets before them; and he is standing by them under the tree, and they eat. 9 And they say to him, “Where [is] Sarah your wife?” And he says, “Behold—in the tent”; 10 and He says, “Returning I return to you, about the time of life, and behold, to Sarah your wife a son.” And Sarah is listening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him; 11 and Abraham and Sarah [are] aged, entering into days—the way of women has ceased to be to Sarah; 12 and Sarah laughs in her heart, saying, “After I have waxed old have I had pleasure? My lord [is] also old!” 13 And YHWH says to Abraham, “Why [is] this? Sarah has laughed, saying, Is it really true—I bear—and I am aged? 14 Is anything too wonderful for YHWH? At the appointed time I return to you, about the time of life, and Sarah has a son.” 15 And Sarah denies, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she has been afraid; and He says, “No, but you did laugh.” 16 And the men rise from there, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away; 17 and YHWH said, “Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing, 18 and Abraham certainly becomes a great and mighty nation, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth? 19 For I have known him, that he commands his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of YHWH), to do righteousness and judgment, that YHWH may bring on Abraham that which He has spoken concerning him.” 20 And YHWH says, “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah—because great; and their sin—because exceedingly grievous: 21 I go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming to Me they have done completely—and if not—I know”; 22 and the men turn from there, and go toward Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before YHWH. 23 And Abraham draws near and says, “Do You also consume righteous with wicked? 24 Perhaps there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city; do You also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who [are] in its midst? 25 Far be it from You to do according to this thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked; that it has been—as the righteous so the wicked—far be it from You; does the Judge of all the earth not do justice?” 26 And YHWH says, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne with all the place for their sake.” 27 And Abraham answers and says, “Now behold, I have willed to speak to the Lord, and I [am] dust and ashes; 28 perhaps there are lacking five of the fifty righteous—do You destroy for five the whole of the city?” And He says, “I do not destroy [it], if I find there forty-five.” 29 And he adds again to speak to Him and says, “Perhaps there are found there forty?” And He says, “I do not do [it], because of the forty.” 30 And he says, “Please let it not be displeasing to the Lord, and I speak: perhaps there are found there thirty?” And He says, “I do not do [it], if I find there thirty.” 31 And he says, “Now behold, I have willed to speak to the Lord: perhaps there are found there twenty?” And He says, “I do not destroy [it], because of the twenty.” 32 And he says, “Please let it not be displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: perhaps there are found there ten?” And He says, “I do not destroy [it], because of the ten.” 33 And YHWH goes on, when He has finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham has turned back to his place.

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