Genesis 18
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
World English Bible
1And the LORD appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
1The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
2and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood over against him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed down to the earth,
2He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,
3and said: 'My lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.
3and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
4Let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and recline yourselves under the tree.
4Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and stay ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on; forasmuch as ye are come to your servant.' And they said: 'So do, as thou hast said.'
5I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”
6And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said: 'Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.'
6Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
7And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hastened to dress it.
7Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.
8And he took curd, 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.
8He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9And they said unto him: 'Where is Sarah thy wife?' And he said: 'Behold, in the tent.'
9They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, in the tent.”
10And He said: 'I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son.' And Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him. —
10He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. —
11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12And Sarah laughed within herself, saying: 'After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?'
12Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13And the LORD said unto Abraham: 'Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying: Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old?
13The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’
14Is any thing too hard for the LORD. At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son.'
14Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”
15Then Sarah denied, saying: 'I laughed not'; for she was afraid. And He said: 'Nay; but thou didst laugh.'
15Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
16And the men rose up from thence, and looked out toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
16The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17And the LORD said: 'Shall I hide from Abraham that which I am doing;
17The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
18seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
18since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.'
19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
20And the LORD said: 'Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and, verily, their sin is exceeding grievous.
20The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
21I 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.'
21I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”
22And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
22The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23And Abraham drew near, and said: 'Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
23Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?
24Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep away and not forgive the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
24What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
25That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from Thee; shall not the judge of all the earth do justly?'
25May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”
26And the LORD said: 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sake.'
26The LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27And Abraham answered and said: 'Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.
27Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.
28Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt Thou destroy all the city for lack of five?' And He said: 'I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.'
28What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
29And he spoke unto Him yet again, and said: 'Peradventure there shall be forty found there.' And He said: 'I will not do it for the forty's sake.'
29He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.”
30And he said: '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.'
30He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31And 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 the twenty's sake.'
31He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”
32And 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 the ten's sake.'
32He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”
33And the LORD went His way, as soon as He had left off speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.
33The LORD went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
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