Genesis 18
Open in the reader1Then He-Who-Is appeared to Father-of-a-Multitude by the Oaks of Strength in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.
2And Father-of-a-Multitude looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3“My lord,” said Father-of-a-Multitude, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.
4Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
5And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”
6So Father-of-a-Multitude hurried into the tent and said to Princess, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.”
7Meanwhile, Father-of-a-Multitude ran to the herd, selected a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.
8Then Father-of-a-Multitude brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9“Where is your wife Princess?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.
10Then He-Who-Is said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Princess will have a son!” Now Princess was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.
11And Father-of-a-Multitude and Princess were already old and well along in years; Princess had passed the age of childbearing.
12So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13And He-Who-Is asked Father-of-a-Multitude, “Why did Princess laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’
14Is anything too difficult for He-Who-Is? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Princess will have a son.”
15But Princess was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied He-Who-Is, “but you did laugh.”
16When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom, and Father-of-a-Multitude walked along with them to see them off.
17And He-Who-Is said, “Shall I hide from Father-of-a-Multitude what I am about to do?
18Father-of-a-Multitude will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
19For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of He-Who-Is by doing what is right and just, in order that He-Who-Is may bring upon Father-of-a-Multitude what He has promised.”
20Then He-Who-Is said, “The outcry against Sodom and Heap-of-Ruins is great. Because their sin is so grievous,
21I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find out.”
22And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Father-of-a-Multitude remained standing before He-Who-Is.
23Father-of-a-Multitude stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there?
25Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
26So He-Who-Is replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.”
27Then Father-of-a-Multitude answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—
28suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will You destroy the whole city for the lack of five?” He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.”
29Once again Father-of-a-Multitude spoke to He-Who-Is, “Suppose forty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.”
30Then Father-of-a-Multitude said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”
31And Father-of-a-Multitude said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”
32Finally, Father-of-a-Multitude said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”
33When He-Who-Is had finished speaking with Father-of-a-Multitude, He departed, and Father-of-a-Multitude returned home.