1Now Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day.
2He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed down to the ground.
3And he said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant.
4Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and recline under the tree.
5And let me bring a piece of bread, and refresh your hearts; afterward you may pass on—since you have passed by your servant.” And they said, “Do as you have said.”
6So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of flour, fine flour—knead it and make bread cakes.”
7Then Abraham ran to the herd, took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it.
8He took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
9And they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “Here, in the tent.”
10And he said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.
11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in days; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12So Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I am worn out, shall I have pleasure—and my lord is old?”
13And Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I really bear a child, now that I am old?’
14Is anything too wondrous for Yahweh? At the appointed time I will return to you at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
15But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. But he said, “No, but you did laugh.”
16Then the men rose up from there and looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham was going with them to send them on their way.
17And Yahweh said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
18since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him?
19For I have known him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of Yahweh by doing righteousness and justice, so that Yahweh may bring upon Abraham what he has spoken concerning him.”
20Then Yahweh said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is indeed very heavy.
21Let me go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.”
22So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before Yahweh.
23Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?
25Far be it from you to do such a thing—to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked! Far be it from you! Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?”
26And Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27Then Abraham answered and said, “Behold now, I have undertaken to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes.
28Suppose the fifty righteous lack five—will you destroy the whole city for the five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find there forty-five.”
29And he spoke to him yet again and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And he said, “For the sake of the forty I will not do it.”
30Then he said, “Please do not let my Lord be angry, and let me speak: Suppose thirty are found there?” And he said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31Then he said, “See now, I have ventured to speak to the Lord: perhaps twenty will be found there.” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
32Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak just this once more: perhaps ten will be found there.” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
33And Yahweh went on his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
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