1 Birth of Isaac Promised Now the Lappeared to Abraham by the terebinthtreesof Mamre [in Hebron], while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.
2 When he raised his eyes and looked up, behold, three men were standing [a little distance] from him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed down [with his face] to the ground,
3 and Abraham said, “MyAt some point during this encounter, Abraham understood that one of the three men was actually God appearing as a man (or as an angel; cf note 16:7), and he addressed Him as such in v 14. Verse 13 confirms that it was the Lord who spoke to him. The other two men were angels.lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass by your servant [without stopping to visit].
4 Please let a little water be brought [by one of my servants] and [you may] wash your feet, and reclineandrest comfortably under the tree.
5 And I will bring a piece of bread to refreshandsustainLit your heart.you; after that you may go on, since you have come to your servant.” And they replied, “Do as you have said.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly, get ready threeHeb seim, plural of seah; since one seah equals about nine quarts, this was a large quantity. However, Abraham was asking Sarah to make cakes of bread which actually could be baked quickly because they were similar to pizza dough, that is, large, round, and flat. Together with the other food that Abraham provided (vv 7, 8), his promise of “a piece of bread” in v 5 was greatly understated, and the generous meal reflected the respect that he held for his special visitors.measures of fine meal, knead it and bake cakes.”
7 Abraham also ran to the herd and brought a calf, tender and choice, and he gave it to the servant [to butcher], and he hurried to prepare it.
8 Then he tookOr sour milk, or perhaps butter. It may have served as a kind of condiment for the bread.curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before the men; and he stood beside them under the tree while they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.”
10 He said, “I will surely return to you at thisLit when the time revives.Lit when the time revives. Some regard this as a reference to springtime. Others think it means “the time when the life is ready.”time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in years; she was past [the age of] childbearing.
12 So Sarah laughed to herself [when she heard the L’words], saying, “After I have become old, shall I have pleasureanddelight, my lord (husband) being also old?”
13 And the Lasked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh [to herself], saying, ‘Shall I really give birth [to a child] when I am so old?’
14 Is anything too difficultortoo wonderful for theThe divine Hebrew name YHWH (Yahweh), usually represented by “Lord,” occurs more than 5,000 times in the Bible.L? At the appointed time, when the season [for her delivery] comes, I will return to you and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh”; because she was afraid. And He (the L) said, “No, but you did laugh.”
16 Then the men got up from there, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham walked with them to send them on the way.
17 The Lsaid, “Shall I keep secret from Abraham [My friend and servant] what I am going to do,
18 since AbrahamLit will surely.is destined to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him?
19 For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teachandcommand his children and [the sons of] his household after him to keep the way of the Lby doing what is righteous and just, so that the Lmay bring upon Abraham what He has promised him.”
20 And the Lsaid, “The outcry [of the sin] of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.
21 I will go down now, and see whether they have acted [as vilely and wickedly] as the outcry which has come to Me [indicates]; and if not, I will know.”
22 Now the [two] men (angelic beings) turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the L.
23 Abraham approached [the L] and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous (those who do right) with the wicked (those who do evil)?
24 Suppose there are fifty righteous [people] within the city; will You really sweep it away and not spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?
25 Far be it from You to doLit according to this word.such a thing—to strike the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked aretreatedalike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right [by executing just and righteous judgment]?”
26 So the Lsaid, “If I find within the city of Sodom fifty righteous [people], then I will spare the entire place for their sake.”
27 Abraham answered, “Now behold, I who am but dust [in origin] and ashes have decided to speak to the Lord.
28 If five of the fifty righteous are lacking, will You destroy the entire city for lack of five?” And He said, “If I find [at least] forty-five [righteous people] there, I will not destroy it.”
29 Abraham spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose [only] forty are found there.” And He said, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty [who are righteous].”
30 Then Abraham said [to Him], “Oh, may the Lord not be angry, and I will speak; suppose thirty [righteous people] are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 And he said, “Now behold, I have decided to speak to the Lord [again]. Suppose [only] twenty [righteous people] are found there?” And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
32 Then Abraham said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry [with me], and I will speak only this once; suppose ten [righteous people] are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
33 As soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham the Ldeparted, and Abraham returned to his own place.