Abraham's Celestial Visitors

1And Jehovah appeareth unto him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about the heat of the day; 2and he lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, three men standing by him, and he seeth, and runneth to meet them from the opening of the tent, and boweth himself towards the earth, 3And he saith, ‘My Lord, if, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, do not, I pray thee, pass on from thy servant; 4let, I pray thee, a little water be accepted, and wash your feet, and recline under the tree; 5and I bring a piece of bread, and support ye your heart; afterwards pass on, for therefore have ye passed over unto your servant;’ and they say, ‘So mayest thou do as thou has spoken.’ 6And Abraham hasteth towards the tent, unto Sarah, and saith, ‘Hasten three measures of flour-meal, knead, and make cakes;’ 7and Abraham ran unto the herd, and taketh a son of the herd, tender and good, and giveth unto the young man, and he hasteth to prepare it; 8and he taketh butter and milk, and the son of the herd which he hath prepared, and setteth before them; and he is standing by them under the tree, and they do eat.

9And they say unto him, ‘Where [is] Sarah thy wife?’ and he saith, ‘Lo—in the tent;’ 10and he saith, ‘returning I return unto thee, about the time of life, and lo, to Sarah thy wife a son.’ 11And Sarah is hearkening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him; 12and Abraham and Sarah [are] aged, entering into days—the way of women hath ceased to be to Sarah; 13and Sarah laugheth in her heart, saying, ‘After I have waxed old I have had pleasure!—my lord also [is] old!’ 14And Jehovah saith unto Abraham, ‘Why [is] this? Sarah hath laughed, saying, Is it true really—I bear—and I am aged? Is any thing too wonderful for Jehovah? at the appointed time I return unto thee, about the time of life, and Sarah hath a son.’ 15And Sarah denieth, saying, ‘I did not laugh;’ for she hath been afraid; and He saith, ‘Nay, but thou didst laugh.’

16And the men rise from thence, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away; 17and Jehovah said, ‘Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing, 18and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth? 19for I have known him, that he commandeth his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of Jehovah), to do righteousness and judgment, that Jehovah may bring on Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him.’ 20And Jehovah saith, ‘The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah—because great; and their sin—because exceeding grievous: 21I go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming unto Me they have done completely—and if not—I know;’

22and the men turn from thence, and go towards Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before Jehovah. 23And Abraham draweth nigh and saith, ‘Dost Thou also consume righteous with wicked? 24peradventure there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city; dost Thou also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty—the righteous who [are] in its midst? 25Far be it from Thee to do according to this thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked; that it hath been—as the righteous so the wicked—far be it from Thee; doth the Judge of all the earth not do justice?’ 26And Jehovah saith, ‘If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne with all the place for their sake.’ 27And Abraham answereth and saith, ‘Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord, and I—dust and ashes; 28peradventure there are lacking five of the fifty righteous—dost Thou destroy for five the whole of the city?’ and He saith, ‘I destroy [it] not, if I find there forty and five.’ 29And he addeth again to speak unto Him and saith, ‘Peradventure there are found there forty?’ and He saith, ‘I do [it] not, because of the forty.’ 30And he saith, ‘Let it not be, I Pray thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak: peradventure there are found there thirty?’ and He saith, ‘I do [it] not, if I find there thirty.’ 31And he saith, ‘Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there are found there twenty?’ and He saith, ‘I do not destroy [it], because of the twenty.’ 32And he saith, ‘Let it not be, I pray Thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: peradventure there are found there ten?’ and He saith, ‘I do not destroy [it], because of the ten.’ 33And Jehovah goeth on, when He hath finished speaking unto Abraham, and Abraham hath turned back to his place.