Genesis 18
Living Bible
18 The Lord appeared again to Abraham while he was living in the oak grove at Mamre. This is the way it happened: One hot summer afternoon as he was sitting in the opening of his tent, 2 he suddenly noticed three men coming toward him. He sprang up and ran to meet them and welcomed them.
3-4 “Sirs,” he said, “please don’t go any farther. Stop awhile and rest here in the shade of this tree while I get water to refresh your feet, 5 and a bite to eat to strengthen you. Do stay awhile before continuing your journey.”
“All right,” they said, “do as you have said.”
6 Then Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Mix up some pancakes![a] Use your best flour, and make enough for the three of them!” 7 Then he ran out to the herd and selected a fat calf and told a servant to hurry and butcher it. 8 Soon, taking them cheese and milk and the roast veal, he set it before the men and stood beneath the trees beside them as they ate.
9 “Where is Sarah, your wife?” they asked him.
“In the tent,” Abraham replied.
10 Then the Lord said, “Next year[b] I will give you and Sarah a son!” (Sarah was listening from the tent door behind him.) 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were both very old, and Sarah was long since past the time when she could have a baby.
12 So Sarah laughed silently. “A woman my age have a baby?” she scoffed to herself. “And with a husband as old as mine?”
13 Then God said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 14 Is anything too hard for God? Next year, just as I told you, I will certainly see to it that Sarah has a son.”
15 But Sarah denied it. “I didn’t laugh,” she lied, for she was afraid.
16 Then the men stood up from their meal and started on toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them part of the way.
17 “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” God asked. 18 “For Abraham shall become a mighty nation, and he will be a source of blessing for all the nations of the earth. 19 And I have picked him out to have godly descendants and a godly household—men who are just and good—so that I can do for him all I have promised.”
20 So the Lord told Abraham, “I have heard that the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are utterly evil, and that everything they do is wicked. 21 I am going down to see whether these reports are true or not. Then I will know.”
22-23 So the other two went on toward Sodom, but the Lord remained with Abraham a while. Then Abraham approached him and said, “Will you kill good and bad alike? 24 Suppose you find fifty godly people there within the city—will you destroy it, and not spare it for their sakes? 25 That wouldn’t be right! Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, to kill the godly with the wicked! Why, you would be treating godly and wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth be fair?”
26 And God replied, “If I find fifty godly people there, I will spare the entire city for their sake.”
27 Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me go on and speak further to the Lord, though I am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose there are only forty-five? Will you destroy the city for lack of five?”
And God said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five.”
29 Then Abraham went further with his request. “Suppose there are only forty?”
And God replied, “I won’t destroy it if there are forty.”
30 “Please don’t be angry,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak: suppose only thirty are found there?”
And God replied, “I won’t do it if there are thirty there.”
31 Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to God, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”
And God said, “Then I won’t destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
32 Finally, Abraham said, “Oh, let not the Lord be angry; I will speak but this once more! Suppose only ten are found?”
And God said, “Then, for the sake of the ten, I won’t destroy it.”
33 And the Lord went on his way when he had finished his conversation with Abraham. And Abraham returned to his tent.
Footnotes
- Genesis 18:6 pancakes, probably some sort of tortilla.
- Genesis 18:10 Next year, literally, “When life would be due.”
Genesis 18
Het Boek
Abraham pleit voor Sodom
18 De Here verscheen opnieuw aan Abraham, die op dat moment bij het eikenbos van Mamre woonde. Op het heetst van de dag zat Abraham in de opening van zijn tent 2 en zag plotseling drie mannen aankomen. Hij kwam snel overeind en begroette hen. 3 ‘Mijn Heer,’ zei hij, ‘onderbreek uw reis hier even. Kijk eens, u kunt daar in de schaduw van die boom even uitrusten. 4 Ik zal dan water halen om uw voeten op te frissen en u wat eten geven, zodat u er weer tegen kunt. 5 Kom, ga even zitten.’ ‘Fijn,’ zeiden de reizigers dankbaar, ‘we maken graag gebruik van uw gastvrijheid.’ 6 Abraham haastte zich terug naar de tent en zei tegen Sara: ‘Snel, bak een paar koeken voor onze gasten en gebruik je beste meel.’ 7 Daarna liep hij vlug naar buiten, naar de kudde en zocht een vet kalf uit. Hij gaf een knecht opdracht het dier te slachten en klaar te maken.
8 Korte tijd later zaten de drie mannen aan een maaltijd van kaas, melk en geroosterd kalfsvlees. Abraham stond naast hen onder de boom terwijl zij aten. 9 ‘Waar is uw vrouw Sara?’ vroegen de mannen hem. ‘In de tent,’ antwoordde Abraham. 10 Toen zei de reiziger: ‘Over een jaar zal Ik u weer bezoeken en dan zal Sara een zoon hebben.’ Sara zat bij de tentingang achter de mannen mee te luisteren.
11 Abraham en Sara waren allebei erg oud en Sara was te oud om nog kinderen te kunnen krijgen. 12 Daarom lachte ze in zichzelf om die woorden. ‘Een vrouw van mijn leeftijd die nog een kind krijgt? En dat met een man die zo oud is als Abraham?’ dacht ze. 13 Maar de Here zei tegen Abraham: ‘Waarom lacht Sara en gelooft zij niet dat een vrouw van haar leeftijd nog een kind kan krijgen? 14 Voor Mij is niets onmogelijk. Over een jaar zal Ik terugkomen en dan zal Sara een zoon hebben.’ 15 Maar Sara ontkende het. ‘Ik heb helemaal niet gelachen,’ zei zij, want ze was bang. Maar de Here zei: ‘U hebt wél gelachen.’
16 Daarna stonden de mannen op en liepen verder in de richting van Sodom. Abraham liep met hen mee om hen uitgeleide te doen. 17 ‘Moet Ik mijn plannen eigenlijk wel voor Abraham verbergen?’ dacht de Here. 18 ‘Want uit Abraham zal een groot volk voortkomen en hij zal voor alle volken een zegen zijn. 19 Ik heb hem uitgekozen. Zijn kinderen en verdere nakomelingen zullen mijn naam in ere houden, zodat Ik hun alles kan geven wat Ik heb beloofd.’ 20 Daarom zei de Here tegen Abraham: ‘Ik heb gehoord dat de inwoners van Sodom en Gomorra erg slecht zijn 21 en zwaar zondigen. Ik ga er nu heen om te zien of dat inderdaad zo is of niet. Ik zal het te weten komen.’
22 Terwijl die mannen doorliepen naar Sodom, bleef Abraham nog voor de Here staan. 23 Abraham kwam nog dichter bij en vroeg: ‘Gaat U de goeden tegelijk met de slechten doden? 24 Stel nu dat er vijftig rechtvaardige mensen onder de inwoners zijn. Moet U dan de rest niet sparen ter wille van die vijftig? 25 Dat kunt U toch niet doen? U kunt ze toch niet over één kam scheren? De Rechter van de wereld is toch een rechtvaardige rechter?’ 26 De Here antwoordde: ‘Als Ik vijftig rechtvaardige mensen vind, zal Ik ter wille van hen de hele stad sparen.’
27 Abraham nam opnieuw het woord. ‘Ik heb nu mijn mond opengedaan, dus ik zal ook doorpraten, ook al ben ik maar een stoffelijk mens die tegen de Here spreekt. 28 Stel dat het er maar vijfenveertig zijn? Zult U de stad vernietigen, omdat het er maar vijfenveertig zijn? Zult U de stad vernietigen, omdat het er vijf minder zijn?’ ‘Ik zal de stad niet vernietigen als het er vijfenveertig zijn,’ zei de Here.
29 Abraham vervolgde: ‘En als het er maar veertig zijn?’ God antwoordde: ‘Ik zal de stad niet vernietigen als Ik er veertig vind.’
30 ‘Word alstublieft niet boos,’ pleitte Abraham, ‘als ik zeg: wat als het er maar dertig zijn?’ En God antwoordde: ‘Ik zal niets vernietigen als het er dertig zijn.’
31 Toen zei Abraham: ‘Nu ik heb gewaagd tegen de Here te spreken, kan ik ook verder spreken. Stel dat er maar twintig rechtvaardigen zijn?’ En God zei: ‘Ter wille van die twintig zal Ik de stad laten voortbestaan.’
32 ‘Dit is echt de laatste keer dat ik U iets vraag, Here,’ kwam Abraham nog een keer, ‘maar wat doet U als het er tien zijn?’ En weer zei de Here: ‘Ik zal de stad niet verwoesten als Ik tien rechtvaardigen vind.’ 33 Na dit gesprek ging de Here bij Abraham weg. En Abraham ging terug naar zijn tent.
Genesis 18
King James Version
18 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
8 And he took butter, 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.
9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
14 Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
20 And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21 I 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.
22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26 And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
30 And he said unto him, 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.
31 And 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 twenty's sake.
32 And 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 ten's sake.
33 And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
Genesis 18
New King James Version
The Son of Promise(A)
18 Then the Lord appeared to him by [a]the (B)terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 (C)So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; (D)and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, 3 and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. 4 Please let (E)a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 And (F)I will bring a morsel of bread, that (G)you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, (H)inasmuch as you have come to your servant.”
They said, “Do as you have said.”
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” 7 And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. 8 So (I)he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?”
So he said, “Here, (J)in the tent.”
10 And He said, “I will certainly return to you (K)according to the time of life, and behold, (L)Sarah your wife shall have a son.”
(Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) 11 Now (M)Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and [b]Sarah (N)had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Therefore Sarah (O)laughed within herself, saying, (P)“After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my (Q)lord being old also?”
13 And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ 14 (R)Is anything too hard for the Lord? (S)At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid.
And He said, “No, but you did laugh!”
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
16 Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them (T)to send them on the way. 17 And the Lord said, (U)“Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, 18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be (V)blessed in him? 19 For I have known him, in order (W)that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” 20 And the Lord said, “Because (X)the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their (Y)sin is very grave, 21 (Z)I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, (AA)I will know.”
22 Then the men turned away from there (AB)and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 And Abraham (AC)came near and said, (AD)“Would You also (AE)destroy the (AF)righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so (AG)that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! (AH)Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
26 So the Lord said, (AI)“If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am (AJ)but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: 28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?”
So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”
30 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?”
So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
32 Then he said, (AK)“Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”
(AL)And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” 33 So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
Footnotes
- Genesis 18:1 Heb. Alon Mamre
- Genesis 18:11 Lit. the manner of women had ceased to be with Sarah
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Het Boek Copyright © 1979, 1988, 2007 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
