Genesis 18

1 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] appeared [was seen, became visible] to Abraham by the Oaks [terebinth trees] of Mamre [a place of strength] in the heat [warmth, intense temperature] of the day, while he was sitting [dwelling, remaining] at the entrance [doorway, threshold] of his tent [nomad’s home, tabernacle]. word study 2 And Abraham looked up [lifted his eyes, gazed] and saw three [a trio, thrice] men [male persons, individuals] standing nearby [by him, over against him]. When he saw them, he ran [rushed, hastened] from the entrance [door, opening] of his tent [nomad’s home, tabernacle] to meet them and bowed low [prostrated himself, adored] to the ground [earth, land]. word study 3 “My lord [master, sovereign],” said Abraham, “if [whether, in case] I have found [discovered, attained] favor [graciousness, kindness] in your sight [eye, gaze], please [I pray, I beseech] do not [by no means] pass [cross over, go away] your servant [slave, bondservant] by [from my presence, without stopping]. word study 4 Let a little [small amount of] water [refreshment, spiritual cleansing] be brought, that you may wash [ritually cleanse, purify] your feet [physical and spiritual steps] and rest [recline, trust] yourselves [completely, in faith] under [beneath, in the shadow of] the tree [a tree; wood, timber, a plank]. word study 5 And I will bring a bit of bread [a morsel, food to sustain] so that you may refresh [comfort, support] yourselves [your hearts, your inner being]. This is why you have passed [come, traveled] your servant’s way [to my home, into my presence]. After that [later, afterwards], you may continue on your way [journey, path].” “Yes [so, thus],” they replied, “you may do [make, act] as you have said [spoken, commanded].” word study 6 So Abraham [the father of many nations] hurried [with urgency and haste] into the tent and said to Sarah [his noble wife], “Quick [hasten, make ready quickly]! Prepare three [a multiple of unity and completeness] seahs [an ancient measure of grain] of fine flour [premium quality, sifted and refined], knead [to work and mix the dough] it, and bake some bread [round bread cakes, a staple food].” word study 7 Meanwhile, Abraham [the father of many nations] ran to the herd [cattle, domesticated oxen], selected a tender [soft and delicate] and choice [pleasant, beneficial] calf, and gave it to a servant [young man, youth], who hurried [to hasten, to do quickly] to prepare [to make, to do] it. word study 8 Then Abraham brought curds [butter, yogurt] and milk and the calf [young ox, son of the herd] that had been prepared [dressed, made ready], and he set them before the men [in their presence, face to face] and stood by them [nearby, in attendance] under the tree [in the shade, underneath its branches] as they ate [devoured, consumed their food]. word study 9 “Where [in what location, a question of direction] is your wife [female companion, partner] Sarah [noblewoman, princess]?” they asked [spoke, inquired]. “There [in that place, towards the tent], in the tent [nomadic dwelling, place of rest],” he replied [answered, spoke in response]. word study 10 Then the LORD [God, the divine Ruler] said, “I will surely [certainly, without fail] return [come back, turn back] to you at this time [season, occasion] next year, and your wife [woman, partner] Sarah [noblewoman, princess] will have a son [child, descendant]!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening [hearing, paying attention] at the entrance [doorway, opening] to the tent [dwelling, shelter]. word study 11 And Abraham [the later name of Abram, father of many] and Sarah [noblewoman, mother of Isaac] were already old [well stricken in age, elderly] and well along in years; Sarah had passed [ceased to be with her after the manner of women] the age of childbearing [the time for giving birth, having children]. word study 12 So she [Sarah, the noblewoman] laughed [with scorn or joy] to herself, saying, “After [following, in the rear] I am worn out [become old, used up] and my master [lord, husband] is old [aged], will I now have [experience, enjoy] this pleasure [delight, a state of joy or happiness]?” word study 13 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] asked Abraham [the father of many children], “Why did Sarah [the noblewoman, Abraham’s wife] laugh [to laugh outright in joy or scorn] and say, ‘Can I [truly, verily] really bear a child [to give birth or beget] when I am old [to be old or become old, advanced in years]?’ word study 14 Is anything too difficult [too hard, beyond power] for the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]? At the appointed time [the set time, according to the time of life] I will return [to turn back, come again] to you—in about a year—and Sarah [the noblewoman, Abraham’s wife] will have a son [a child, a descendant].” word study 15 But Sarah [the noblewoman, Abraham’s wife] was afraid [filled with fear, reverent awe], so she denied [deceived, lied] it and said, “I did not [absolutely not] laugh [laugh outright in joy or scorn].” “No [not at all],” replied the LORD [the Supreme God], “but you did [certainly, in truth] laugh [express joy or scorn].” word study 16 When the men [the three visitors, angels] got up to leave, they looked out [gazed, overlooked] over Sodom [a city near the Dead Sea, known for its wickedness], and Abraham [the father of faith] walked along [accompanied, went together] with them to see them off [to bring them on their way, to bid farewell]. word study 17 And the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said, “Shall I [as the all-knowing God] hide [conceal, keep secret] from Abraham [the father of many nations] what I am about to do [plan, bring to pass, make happen]? word study 18 Abraham [a key figure, father of many] will surely become a great [large, powerful, esteemed] and powerful [mighty, strong] nation [Gentile, large group], and through him [as a result of his faith, through his descendants] all [every, the whole] the nations [Gentiles, peoples] of the earth [land, world] will be blessed [praised, honored, receive divine favor]. word study 19 For I have chosen him [selected and appointed], so that he will command [give orders to, instruct] his children [sons and descendants] and his household [family and servants] after him [following his example] to keep [obey and preserve] the way [path and manner of life] of the LORD [Yehovah, the divine Redeemer] by doing [practicing and performing] what is right [just and righteous] and just [fair and equitable], in order that the LORD [the sovereign God] may bring upon Abraham [bestow upon him] what He has promised [spoken and vowed].” word study 20 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] said, “The outcry [a loud cry or shriek, expressing distress] against Sodom [a city near the Dead Sea, known for its wickedness] and Gomorrah [a city in ancient Palestine, ultimately destroyed] is great [many, numerous]. Because their sin [guilt, or punishment for sin] is so grievous [exceedingly heavy, very serious, to honor or make something weighty], word study 21 I will go down [to investigate, to see for myself] to see if their actions [deeds, works] fully justify [are in accordance with, match] the outcry [cry, complaint] that has reached Me [come to my attention, been heard by me]. If not [if they are not so, if it is not the case], I will find out [know, discover, ascertain].” word study 22 And the two men turned [turning their faces, facing away] away and went toward [the city of] Sodom, but Abraham [still standing, remaining] remained standing [in the presence, before the face] before the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]. word study 23 Abraham [the father of faith] stepped forward [drew near, approached] and said, “Will You really [also, indeed] sweep away [snatch, consume, destroy] the righteous [just, upright, made right with God] with [together, in the same manner as] the wicked [morally wrong, sinful, guilty]? word study 24 What if [peradventure, perhaps] there are fifty [a specific number, a quantity] righteous ones [just, upright, having God’s nature] in the city [a town, a place of habitation]? Will You really [also, indeed] sweep it away [consume, destroy, snatch away] and not spare [have mercy on, lift up] the place [location, region] for the sake of [because of, on account of] the fifty righteous ones [just, upright] who are there [in the midst, present]? word study 25 Far be it from You [God forbid, may it not be so] to do such a thing—to kill [slay, put to death] the righteous [just, upright] with the wicked [morally wrong, guilty], so that the righteous [just, innocent] and the wicked [evil, sinful] are treated alike [as the same, without distinction]. Far be it from You [may this not be Your way]! Will not the Judge [Ruler, Governor] of all [everything, the whole] the earth [land, world] do what is right [just, righteous, according to justice]?” word study 26 So the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] replied, “If [on the condition that] I find fifty [a specific quantity, a test of faithfulness] righteous ones [just, having God’s nature] within the city [a place of human settlement, a community] of Sodom, on their account [for their sake, because of them] I will spare [show mercy, withhold judgment] the whole place [the entire city, all its inhabitants].” word study 27 Then Abraham [the father of many nations] answered, “Now that I have ventured [taken upon myself, been willing] to speak [to communicate, to express my thoughts] to the Lord [Adonay, my Master]—though I am but [consider myself, view myself as] dust [insignificant, earthly] and ashes [ephemeral, worthless]— word study 28 suppose the fifty [a multitude of, numerous] righteous ones [just, upright, having God’s nature] lack five [a small number, a few]. Will You destroy [to ruin, bring to nothing] the whole city [all the inhabitants, the entire population] for the lack of five [because of a small deficiency]?” He replied, “If I find [discover, come upon] forty-five [a sufficient number, nearly fifty] there [in that place, at that time], I will not destroy [bring to ruin, cause to perish] it.” word study 29 Once again [to add, continuing the conversation] Abraham spoke to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], “Suppose [perhaps, peradventure] forty are found there [in that place, location]?” He answered, “On account of [for the sake of, because of] the forty [a multitude, a group], I will not do it [execute judgment, bring destruction].” word study 30 Then Abraham said, “May the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] not be angry [incensed, furious], but let me speak [communicate, express myself] further. Suppose [perhaps, if not] thirty [thirtieth in number] are found [discovered, located] there [in that place, at that time]?” He replied, “If I find [discover, come upon] thirty [a multitude of thirty] there [in that location], I will not do [execute, bring about] it [the judgment, the punishment].” word study 31 And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured [taken the initiative, been bold enough] to speak [to communicate, express his thoughts] to the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign God], suppose [perhaps, it may be that] twenty [a specific number, a quantifiable amount] are found [discovered, located] there [in that place, at that location]?” He answered, “On account of [for the sake of, because of] the twenty [this specific group, these individuals], I will not [I shall not, I refuse to] destroy [ruin, bring to nothing] it [the city, the people].” word study 32 Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] not be angry [to be incensed, deeply displeased], but let me speak [to communicate, express my thoughts] once more. Suppose [perhaps, if not] ten are found [to discover, come upon] there [in that place, location]?” And He answered, “On account of [for the sake of, because of] the ten, I will not destroy [to ruin, bring to nothing] it [the city, the people].” word study 33 When the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] had finished [to end, complete] speaking [to communicate, converse] with Abraham [the father of many children, including Ishmael and Isaac], He departed [to walk, go away], and Abraham [the later name of Abram] returned [to turn back, come back] home [to his place, location]. word study