The Three Visitors 1 UST Then{ one day} Yahweh appeared{ again} to Abraham at the oak trees on Mamre’ s land, while he was sitting{ at} the entrance of his tent during the hottest part of the day. BSB BSB: Then the LORD appeared to Abraham by the Oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day, while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent.
2 UST Abraham looked up and saw that there were three men standing a short distance away. As soon as he saw{ them}, he{ jumped up and} hurried{ to them} to greet them. Then he bowed{ before them}{ with his face} to the ground{ to show respect}, BSB BSB: And Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 UST and he said{ to them},“Sirs, if you consider me worthy{ to be your host}, please do not leave here without letting me serve you{ as my guests}. BSB BSB: “My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.
4 UST Please let me bring{ you} some water, so that you{ all} can wash{ the dust off} your feet, and then rest under{ the shade of} this tree. BSB BSB: Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
5 UST Since you are here with me, let me{ also} bring some food{ for you}{ to eat}. That way you can regain your strength before you continue on your way.” They replied{ to him},“Okay, do what you have proposed.” BSB BSB: And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”
6 UST So Abraham quickly went to Sarah inside their tent and told her,“Quickly{ get} three batches of our best flour and bake{ some} bread.” BSB BSB: So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.”
7 UST Then he ran{ outside} to his herd{ of cattle} and chose one of his best calves that would be good to eat. Then he took it to one of his servants, and the servant quickly butchered it and cooked it. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd, selected a tender and choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.
8 UST Then Abraham brought{ some} yogurt and milk and the meat that his servant had prepared, and he put it{ all} before his{ three} guests{ to eat}. Then he stood nearby them{ where they were sitting} under the tree{ and served them} while they ate. BSB BSB: Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate.
Sarah Laughs at the Promise 9 UST Then{ one of} the men asked Abraham,“Where{ is} your wife Sarah?” Abraham answered,“{ She is} there in the tent.” BSB BSB: “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.
10 UST Then the man said{ to Abraham},“I will definitely come back{ here} to visit you at this time next year. When I do, your wife Sarah will have a{ baby} son.” Now Sarah was listening inside the entrance of the tent, which was behind the man. BSB BSB: Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.
11 UST She and Abraham were{ already} very old, so that Sarah was{ far} past the age that she could have children. BSB BSB: And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12 UST So she laughed to herself{ in disbelief} and said{ to herself},“It does not seem possible that I could experience the pleasure{ of having a child} now that I am too old{ to conceive}. Besides that, my husband is{ also}{ very} old!” BSB BSB: So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
13 UST But Yahweh asked Abraham,“Sarah should not have laughed and said{ to herself} that she is too old to have a child! BSB BSB: And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’
14 UST Nothing is too difficult for Yahweh{ to do}! At the time that I have set, I will return to you{ here}.{ Yes, I will come} at this time next year, and Sarah will{ already} have a son.” BSB BSB: Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
15 UST { When Sarah heard that,} she was afraid, so she lied{ to him} and said,“I did not laugh.” But Yahweh replied,“That is not true. You did laugh.” 18:16-33 BSB BSB: But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom 16 UST { When they had finished eating,} the{ three} men got up{ to leave} and started walking down toward{ the city of} Sodom. Abraham escorted them{ for a while} to see them on their way. BSB BSB: When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.
17 UST Then Yahweh thought{ to himself},“Should I keep secret from Abraham what I am about to do{ to the city of Sodom}? BSB BSB: And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
18 UST After all, he{ and his descendants} will definitely become a great and powerful people group, and through them I will bless all the people groups in the world. BSB BSB: Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
19 UST In fact, I have chosen him so that he will train his children and his descendants, so that they will live the way I want them to live and do what is right and treat people justly. Therefore I will do for him everything I have promised him{ that I will do}.” BSB BSB: For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”
20 UST So Yahweh said{ to Abraham},“I have heard that{ the people of}{ the cities of} Sodom and Gomorrah have become very evil, and they are sinning very terribly. BSB BSB: Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous,
21 UST I must go down{ to those cities} now to determine whether{ or not} they are guilty of everything that I have heard against them. If{ they are} not{ guilty},{ then} I will know{ it}{ and I will not punish them}.” BSB BSB: I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find out.”
23 UST Then Abraham stepped closer{ to Yahweh} and asked{ him},“Certainly you will not destroy righteous{ people}{ along} with wicked{ people}, will you? BSB BSB: Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 UST What{ will you do} if there are fifty righteous{ people}{ living} in the city{ of Sodom}? Will you really{ still} destroy{ all the people in} the city rather than let them all live because of the fifty upright{ people} who live there? BSB BSB: What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there?
26 UST Yahweh replied{ to him},“If there are fifty righteous{ people}{ living} in the city of Sodom, then I will spare the whole city{ and everyone who lives there} because of them.” BSB BSB: So the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place.”
27 UST Then Abraham spoke up{ again} and asked{ Yahweh},“My Lord, please excuse me for speaking to you so boldly, even though I am{ as insignificant as} dirt and ashes{ compared to you}. BSB BSB: Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—
28 UST { But} what{ will you do} if there are only forty- five righteous{ people}{ in the city} instead of fifty? Will you destroy the whole city{ and everyone in it} if there are five people too few{ who are righteous}?” Yahweh answered,“I will not destroy the city if there are forty- five{ righteous people}{ living} there.” BSB BSB: suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will You destroy the whole city for the lack of five?” He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.”
29 UST Then Abraham spoke again to Yahweh and asked,“What{ will you do} if there are{ only} forty{ righteous people} in the city?{ Will you destroy it then?}” Yahweh answered,“I will not destroy{ the city}, in order to save the forty{ righteous people}.” BSB BSB: Once again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.”
30 UST Then Abraham pleaded{ with him},“My Lord, please do not be angry{ with me}, but let me ask{ you}{ another question}: What{ will you do} if there are{ only} thirty{ righteous people}{ living} there?” He replied,“I will not destroy{ the city} if there are thirty{ righteous people} there.” BSB BSB: Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”
31 UST Then Abraham asked{ him},“My Lord, please excuse me for speaking to you so boldly. What{ will you do} if there are{ only} twenty{ righteous people}{ living} in the city?” Yahweh replied,“I will not destroy the city, in order to save the twenty{ righteous people}.” BSB BSB: And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”
32 UST Then Abraham said,“My Lord, please do not be angry{ with me}, but let me ask{ you} just one more thing: What{ will you do} if there are{ only} ten{ righteous people} in the city?” Yahweh answered{ him},“I will not destroy{ the city}, in order to save the ten{ righteous people}.” BSB BSB: Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”
33 UST When Yahweh had finished talking with Abraham, he left{ him}, and Abraham returned home. BSB BSB: When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, He departed, and Abraham returned home.