Genesis 18 · Parashat Vayera

And the Lord appeared to him by the terebinths of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

and he raised 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 to the ground,

and said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort your hearts; after that you shall pass on: seeing that you are come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

And Avraham hastened into the tent to Sara, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.

And Avraham ran to the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it to the young man; and he hurried to prepare it.

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 ate.

And they said to him, Where is Sara thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

And he said, I will certainly return to thee at this season; and, lo, Sara thy wife shall have a son. And Sara heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

Now Avraham and Sara were old, advanced in age; and it had ceased to be with Sara after the manner of women.

Therefore Sara laughed within herself, saying, After I am grown old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

And the Lord said to Avraham, Why did Sara laugh, saying, Shall I indeed bear a child, who am old?

Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return to thee, at this season, and Sara shall have a son.

Then Sara denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And He said, No; but thou didst laugh.

And the men rose up from there, and looked toward Sedom: and Avraham went with them to bring them on the way.

And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Avraham that thing which I intend to do;

seeing that Avraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

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 Avraham that which He has spoken of him.

And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sedom and ῾Amora is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come to Me; and if not, I will know.

And the men turned their faces from there and went toward Sedom: but Avraham stood yet before the Lord.

And Avraham drew near, and said, Wilt Thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Perhaps there are fifty righteous within the city: wilt Thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

Far be it from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, far be it from Thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

And the Lord said, If I find in Sedom fifty just men within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

And Avraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes:

perhaps 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 five, I will not destroy it.

And he spoke to him yet again, and said, perhaps there shall be forty found there. And He said, I will not do it for the forty’s sake.

And he said to him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: perhaps there shall thirty be found there. And He said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord: perhaps there shall be twenty found there. And He said, I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.

And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: perhaps ten shall be found there. And He said, I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.

And the Lord went His way, as soon as He had left speaking to Avraham: and Avraham returned to his place.