The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 18 -

Then the Lord appeared to him, in the steep valley of Mamre, when he was sitting at the door of his tent, in the very heat of the day.

And when he had lifted up his eyes, there appeared to him three men, standing near him. When he had seen them, he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and he reverenced them on the ground.(a)

And he said: “If I, O lord, have found grace in your eyes, do not pass by your servant.

But I will bring a little water, and you may wash your feet and rest under the tree.(b)

And I will set out a meal of bread, so that you may strengthen your heart; after this you will pass on. It is for this reason that you have turned aside to your servant.” And they said, “Do as you have spoken.”

Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and he said to her, “Quickly, mix together three measures of the finest wheat flour(c) and make loaves baked under the ashes.”(d)

In truth, he himself ran to the herd, and he took a calf from there, very tender and very good, and he gave it to a servant, who hurried and boiled it.

Likewise, he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had boiled, and he placed it before them. Yet truly, he himself stood near them under the tree.

Sarah Laughs at the Promise

And when they had eaten, they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He answered, “Behold, she is in the tent.”

And he said to him, “When returning, I will come to you at this time, with life as a companion, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” Hearing this, Sarah laughed behind the door of the tent.(e)

Now they were both old, and in an advanced state of life, and it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

And she laughed secretly, saying, “After I have grown old, and my lord is elderly, shall I give myself to the work of delight?”

Then the Lord said to Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh, saying: ‘How can I, an old woman, actually give birth?’

Is anything difficult for God? According to the announcement, he will return to you at this same time, with life as a companion, and Sarah will have a son.”(f)

Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh.” For she was terribly afraid. But the Lord said, “It is not so; for you did laugh.”

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

Therefore, when the men had risen up from there, they directed their eyes against Sodom. And Abraham traveled with them, leading them.

And the Lord said: “How could I hide what I am about to do from Abraham,

since he will become a great and very robust nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?

For I know that he will instruct his sons, and his household after him, to keep to the way of the Lord, and to act with judgment and justice, so that, for the sake of Abraham, the Lord may bring about all the things that he has spoken to him.”

And so the Lord said, “The outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah has been multiplied, and their sin has become exceedingly grievous.

I will descend and see whether they have fulfilled the work of the outcry that has reached me, or whether it is not so, in order that I may know.”(g)

(h)

And they turned themselves from there, and they went toward Sodom. Yet in truth, Abraham still stood in the sight of the Lord.(i)

And as they drew near, he said: “Will you destroy the just with the impious?

If there were fifty of the just in the city, will they perish with the rest? And will you not spare that place for the sake of fifty of the just, if they were in it?

Far be it from you to do this thing, and to kill the just with the impious, and for the just to be treated like the impious. No, this is not like you. You judge all the earth; you would never make such a judgment.”

And the Lord said to him, “If I find in Sodom fifty of the just in the midst of the city, I will release the entire place because of them.”

And Abraham responded by saying: “Since now I have begun, I will speak to my Lord, though I am dust and ashes.

What if there were five less than fifty of the just? Would you, despite the forty-five, eliminate the entire city?” And he said, “I will not eliminate it, if I find forty-five there.”

And again he said to him, “But if forty were found there, what would you do?” He said, “I will not strike, for the sake of the forty.”(j)

“I ask you,” he said, “not to be angry, Lord, if I speak. What if thirty were found there?” He responded, “I will not act, if I find thirty there.”

“Since now I have begun,” he said, “I will speak to my Lord. What if twenty were found there?” He said, “I will not put to death, for the sake of the twenty.”

“I beg you,” he said, “not to be angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more. What if ten were found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

And the Lord departed, after he had ceased speaking to Abraham, who then returned to his place.

Footnotes

(a)18:2 The word ‘adoravit’ in Latin does not always refer to adoration; it can also refer to treating someone with reverence or respect.(Conte)

(b)18:4 Because ‘lavate’ and ‘requiescite’ are imperative, it implies that the washing of the feet will be done by the visitors, not by Abram. Otherwise, the verb would have been indicative first person singular.(Conte)

(c)18:6 wheat flourThe word ‘sata’ refers to something that is cultivated, as opposed to grain that is wild. There is also a strong implication that it was cultivated locally, that is, by the servants of Abraham; it was not bought, but home-grown. This could be translated as ‘home-grown wheat flour,’ but it is usually translated as ‘the finest wheat flour,’ since wheat has a strong symbolic connection to the Eucharist, the finest Sacrament.(Conte)

(d)18:6 baked ... ashesThe word ‘subcinericios’ probably refers to an ancient type of heat retention cooking, where loaves were placed under the ashes of a fire to bake.(Conte)

(e)18:10 The phrase ‘vita comite’ literally means ‘with life as a companion.’ Wycliffe translates this as ‘if I live.’ But other translations see it as referring to the time of his return, the springtime. The phrase, in this context, has a dual meaning. It refers to the springtime: life springing up when he returns, as if his companion. It also refers to the life in Sarah’s womb, for this new life’s birth will coincide with his return.(Conte)

(f)18:14 The Douay-Rheims versions have ‘I shall return,’ but the text says ‘he shall return,’ using the third person singular.(Conte)

(g)18:21 Scripture is explaining God’s actions in human terms, as a figure of speech, because it is difficult to describe or even imagine the fullness of Eternity and Knowledge found in God. Scripture is not saying that God could not know without going down to investigate.(Conte)

(h)18:21 I will go down, etc:The Lord here accommodates his discourse to the way of speaking and acting amongst men; for he knows all things, and needs not to go anywhere for information. Note here, that two of the three angels went away immediately for Sodom; whilst the third, who represented the Lord, remained with Abraham.(Challoner)

(i)18:22 Abraham traveled, but he still was, in a manner of speaking always standing in front of the Lord.(Conte)

(j)18:29 Too many different words in Latin are all typically translated with the English word ‘destroy.’(Conte)

The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.

He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,

and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.

Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”

Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs

(a)

of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”

Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.

He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.

Sarah Laughs at the Promise

They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, in the tent.”

He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’

Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”

Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.

The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,

since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?

For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”

The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,

I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”

The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?

What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?

May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”

The LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.

What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.”

He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.”

He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”

The LORD went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

Footnotes

(a)18:6 1 seah is about 7 liters or 1.9 gallons or 0.8 pecks