The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑

- 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)