Genesis 18 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

A Son Is Promised to Sarah

(Heb 13:2 )

Gen 18:1The LORD appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day.

Gen 18:2

Gen 18:2He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.

Gen 18:3

Gen 18:3“My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while.

Gen 18:4

Gen 18:4Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet.

Gen 18:5

Gen 18:5And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.”
“All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”

Gen 18:6

Gen 18:6So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures[fn] of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.”

Gen 18:7

Gen 18:7Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it.

Gen 18:8

Gen 18:8When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.

Gen 18:9

Gen 18:9“Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked.
“She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.

Gen 18:10

Gen 18:10Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”
Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent.

Gen 18:11

Gen 18:11Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children.

Gen 18:12

Gen 18:12So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?”

Gen 18:13

Gen 18:13Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’

Gen 18:14

Gen 18:14Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Gen 18:15

Gen 18:15Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.”
But the LORD said, “No, you did laugh.”

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

Gen 18:16

Gen 18:16Then the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way.

Gen 18:17

Gen 18:17“Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” the LORD asked.

Gen 18:18

Gen 18:18“For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.

Gen 18:19

Gen 18:19I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”

Gen 18:20

Gen 18:20So the LORD told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant.

Gen 18:21

Gen 18:21I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”

Gen 18:22

Gen 18:22The other men turned and headed toward Sodom, but the LORD remained with Abraham.

Gen 18:23

Gen 18:23Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked?

Gen 18:24

Gen 18:24Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes?

Gen 18:25

Gen 18:25Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

Gen 18:26

Gen 18:26And the LORD replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.”

Gen 18:27

Gen 18:27Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes.

Gen 18:28

Gen 18:28Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?”
And the LORD said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.”

Gen 18:29

Gen 18:29Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?”
And the LORD replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.”

Gen 18:30

Gen 18:30“Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?”
And the LORD replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”

Gen 18:31

Gen 18:31Then Abraham said, “Since I have dared to speak to the Lord, let me continue—suppose there are only twenty?”
And the LORD replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

Gen 18:32

Gen 18:32Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”
And the LORD replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

Gen 18:33

Gen 18:33When the LORD had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent.

See the NLT Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NLT Footnotes

(18:6)

Hebrew 3 seahs, about 15 quarts or 18 liters.

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