Passage

Genesis 18.16-33

Book: Genesis · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"14. Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son. 15. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh."

"16. And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17. And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do; 18. seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19. 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 Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20. And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21. I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22. And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before Jehovah. 23. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou consume the righteous with the wicked? 24. Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25. That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26. And Jehovah said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake. 27. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes: 28. peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five. 29. And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for the forty's sake. 30. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 31. And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake. 32. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake. 33. And Jehovah went his way, as soon as he had left off communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place." (Genesis 18:14-33, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"14. Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son.” 15. Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”"

"16. The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way. 17. Yahweh said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do, 18. since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him? 19. 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 Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.” 20. Yahweh said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, 21. 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.” 22. The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh. 23. Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked? 24. 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? 25. Be it 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?” 26. Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27. Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes. 28. 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.” 29. 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.” 30. 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.” 31. 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.” 32. 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.” 33. Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place." (Genesis 18:14-33, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"14. Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 15. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh."

"16. And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17. And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18. Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19. 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 Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20. And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21. I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. 23. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24. Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25. That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26. And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. 27. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: 28. Peradventure 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 and five, I will not destroy it. 29. And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. 30. And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. 31. And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. 32. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. 33. And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place." (Genesis 18:14-33, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"14. And Jehovah saith unto Abraham, 'Why [is] this? Sarah hath laughed, saying, Is it true really, I bear, and I am aged? Is any thing too wonderful for Jehovah? at the appointed time I return unto thee, about the time of life, and Sarah hath a son.' 15. And Sarah denieth, saying, 'I did not laugh;' for she hath been afraid; and He saith, 'Nay, but thou didst laugh.'"

"16. And the men rise from thence, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away; 17. and Jehovah said, 'Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing, 18. and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth? 19. for I have known him, that he commandeth his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of Jehovah), to do righteousness and judgment, that Jehovah may bring on Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him.' 20. And Jehovah saith, 'The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because great; and their sin, because exceeding grievous: 21. I go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming unto Me they have done completely, and if not, I know;' 22. and the men turn from thence, and go towards Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before Jehovah. 23. And Abraham draweth nigh and saith, 'Dost Thou also consume righteous with wicked? 24. peradventure there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city; dost Thou also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty, the righteous who [are] in its midst? 25. Far be it from Thee to do according to this thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked; that it hath been, as the righteous so the wicked, far be it from Thee; doth the Judge of all the earth not do justice?' 26. And Jehovah saith, 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne with all the place for their sake.' 27. And Abraham answereth and saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord, and I, dust and ashes; 28. peradventure there are lacking five of the fifty righteous, dost Thou destroy for five the whole of the city?' and He saith, 'I destroy [it] not, if I find there forty and five.' 29. And he addeth again to speak unto Him and saith, 'Peradventure there are found there forty?' and He saith, 'I do [it] not, because of the forty.' 30. And he saith, 'Let it not be, I Pray thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak: peradventure there are found there thirty?' and He saith, 'I do [it] not, if I find there thirty.' 31. And he saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there are found there twenty?' and He saith, 'I do not destroy [it], because of the twenty.' 32. And he saith, 'Let it not be, I pray Thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: peradventure there are found there ten?' and He saith, 'I do not destroy [it], because of the ten.' 33. And Jehovah goeth on, when He hath finished speaking unto Abraham, and Abraham hath turned back to his place." (Genesis 18:14-33, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.