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Parashah 4: Vayera ·He appeared· 18:1-22:24
18
1 Adonai appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre [Bitter, Fatness], as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth, 3 and said, “My lord, if now I have found chen ·grace· in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant. 4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 I will get a morsel 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.”
6 Abraham [Father of a multitude] hurried into the tent to Sarah [Princess], and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs [23.1 qt; 21.9 L] of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.” 7 Abraham [Father of a multitude] ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it. 8 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.
9 They asked him, “Where is Sarah [Princess], your wife?”
He said, “See, in the tent.”
10 He said, “I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah [Princess] your wife will have a son.” * Quoted in Rom 9:9
Sarah [Princess] sh'ma ·hear obey· in the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham [Father of a multitude] and Sarah [Princess] were old, well advanced in age. Sarah [Princess] had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Sarah [Princess] laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13 Adonai said to Abraham [Father of a multitude], “Why did Sarah [Princess] laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for Adonai ? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah [Princess] will have a son.” † Quoted in Rom 9:9
(2) 15 Then Sarah [Princess] 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 [Burning]. Abraham [Father of a multitude] went with them to see them on their way. 17 Adonai said, “Will I hide from Abraham [Father of a multitude] what I do, 18 since Abraham [Father of a multitude] 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 enjoin his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Adonai , to do righteousness and right judgement; to the end that Adonai may bring on Abraham [Father of a multitude] that which he has spoken of him.” 20 Adonai said, “Because the cry of Sodom [Burning] and Gomorrah [Rebellious people, Tyrants] 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 [Burning], but Abraham [Father of a multitude] stood yet before Adonai . 23 Abraham [Father of a multitude] came near, and said, “Will you consume the upright with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty upright within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty upright who are in it? 25 Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the upright with the wicked, so that the upright should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Should not the Judge of all the earth do right judgement?”
26 Adonai said, “If I find in Sodom [Burning] fifty upright within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27 Abraham [Father of a multitude] 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 upright? 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 Adonai went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham [Father of a multitude], and Abraham [Father of a multitude] returned to his place.

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*18:10 Quoted in Rom 9:9

†18:14 Quoted in Rom 9:9

© 2016 Thomas Robinson