Genesis 18:23

New American Standard Bible (1995)

Abraham came near and said, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Avraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?

King James Version
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Lexham English Bible
And Abraham drew near to Yahweh and said, "Will you also sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

New Century Version
Then Abraham approached him and asked, "Do you plan to destroy the good people along with the evil ones?

New English Translation
Abraham approached and said, "Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked?

Amplified Bible
Abraham approached [the LORD] and said, "Will You really sweep away the righteous (those who do right) with the wicked (those who do evil)?

New American Standard Bible
Abraham approached and said, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Abraham drewe neere, & said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Abraham came near and said, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Contemporary English Version
who asked, " Lord , when you destroy the evil people, are you also going to destroy those who are good?

Complete Jewish Bible
Avraham approached and said, "Will you actually sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Darby Translation
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also cause the righteous to perish with the wicked?

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Abraham approached him and asked, "Will you destroy the good people while you are destroying those who are evil?

English Standard Version
Then Abraham drew near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

George Lamsa Translation
And Abraham drew near and said, Wilt thou in thine anger destroy the righteous with the sinners?

Good News Translation
Abraham approached the Lord and asked, "Are you really going to destroy the innocent with the guilty?

Christian Standard Bible®
Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Literal Translation
And Abraham drew near and said, Is it so? Will You cut off the righteous with the wicked?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and stepte vnto him, and sayde:Wilt thou then destroye the righteous with the vngodly?

American Standard Version
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou consume the righteous with the wicked?

Bible in Basic English
And Abraham came near, and said, Will you let destruction come on the upright with the sinners?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Abraham drewe neare, and said: Wylt thou also destroye the righteous with the wicked?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Abraham drew near, and said: 'Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

King James Version (1611)
And Abraham drew neere, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Abraam drew nigh and said, Wouldest thou destroy the righteous with the wicked, and shall the righteous be as the wicked?

English Revised Version
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou consume the righteous with the wicked?

Berean Standard Bible
Abraham stepped forward and said, "Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and neiyede, and seide, Whether thou schalt leese a iust man with the wickid man?

Young's Literal Translation
And Abraham draweth nigh and saith, `Dost Thou also consume righteous with wicked?

Webster's Bible Translation
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

World English Bible
Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?

New King James Version
And Abraham came near and said, "Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

New Living Translation
Abraham approached him and said, "Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked?

New Life Bible
Abraham came near and said, "Will You destroy the good also, with the bad?

New Revised Standard
Then Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So then Abraham drew near and said, Wilt thou really sweep away, the righteous with the lawless?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And drawing nigh, he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked?

Revised Standard Version
Then Abraham drew near, and said, "Wilt thou indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Update Bible Version
And Abraham drew near, and said, Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?

THE MESSAGE
Abraham confronted him, "Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad? What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot? Wouldn't you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can't believe you'd do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn't the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?"

Contextual Overview

²³ Abraham came near and said, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?²⁴ "Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? ²⁵ "Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?" ²⁶ So the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account." ²⁷ And Abraham replied, "Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes. ²⁸ "Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?" And He said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." ²⁹ He spoke to Him yet again and said, "Suppose forty are found there?" And He said, "I will not do it on account of the forty." ³⁰ Then he said, "Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?" And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there." ³¹ And he said, "Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the twenty." ³² Then he said, "Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?" And He said, "I will not destroy it on account of the ten."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

drew: Psalms 73:28, Jeremiah 30:21, Hebrews 10:22, James 5:17

Wilt: Genesis 18:25, Genesis 20:4, Numbers 16:22, 2 Samuel 24:17, Job 8:3, Job 34:17, Psalms 11:4-7, Romans 3:5, Romans 3:6

Reciprocal: Genesis 19:29 - that God Numbers 11:2 - prayed 2 Samuel 20:19 - peaceable 1 Kings 17:20 - hast thou also Isaiah 59:16 - he saw Jeremiah 5:1 - if there Ezekiel 9:8 - Ah Ezekiel 14:16 - they shall Ezekiel 22:30 - make John 9:31 - him Acts 27:24 - lo 1 Timothy 2:1 - supplications James 4:8 - Draw nigh to God James 5:16 - The effectual

Cross-References

Genesis 18:4
"Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree;

Genesis 18:5
and I will bring a piece of bread, that you may refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have visited your servant." And they said, "So do, as you have said."

Genesis 18:6
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes."

Genesis 18:7
Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.

Genesis 18:25
"Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?"

Genesis 20:4
Now Abimelech had not come near her; and he said, "Lord, will You slay a nation, even though blameless?

2 Samuel 24:17
Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was striking down the people, and said, "Behold, it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand be against me and against my father's house."

Job 8:3
"Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert what is right?

Job 34:17
"Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

Psalms 73:28
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Abraham drew near,.... To the Lord; he approached nearer to him, to have more close and intimate conversation with him on the subject of the destruction of Sodom, which he perceived, by what had been said, was like to be; he drew nigh to God in prayer; so the Targum of Jonathan,

"and Abraham prayed and said;''

he drew nigh with faith and freedom, and an holy boldness and confidence, and yet with great reverence of the divine Majesty, and in all humility, under a deep sense of his own meanness and unworthiness:

and said, wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? having in his mind righteous Lot, who dwelt in Sodom, whom he knew to be a just man, though he had departed from him, and was dwelling in such a wicked place; and he might charitably hope there were more in so large a city and in the parts adjacent, at least that were not so flagitious and abominably wicked as the greater part were, and who, in comparison of them, were sober and moral people.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

- The Visit of the Lord to Abraham

2. השׂתחיה vayı̂śtachû “bow,” or bend the body in token of respect to God or man. The attitude varies from a slight inclination of the body to entire prostration with the forehead touching the ground.

6. סאה s^e'ah a “seah,” about an English peck, the third part of an ephah. The ephah contained ten omers. The omer held about five pints.

This chapter describes Abraham’s fellowship with God. On the gracious assurance of the Redeemer and Vindicator, “Fear not, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward,” he ceased to fear, and believed. On the solemn announcement of the Conqueror of evil and the Quickener of the dead, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be perfect,” he began anew to walk with God in holiness and truth. The next step is, that God enters into communion with him as a man with his friend Isaiah 41:8; John 14:23. Hitherto he has appeared to him as God offering grace and inclining the will to receive it. Now, as God who has bestowed grace, he appears to him who has accepted it and is admitted into a covenant of peace. He visits him for the twofold purpose of drawing out and completing the faith of Sarah, and of communing with Abraham concerning the destruction of Sodom.

Genesis 18:1-15

The Lord visits Abraham and assures Sarah of the birth of a son. Abraham is sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day, reposing. “Three men stood before him.” Whenever visitants from the celestial world appear to men, they have the form of man. This is the only form of a rational being known to us. It is not the design of God in revealing his mercy to us to make us acquainted with the whole of the nature of things. The science of things visible or invisible he leaves to our natural faculties to explore, as far as occasion allows. Hence, we conclude that the celestial visitant is a real being, and that the form is a real form. But we are not entitled to infer that the human is the only or the proper form of such beings, or that they have any ordinary or constant form open to sense. We only discern that they are intelligent beings like ourselves, and, in order to manifest themselves to us as such, put on that form of intelligent creatures with which we are familiar, and in which they can intelligibly confer with us. For the same reason they speak the language of the party addressed, though, for ought we know, spiritual beings use none of the many languages of humanity, and have quite a different mode of communicating with one another. Other human acts follow on the occasion. They accept the hospitality of Abraham and partake of human food. This, also, was a real act. It does not imply, however, that food is necessary to spiritual beings. The whole is a typical act representing communion between God and Abraham. The giving and receiving of a meal was the ground of a perpetual or inviolable friendship.

He ran to meet him. - This indicates the genuine warmth of unsophisticated nature. “Bowed himself to the earth.” This indicates a low bow, in which the body becomes horizontal, and the head droops. This gesture is employed both in worship and doing obeisance.

Genesis 18:3-5

O Lord. - Abraham uses the word אדני 'adonāy denoting one having authority, whether divine or not. This the Masorites mark as sacred, and apply the vowel points proper to the word when it signifies God. These men in some way represent God; for “the Lord” on this occasion appeared unto Abraham Genesis 18:1. The number is in this respect notable. Abraham addresses himself first to one person Genesis 18:3, then to more than one Genesis 18:4-5. It is stated that “‘they’ said, So do Genesis 18:5, ‘they’ did eat Genesis 18:8, ‘ they’ said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife” Genesis 18:9. Then the singular number is resumed in the phrase “‘and he said’” Genesis 18:10, and at length, “The Lord said unto Abraham” Genesis 18:13, and then, “and he said” Genesis 18:15. Then we are told “‘the men’ rose up, and Abraham went with them” Genesis 18:16. Then we have “The Lord said” twice Genesis 18:17, Genesis 18:20. And lastly, it is said Genesis 18:22 “‘the men’ turned their faces and went toward Sodom, and Abraham was yet standing before the Lord.” From this it appears that of the three men one, at all events, was the Lord, who, when the other two went toward Sodom, remained with Abraham while he made his intercession for Sodom, and afterward he also went his way. The other two will come before us again in the next chapter. Meanwhile, we have here the first explicit instance of the Lord appearing as man to man, and holding familiar conversation with him.

The narrative affords a pleasing instance of the primitive manners of the East. The hospitality of the pastoral tribes was spontaneous and unreserved. The washing of the feet, which were partly at least uncovered in walking, the reclining under the tree, and the offer of refreshment, are indicative of an unchanging rural simplicity. The phrases “a little water, a morsel of bread,” flow from a thoughtful courtesy. “Therefore are ye come.” In the course of events it has so fallen out, in order that you might be refreshed. The brief reply is a frank and unaffected acceptance of the hospitable invitation.

Genesis 18:6-8

Abraham hastened. - The unvarying customs of Eastern pastoral life here come up before us. There is plenty of flour and of live cattle. But the cakes have to be kneaded and baked on the hearth, and the calf has to be killed and dressed. Abraham personally gives directions, Sarah personally attends to the baking, and the boy or lad - that is, the domestic servant whose business it is - kills and dresses the meat. Abraham himself attends upon his guests. “Three seahs.” About three pecks, and therefore a superabundant supply for three guests. An omer, or three tenths of a seah, was considered sufficient for one man for a day Exodus 16:16. But Abraham had a numerous household, and plentifulness was the character of primitive hospitality. “Hearth cakes,” baked among the coals. “Butter” - seemingly any preparation of milk, cream, curds, or butter, all of which are used in the East.

Genesis 18:9-15

The promise to Sarah. The men now enter upon the business of their visit. “Where is Sarah thy wife?” The jealousy and seclusion of later times had not yet rendered such an inquiry uncourteous. Sarah is within hearing of the conversation. “I will certainly return unto thee.” This is the language of self-determination, and therefore suitable to the sovereign, not to the ambassador. “At the time of life;” literally the living time, seemingly the time of birth, when the child comes to manifest life. “Sarah thy wife shall have a son.” Sarah hears this with incredulous surprise, and laughs with mingled doubt and delight. She knows that in the nature of things she is past child-bearing. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Sarah laughed within herself, within the tent and behind the speaker; yet to her surprise her internal feelings are known to him. She finds there is One present who rises above the sphere of nature. In her confusion and terror she denies that she laughed. But he who sees what is within, insists that she did laugh, at least in the thought of her heart. There is a beautiful simplicity in the whole scene. Sarah now doubtless received faith and strength to conceive.

Verse 16-33

The conference concerning Sodom. The human manner of the interview is carried out to the end. Abraham convoys his departing guests. The Lord then speaks, apparently debating with himself whether he shall reveal his intentions to Abraham. The reasons for doing so are assigned. First. Abraham shall surely become a nation great and mighty, and therefore has the interest of humanity in this act of retribution on Sodom. All that concerns man concerns him. Second. Blessed in him shall be all the nations of the earth. Hence, he is personally and directly concerned with all the dealings of mercy and judgment among the inhabitants of the earth. Third. “I have known him.” The Lord has made himself known to him, has manifested his love to him, has renewed him after his own image; and hence this judgment upon Sodom is to be explained to him, that he may train his household to avoid the sins of this doomed city, “to keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; and all this to the further intent that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what he hath spoken of him.” The awful judgments of the Lord on Sodom, as before on the antediluvian world, are a warning example to all who are spared or hear of them. And those who, notwithstanding these monuments of the divine vengeance, will cease to do justice and judgment, may be certain that they will not continue to enjoy the benefits of the covenant of grace. For all these reasons it is meet that the secret of Lord be with him Psalms 25:11.

Genesis 18:20-22

The Lord now proceeds to unfold his design. There is justice in every step of the divine procedure. He comes down to inquire and act according to the merits of the case. The men now depart on their errand; but Abraham still stands before the Lord.

Genesis 18:23-33

Abraham intercedes for Sodom. His spiritual character is unfolded and exalted more and more. He employs the language of a free-born son with his heavenly Father. He puts forward the plea of justice to the righteous in behalf of the city. He ventures to repeat his intervention six times, every time diminishing the number of the righteous whom he supposes to be in it. The patience of the Lord is no less remarkable than the perseverance of Abraham. In every case he grants his petition. “Dust and ashes.” This may refer to the custom of burning the dead, as then coexistent with that of burying them. Abraham intimates by a homely figure the comparative insignificance of the petitioner. He is dust at first, and ashes at last.

This completes the full and free conversation of God with Abraham. He accepts his hospitable entertainment, renews his promise of a son by Sarah, communicates to him his counsel, and grants all his requests. It is evident that Abraham has now fully entered upon all the privileges of the sons of God. He has become the friend of God James 2:23.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Genesis 18:23. Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? — A form of speech similar to that in Genesis 18:17, an invariable principle of justice, that the righteous shall not be punished for the crimes of the impious. And this Abraham lays down as the foundation of his supplications. Who can pray with any hope of success who cannot assign a reason to God and his conscience for the petitions he offers? The great sacrifice offered by Christ is an infinite reason why a penitent sinner should expect to find the mercy for which he pleads.