Genesis 18:26

New American Standard Bible (1995)

So the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account."

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said, "If I find in Sedom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."

King James Version
And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

Lexham English Bible
And Yahweh said, "If I find fifty righteous in Sodom, in the midst of the city, then I will forgive the whole place for their sake."

New Century Version
The Lord said, "If I find fifty good people in the city of Sodom, I will save the whole city because of them."

New English Translation
So the Lord replied, "If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

Amplified Bible
So the LORD said, "If I find within the city of Sodom fifty righteous [people], then I will spare the entire place for their sake."

New American Standard Bible
So the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the entire place on their account."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Lord answered, If I shall finde in Sodom fiftie righteous within the citie, then will I spare all the place for their sakes.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Yahweh said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account."

Contemporary English Version
The Lord replied, "If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I will save the city to keep them from being killed."

Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai said, "If I find in S'dom fifty who are righteous, then I will forgive the whole place for their sake."

Darby Translation
And Jehovah said, If I find at Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sakes.

Easy-to-Read Version
Then the Lord said, "If I find fifty good people in the city of Sodom, I will save the whole city."

English Standard Version
And the Lord said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

George Lamsa Translation
And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole country for their sake.

Good News Translation
The Lord answered, "If I find fifty innocent people in Sodom, I will spare the whole city for their sake."

Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

Literal Translation
And Jehovah said, If I find fifty righteous within the city, in Sodom, then I will spare all the place because of them.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the LORDE sayde: Yf I fynde fiftie righteous at Sodome in the cite, I wil spare all the place for their sakes.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.

Bible in Basic English
And the Lord said, If there are fifty upright men in the town, I will have mercy on it because of them.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lorde sayde: If I fynde in Sodome fiftie ryghteous within the citie, I wyll spare all the place for their sakes.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD said: 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will forgive all the place for their sake.'

King James Version (1611)
And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fiftie righteous, within the citie, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord said, If there should be in Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole city, and the whole place for their sakes.

English Revised Version
And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.

Berean Standard Bible
So the LORD replied, "If I find fifty righteous ones within the city of Sodom, on their account I will spare the whole place."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Lord seide to him, If Y schal fynde in Sodom fifti iust men in the myddis of the citee, Y schal foryyue to al the place for hem.

Young's Literal Translation
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.'

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

World English Bible
Yahweh said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."

New King James Version
So the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes."

New Living Translation
And the Lord replied, "If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake."

New Life Bible
So the Lord said, "If I find fifty good people in the city of Sodom, I will save the whole place because of them."

New Revised Standard
And the Lord said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Yahweh said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then will I spare all the place for their sake.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to him: If I find in Sodom fifty just within the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.

Revised Standard Version
And the LORD said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous inside the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.

THE MESSAGE
God said, "If I find fifty decent people in the city of Sodom, I'll spare the place just for them."

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

Isaiah 6:13, Isaiah 10:22, Isaiah 19:24, Isaiah 65:8, Jeremiah 5:1, Ezekiel 22:30, Matthew 24:22

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:28 - If I Job 22:30 - He shall deliver the island of the innocent Isaiah 1:9 - we should

Cross-References

Isaiah 6:13
"Yet there will be a tenth portion in it, And it will again be subject to burning, Like a terebinth or an oak Whose stump remains when it is felled. The holy seed is its stump."

Isaiah 10:22
For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea, Only a remnant within them will return; A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.

Isaiah 19:24
In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth,

Isaiah 65:8
Thus says the LORD, "As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, 'Do not destroy it, for there is benefit in it,' So I will act on behalf of My servants In order not to destroy all of them.

Jeremiah 5:1
"Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, And look now and take note. And seek in her open squares, If you can find a man, If there is one who does justice, who seeks truth, Then I will pardon her.

Ezekiel 22:30
"I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.

Matthew 24:22
"Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city,.... Sodom is particularly mentioned because Lot dwelt there, and being the metropolis, and the city of greatest note, as Jarchi observes, it is put for the rest; and the sense is, if fifty righteous persons could be found in all the five cities, mercy should be shown them:

then will I spare all the place for their sakes; not Sodom only, but the whole country, of which Sodom was the chief; the Lord takes up and agrees to the number Abraham pitched upon, and grants the request he makes.

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.