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And Jehovah appeareth unto him among the oaks of Mamre , and he is sitting at the opening of the tent , about the heat of the day ;
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and he lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, three men standing by him, and he seeth , and runneth to meet them from the opening of the tent , and boweth himself towards the earth ,
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And he saith , `My Lord , if, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes , do not, I pray thee, pass on from thy servant ;
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let, I pray thee, a little water be accepted, and wash your feet , and recline under the tree ;
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and I bring a piece of bread , and support ye your heart ; afterwards pass on, for therefore have ye passed over unto your servant ;' and they say , `So mayest thou do as thou has spoken.'
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And Abraham hasteth towards the tent , unto Sarah , and saith , `Hasten three measures of flour -meal , knead, and make cakes;'
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and Abraham ran unto the herd , and taketh a son of the herd , tender and good , and giveth unto the young man, and he hasteth to prepare it;
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and he taketh butter and milk , and the son of the herd which he hath prepared, and setteth before them; and he is standing by them under the tree , and they do eat .
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And they say unto him, `Where [is] Sarah thy wife ?' and he saith , `Lo -- in the tent ;'
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and he saith , `returning I return unto thee, about the time of life , and lo, to Sarah thy wife a son .'
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And Sarah is hearkening at the opening of the tent , which is behind him;
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and Abraham and Sarah [are] aged, entering into days -- the way of women hath ceased to be to Sarah ;
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and Sarah laugheth in her heart, saying, `After I have waxed old I have had pleasure! -- my lord also [is] old!'
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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 .'
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And Sarah denieth, saying, `I did not laugh;' for she hath been afraid ; and He saith , `Nay, but thou didst laugh.'
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And the men rise from thence, and look on the face of Sodom , and Abraham is going with them to send them away;
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and Jehovah said , `Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,
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and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty , and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth ?
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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.'
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And Jehovah saith , `The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah -- because great; and their sin -- because exceeding grievous:
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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 ;'
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and the men turn from thence, and go towards Sodom ; and Abraham is yet standing before Jehovah .
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And Abraham draweth nigh and saith , `Dost Thou also consume righteous with wicked ?
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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 ?
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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 ?'
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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.'
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And Abraham answereth and saith , `Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord, and I -- dust and ashes ;
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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 .'
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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 .'
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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 .'
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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 .'
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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 .'
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And Jehovah goeth on, when He hath finished speaking unto Abraham , and Abraham hath turned back to his place .