1Il Signore apparve ad Abraamo alle querce di Mamre, mentre egli sedeva all’ingresso della sua tenda nell’ora più calda del giorno.2Abraamo alzò gli occhi e vide che tre uomini stavano davanti a lui. Come li ebbe visti, corse loro incontro dall’ingresso della tenda, si prostrò fino a terra e disse:3«Ti prego, mio Signore, se ho trovato grazia ai tuoi occhi, non passare oltre senza fermarti dal tuo servo!4Lasciate che si porti un po’ d’acqua, lavatevi i piedi e riposatevi sotto quest’albero.5Io andrò a prendere del pane e vi ristorerete; poi continuerete il vostro cammino; poiché è per questo che siete passati dal vostro servo». Quelli dissero: «Fa’ pure come hai detto».6Allora Abraamo andò in fretta nella tenda da Sara e le disse: «Prendi subito tre misure di fior di farina, impastala e fa’ delle focacce».7Poi Abraamo corse alla mandria, prese un vitello tenero e buono e lo diede a un suo servo, il quale si affrettò a prepararlo.8Prese del burro, del latte e il vitello che era stato preparato, e li pose davanti a loro. Egli se ne stette in piedi presso di loro, sotto l’albero, e quelli mangiarono.9Poi essi gli dissero: «Dov’è Sara, tua moglie?» Ed egli rispose: «È là nella tenda».10E l’altro: «Tornerò certamente da te fra un anno; allora Sara, tua moglie, avrà un figlio». Sara intanto stava ad ascoltare all’ingresso della tenda, che era dietro di lui.11Abraamo e Sara erano vecchi, ben avanti negli anni, e Sara non aveva più i corsi ordinari delle donne.12Sara rise dentro di sé, dicendo: «Vecchia come sono, dovrei avere tali piaceri? Anche il mio signore è vecchio!»13Il Signore disse ad Abraamo: «Perché mai ha riso Sara, dicendo: “Partorirei io per davvero, vecchia come sono?”14Vi è forse qualcosa che sia troppo difficile per il Signore? Al tempo fissato, l’anno prossimo, tornerò e Sara avrà un figlio».15Allora Sara negò, dicendo: «Non ho riso»; perché ebbe paura. Ma egli disse: «Invece hai riso!»
Intercessione di Abraamo in favore di Sodoma
16Poi quegli uomini si alzarono e volsero gli sguardi verso Sodoma; e Abraamo andò con loro per congedarli.17Il Signore disse: «Dovrei forse nascondere ad Abraamo quanto sto per fare,18dato che Abraamo deve diventare una nazione grande e potente e in lui saranno benedette tutte le nazioni della terra?19Infatti, io l’ho prescelto perché ordini ai suoi figli, e alla sua casa dopo di lui, che seguano la via del Signore per praticare la giustizia e il diritto, affinché il Signore compia in favore di Abraamo quello che gli ha promesso».20Il Signore disse: «Siccome il grido che sale da Sodoma e Gomorra è grande e siccome il loro peccato è molto grave,21io scenderò e vedrò se hanno veramente agito secondo il grido che è giunto fino a me; e, se così non è, lo saprò».22Quegli uomini partirono di là e si avviarono verso Sodoma; ma Abraamo rimase ancora davanti al Signore.23Abraamo gli si avvicinò e disse: «Farai dunque perire il giusto insieme con l’empio?24Forse ci sono cinquanta giusti nella città; davvero farai perire anche quelli? Non perdonerai a quel luogo per amore dei cinquanta giusti che vi sono?25Non sia mai che tu faccia una cosa simile! Far morire il giusto con l’empio, in modo che il giusto sia trattato come l’empio! Non sia mai! Il giudice di tutta la terra non farà forse giustizia?»26Il Signore disse: «Se trovo nella città di Sodoma cinquanta giusti, perdonerò a tutto il luogo per amor di loro».27Abraamo riprese e disse: «Ecco, prendo l’ardire di parlare al Signore, benché io non sia che polvere e cenere.28Forse, a quei cinquanta giusti ne mancheranno cinque; distruggerai tutta la città per cinque di meno?» E il Signore: «Se ve ne trovo quarantacinque, non la distruggerò».29Abraamo continuò a parlargli e disse: «Forse se ne troveranno quaranta». E il Signore: «Non lo farò, per amore dei quaranta».30Abraamo disse: «Non si adiri il Signore e io parlerò. Forse se ne troveranno trenta». E il Signore: «Non lo farò, se ne trovo trenta».31Abraamo disse: «Ecco, prendo l’ardire di parlare al Signore. Forse se ne troveranno venti». E il Signore: «Non la distruggerò per amore di venti».32Abraamo disse: «Non si adiri il Signore, e io parlerò ancora questa volta soltanto. Forse se ne troveranno dieci». E il Signore: «Non la distruggerò per amore dei dieci».33Quando il Signore ebbe finito di parlare ad Abraamo, se ne andò. E Abraamo ritornò alla sua abitazione.
Genesi 18
English Standard Version
di Crossway1And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks[1] of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. (Gen 13,18; Gen 14,13)2He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth (Gen 19,1; Eb 13,2)3and said, “O Lord,[2] if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.4Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, (Gen 19,2; Gen 24,32; Gen 43,24; Lu 7,44; Giov 13,14)5while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” (Gen 19,8; Gen 33,10; Giudic 19,5; Sal 104,15)6And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs[3] of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.”7And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly.8Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.9They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” (Gen 24,67)10The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. (Gen 17,19; Gen 17,21; Gen 18,14; Gen 21,2; 2Re 4,16; Ro 9,9)11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. (Gen 17,17; Ro 4,19; Eb 11,11)12So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” (Gen 17,17; Lu 1,18; 1P 3,6)13The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’14Is anything too hard[4] for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” (Gen 18,10; Giob 42,2; Ger 32,17; Ger 32,27; Zac 8,6; Mat 19,26; Lu 1,37)15But Sarah denied it,[5] saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”16Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way.17The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, (Sal 25,14; Am 3,7; Giov 15,15)18seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? (Gen 12,3; Gen 22,18; Gen 26,4; At 3,25; Ga 3,8)19For I have chosen[6] him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” (Am 3,2)20Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, (Gen 4,10; Gen 19,13; Is 3,9; Ez 16,49; Giac 5,4)21I will go down to see whether they have done altogether[7] according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” (Gen 11,5; Gen 11,7; Eso 3,8; Gios 22,22)
Abraham Intercedes for Sodom
22So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. (Gen 18,1; Gen 18,16; Gen 19,1; Sal 106,23; Ger 18,20)23Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? (Gen 20,4; Nu 16,22; 2Sam 24,17)24Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it?25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (De 32,4; Giob 8,3; Giob 8,20; Giob 34,10; Ro 3,5)26And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” (Is 65,8; Ger 5,1; Ez 22,30)27Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. (Lu 18,1)28Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”29Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.”30Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”31He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.”32Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” (Giudic 6,39)33And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Genesi 18
King James Version
1And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;2And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them , he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,3And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:4Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:5And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.6And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it , and make cakes upon the hearth.7And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.8And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.9And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.10And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.11Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.12Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?13And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?14Is 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.15Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.16And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.17And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;18Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?19For 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.20And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;21I 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.22And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.23And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?24Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?25That 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?26And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.27And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:28Peradventure 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 .29And 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' sake.30And 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.31And 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' sake.32And 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' sake.33And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.