18:1
וַיֵּרָ֤א אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה בְּאֵלֹנֵ֖י מַמְרֵ֑א
Now the LORD appeared to him
by the Oaks of Mamre,
וְה֛וּא יֹשֵׁ֥ב פֶּֽתַח־הָאֹ֖הֶל כְּחֹ֥ם הַיּֽוֹם׃
When he was sitting in the tent entrance
about the heat of the day;
18:2
וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים
And he lifted his eyes and looked,
and behold, three men,
נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו
Having stationed themselves in front of him;
וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רָץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל
And he looked and ran from the tent entrance to meet them,
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה׃
Then he bowed himself towards the ground;
18:3
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר
And he said:
אֲדֹנָ֗י אִם־נָ֨א מָצָ֤אתִי חֵן֙ בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָ
“My Lord, if now I have found grace in your eyes,
אַל־נָ֥א תַעֲבֹ֖ר מֵעַ֥ל עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃
Please don’t pass by from your servant;”
18:4
יֻקַּֽח־נָ֣א מְעַט־מַ֔יִם וְרַחֲצ֖וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֑ם
“Please let a little water be brought,
then wash ye your feet,
וְהִֽשָּׁעֲנ֖וּ תַּ֥חַת הָעֵֽץ׃
And rest yourselves under the tree;”
18:5
וְאֶקְחָ֨ה פַת־לֶ֜חֶם
“And let me bring a morsel of bread,
וְסַעֲד֤וּ לִבְּכֶם֙ אַחַ֣ר תַּעֲבֹ֔רוּ
and sustain ye your inner selves,
afterwards pass through,
כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֥ן עֲבַרְתֶּ֖ם עַֽל־עַבְדְּכֶ֑ם
For therefore ye have passed by your servant.”
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ כֵּ֥ן תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּֽרְתָּ׃
And they said:
“Yes you may do according to
that which you have spoken.”
18:6
וַיְמַהֵ֧ר אַבְרָהָ֛ם הָאֹ֖הֱלָה אֶל־שָׂרָ֑ה
And Avraham hurried towards the tent, to Sarah,
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מַהֲרִ֞י שְׁלֹ֤שׁ סְאִים֙ קֶ֣מַח סֹ֔לֶת
And he said:
“Quick! Three seahs (approx. 12 kg) of choice flour!
ל֖וּשִׁי וַעֲשִׂ֥י עֻגֽוֹת׃
Knead, and make loaves (round flat bread)!”
18:7
וְאֶל־הַבָּקָ֖ר רָ֣ץ אַבְרָהָ֑ם
Now Avraham ran to the herd;
וַיִּקַּ֨ח בֶּן־בָּקָ֜ר רַ֤ךְ וָטוֹב֙ וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֶל־הַנַּ֔עַר
and he seized a young ox,
tender and good, and gave it to the lad;
וַיְמַהֵ֖ר לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת אֹתֽוֹ׃
And he went quickly to prepare it.
18:8
וַיִּקַּ֨ח חֶמְאָ֜ה וְחָלָ֗ב
Then he took curds and milk,
וּבֶן־הַבָּקָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם
and the young ox that he had made ready,
and he set these before them;
וְהֽוּא־עֹמֵ֧ד עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם תַּ֥חַת הָעֵ֖ץ וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃
And he was standing by them
under the tree, and they ate.
18:9
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵׄלָׄ֔יׄוׄ
And they said to him (to them, as in hearing distance of Sarah):
אַיֵּ֖ה שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ
“Where is Sarah your wife !?”
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הִנֵּ֥ה בָאֹֽהֶל׃
And he replied, “There in the tent.”
18:10
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר
And He said:
שׁ֣וֹב אָשׁ֤וּב אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ כָּעֵ֣ת חַיָּ֔ה
Most certainly I shall return to you
according to the time of life,
וְהִנֵּה־בֵ֖ן לְשָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ
Then behold a son, —
to Sarah your wife!
וְשָׂרָ֥ה שֹׁמַ֛עַת פֶּ֥תַח הָאֹ֖הֶל וְה֥וּא אַחֲרָֽיו׃
And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance,
and it was behind him.
18:11
וְאַבְרָהָ֤ם וְשָׂרָה֙ זְקֵנִ֔ים בָּאִ֖ים בַּיָּמִ֑ים
Now both Avraham and Sarah were aged,
going on in years;
חָדַל֙ לִהְי֣וֹת לְשָׂרָ֔ה אֹ֖רַח כַּנָּשִֽׁים׃
The way in accordance with women
had ceased to exist for Sarah;
וַתִּצְחַ֥ק שָׂרָ֖ה בְּקִרְבָּ֣הּ לֵאמֹ֑ר
And Sarah laughed within herself thinking:
אַחֲרֵ֤י בְלֹתִי֙ הֽ͏ָיְתָה־לִּ֣י עֶדְנָ֔ה
“After myself being worn out
shall there have been pleasure for me,
וֽ͏ַאדֹנִ֖י זָקֵֽן׃
And my lord has become old!”
18:13
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם
Then the LORD said to Avraham;
לָ֣מָּה זֶּה֩ צָחֲקָ֨ה שָׂרָ֜ה
“Why did Sarah laugh at this,
לֵאמֹ֗ר
Saying,
הַאַ֥ף אֻמְנָ֛ם אֵלֵ֖ד וַאֲנִ֥י זָקַֽנְתִּי׃
‘Really! I shall bear a child, when I have become old!'”
18:14
הֲיִפָּלֵ֥א מֵיְהוָ֖ה דָּבָ֑ר
“Is anything too difficult for the LORD!?
לַמּוֹעֵ֞ד אָשׁ֥וּב אֵלֶ֛יךָ
At the appointed time I shall return to you,
כָּעֵ֥ת חַיָּ֖ה וּלְשָׂרָ֥ה בֵֽן׃
According to the time of life,
And to Sarah…a son!”
18:15
וַתְּכַחֵ֨שׁ שָׂרָ֧ה ׀ לֵאמֹ֛ר
But Sarah lied, saying:
לֹ֥א צָחַ֖קְתִּי כִּ֣י ׀ יָרֵ֑אָה
“I did not laugh”, because she feared;
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ׀ לֹ֖א כִּ֥י צָחָֽקְתְּ׃
But He said: “No, for you did laugh!”
18:16
וַיָּקֻ֤מוּ מִשָּׁם֙ הֽ͏ָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים
And the men arose from there,
וַיַּשְׁקִ֖פוּ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י סְדֹ֑ם
And they looked down against Sodom;
וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הֹלֵ֥ךְ עִמָּ֖ם לְשַׁלְּחָֽם׃
And Avraham was walking with them,
to send them off.
18:17
וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה אָמָ֑ר
Now the LORD said:
הֽ͏ַמְכַסֶּ֤ה אֲנִי֙ מֽ͏ֵאַבְרָהָ֔ם
“Am I going to conceal from Avraham,
אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנִ֥י עֹשֶֽׂה׃
That which I am about to do!?”
18:18
וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם
“Moreover, Avraham will most assuredly become
a great nation, and numerous;
וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ׃
And all the nations of the earth
will be blessed through him;”
18:19
כִּ֣י יְדַעְתִּ֗יו
“Because I have known him,
לְמַעַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְצַוֶּ֜ה
To the end that he will command
אֶת־בָּנָ֤יו וְאֶת־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אַחֲרָ֔יו
his sons and his house after him
וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהוָ֔ה
and they keep the Way of the LORD,
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת צְדָקָ֖ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט
carrying out righteous conduct and justice;
לְמַ֗עַן הָבִ֤יא יְהוָה֙ עַל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם
In order for the LORD to bring upon Avraham
אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֖ר עָלָֽיו׃
That Word which is over him.”
18:20
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה
And then the LORD said:
זַעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי־רָ֑בָּה
“The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah
has assuredly become great;
וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃
And their sin has indeed become extremely weighty;”
18:21
אֵֽרֲדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה
“I now want to go down and see,
הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ כָּלָ֑ה
if according to it’s outcry that is coming to Me
they have fully done;
וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה׃
And if not, I shall know!”
18:22
וַיִּפְנ֤וּ מִשָּׁם֙ הֽ͏ָאֲנָשִׁ֔ים וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ סְדֹ֑מָה
Then the men turned from there,
and they proceeded towards Sodom;
וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם עוֹדֶ֥נּוּ עֹמֵ֖ד לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃
But Avraham was still standing before the LORD.
18:23
וַיִּגַּ֥שׁ אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר
And Avraham approached and said:
הַאַ֣ף תִּסְפֶּ֔ה צַדִּ֖יק עִם־רָשָֽׁע׃
“Would you also wipe away righteous together with wicked?”
18:24
אוּלַ֥י יֵ֛שׁ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר
“May be there are fifty righteous inside the city;
הַאַ֤ף תִּסְפֶּה֙ וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֣א לַמָּק֔וֹם
Would you also wipe away and not pardon the place,
לְמַ֛עַן חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבָּֽהּ׃
for the sake of the fifty righteous who were in it’s midst?”
18:25
חָלִ֨לָה לְּךָ֜ מֵעֲשֹׂ֣ת ׀ כַּדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה
Far be it of Thee, from carrying out the like of this thing,
לְהָמִ֤ית צַדִּיק֙ עִם־רָשָׁ֔ע
to kill righteous together with wicked,
וְהָיָ֥ה כַצַדִּ֖יק כָּרָשָׁ֑ע
and so the righteous become as the wicked;
חָלִ֣לָה לָּ֔ךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט֙ כָּל־הָאָ֔רֶץ
Far be it from Thee, the One Who judges the whole earth,
לֹ֥א יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
will He not do right?
18:26
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה
And the LORD replied:
אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א בִסְדֹ֛ם
“If I shall find in Sodom
חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים צַדִּיקִ֖ם בְּת֣וֹךְ הָעִ֑יר
Fifty righteous inside the city,
וְנָשָׂ֥אתִי לְכָל־הַמָּק֖וֹם בַּעֲבוּרָֽם׃
Then shall I pardon the whole locality for their sake.”
18:27
וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר
And Avraham responded, and said:
הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י
“Behold I pray Thee I have undertaken to speak to my Lord,
וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃
Though I am dust and ashes;”
18:28
א֠וּלַי יַחְסְר֞וּן חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים הַצַּדִּיקִם֙ חֲמִשָּׁ֔ה
“What if were lacking, five of the fifty righteous ;
הֲתַשְׁחִ֥ית בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אֶת־כָּל־הָעִ֑יר
Would you destroy the whole city
on account of the five?”
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית אִם־אֶמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם
And He replied,
I shall not destroy it, if there I should find
אַרְבָּעִ֖ים וַחֲמִשָּֽׁה׃
forty and five!”
18:29
וַיֹּ֨סֶף ע֜וֹד לְדַבֵּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר
Then yet again speaking to Him, he said:
אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם אַרְבָּעִ֑ים
“Maybe forty shall be found there?”
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֽ͏ֶעֱשֶׂ֔ה בַּעֲב֖וּר הָאַרְבָּעִֽים׃
And He replied, “I shall not act on account of the forty!”
18:30
וַ֠יֹּאמֶר אַל־נָ֞א יִ֤חַר לֽ͏ַאדֹנָי֙ וַאֲדַבֵּ֔רָה
Then he said:
“Let not anger I pray Thee be kindled for my Lord,
and I would like to speak.
אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם שְׁלֹשִׁ֑ים
Perhaps thirty might be found there?”
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אֽ͏ֶעֱשֶׂ֔ה
And He replied: “I shall not act,
אִם־אֶמְצָ֥א שָׁ֖ם שְׁלֹשִֽׁים׃
if I should find thirty there.”
18:31
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר
Then he said:
הִנֵּֽה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י
“Behold I pray Thee I have undertaken to speak to my Lord;
אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֶשְׂרִ֑ים
Perhaps twenty might be found there?”
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הֽ͏ָעֶשְׂרִֽים׃
And He replied, “I shall not destroy it
on account of the twenty.”
18:32
וַ֠יֹּאמֶר
Then he said:
יִ֤חַר לַֽאדֹנָי֙ וַאֲדַבְּרָ֣ה אַךְ־הַפַּ֔עַם אַל־נָ֞א
“Let not anger I pray Thee be kindled for my Lord,
and I would like to speak just this time;
אוּלַ֛י יִמָּצְא֥וּן שָׁ֖ם עֲשָׂרָ֑ה
Peradventure ten should be found there?”
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית בַּעֲב֖וּר הָעֲשָׂרָֽה׃
And He replied,
“I shall not destroy it on account of the ten.”
18:33
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ יְהוָ֔ה
And the LORD departed,
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר כִּלָּ֔ה לְדַבֵּ֖ר אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם
since He had finished speaking to Avraham;
וְאַבְרָהָ֖ם שָׁ֥ב לִמְקֹמֽוֹ׃
And Avraham returned to his place.
Website translation into English by Eddie Van Gent,
together with his wife, Maraea Van Gent (Masters of Humanities in Social Sciences, Majoring in Education)
The Hebrew Masoretic Text is Unicode/XML version 1.3 Leningrad Codex,
Build 26.4 from tanach.us
Audio excerpts from
Tanakh audio recording by Rabbi Dan Be’eri
Chapter 18 Hebrew Audio
