God

But as for Yishma'el, I have heard you. I have blessed him. I will make him fruitful and give him many descendants. He will father twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

But I will establish my covenant with Yitz'chak, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year."

With that, God finished speaking with Avraham and went up from him.

Avraham took Yishma'el his son, all the slaves born in his house and all who had been bought with his money, every male among the people in Avraham's household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin that very day, just as God had said to him.

ADONAI appeared to Avraham by the oaks of Mamre as he sat at the entrance to the tent during the heat of the day.

and said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, please don't leave your servant.

Please let me send for some water, so that you can wash your feet; then rest under the tree,

and I will bring a piece of bread. Now that you have come to your servant, refresh yourselves before going on.""Very well," they replied, "do what you have said."

He said, "I will certainly return to you around this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son."Sarah heard him from the entrance of the tent, behind him.

ADONAI said to Avraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and ask, 'Am I really going to bear a child when I am so old?'

Is anything too hard for ADONAI? At the time set for it, at this season next year, I will return to you; and Sarah will have a son."

Sarah denied it, saying, "I didn't either laugh," because she was afraid. He said, "Not so - you did laugh."

ADONAI said, "Should I hide from Avraham what I am about to do,

For I have made myself known to him, so that he will give orders to his children and to his household after him to keep the way of ADONAI and to do what is right and just, so that ADONAI may bring about for Avraham what he has promised him."

ADONAI said, "The outcry against S'dom and 'Amora is so great and their sin so serious

that I will now go down and see whether their deeds warrant the outcry that has reached me; if not, I will know."

The men turned away from there and went toward S'dom, but Avraham remained standing before ADONAI.

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

Far be it from you to do such a thing - to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! Far be it from you! Shouldn't the judge of all the earth do what is just?"

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

Avraham answered, "Here now, I, who am but dust and ashes, have taken it upon myself to speak to Adonai.

What if there are five less than fifty righteous?"He said, "I won't destroy it if I find forty-five there."

He spoke to him yet again: "What if forty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of the forty I won't do it."

He said, "I hope Adonai won't be angry if I speak. What if thirty are found there?" He said, "I won't do it if I find thirty there."

He said, "Here now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to Adonai. What if twenty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of the twenty I won't destroy it."