God

And as for Ismael I have also heard thee. Behold, I will bless him, and increase, and multiply him exceedingly: he shall beget twelve chiefs, and I will make him a great nation.

But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sara shall bring forth to thee at this time in the next year.

And when he had left off speaking with him, God went up from Abraham.

And Abraham took Ismael his son, and all that were born in his house: and all whom he had bought, every male among the men of his house: and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin forthwith the very same day, as God had commanded him.

And the Lord appeared to him in the vale of Mambre as he was sitting at the door of his tent, in the very heat of the day.

And he said: Lord, if I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away from thy servant.

But I will fetch a little water, and wash ye your feet, and rest ye under the tree.

And I will set a morsel of bread, and strengthen ye your heart, afterwards you shall pass on: for therefore are you come aside to your servant. And they said: Do as thou hast spoken.

And he said to him: I will return and come to thee at this time, life accompanying, and Sara, thy wife, shall have a son. Which when Sara heard, she laughed behind the door of the tent.

And the Lord said to Abraham: Why did Sara laugh, saying: Shall I, who am an old woman, bear a child indeed?

Is there any thing hard to God? According to appointment I will return to thee at this same time, life accompanying, and Sara shall have a son.

Sara denied, saying: I did not laugh: for she was afraid. But the Lord said: Nay; but thou didst laugh.

And the Lord said: Can I hide from Abraham what I am about to do:

For I know that he will command his children, and his household after him, to keep the way of the Lord, and do judgment and justice: that for Abraham's sake, the Lord may bring to effect all the things he hath spoken unto him.

And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is multiplied, and their sin is become exceedingly grievous.

I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry that is come to me; or whether it be not so, that I may know.

And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to Sodom: but Abraham as yet stood before the Lord.

And drawing nigh, he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked?

Far be it from thee to do this thing, and to slay the just with the wicked, and for the just to be in like case as the wicked; this is not beseeming thee: thou who judgest all the earth, wilt not make this judgment.

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.

And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.

What if there be five less than fifty just persons? wilt thou for five and forty destroy the whole city: And he said: I will not destroy it, if I find five and forty.

And again he said to him: But if forty be found there, what wilt thou do? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of forty.

Lord, saith he, be not angry, I beseech thee, if I speak: What if thirty shall be found there? He answered: I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord: What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.