1- And the LORD appeared to him in the plains of Mamre, and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2- And 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,
Elohim and two angels – ish in the Hebrew. Three is the number of the divine.
3- And said, ” My LORD, if now I have found favour in Thy sight, pass not away, I pray Thee, from Thy servant:
4- Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
To wash your feet was a common practice from walking in sandals all day.
5- And 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.”
6- And 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.”
7- And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
8- And 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.
9- And they said unto him, ” Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, ” Behold, in the tent.”
10- And He said, ” I will certainly return unto the 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.
11- Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12- Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, ” After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
Sarah is actually laughing at the idea, unlike Abraham who fell on his face and laughed with joy.
13- And the LORD said unto Abraham, ” Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old.’
14- Is anything to 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.”
Nothing is impossible with God.
15- Then Sarah denied, saying, ” I laughed not;” for she was afraid. And He said, “Nay; but thou didst laugh.”
16- And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom:
and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17- And the LORD said, ” Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18- Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of earth shall be blessed in him?
19- For 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 judgement; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him.”
20- And the LORD said, ” Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21- I will go down now, and see whether they have done alltogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto Me; and if not, I will know.”
22- And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23- And Abraham drew near, and said, ” Wilt Thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24- Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt Thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25- That 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?”
26- And the LORD said, ” If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
27- And Abraham answered and said, ” Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes:
28- Peradventure 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.”
29- And 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’s sake.”
30- And 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.”
31- And 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’s sake.”
32- And he said, ” Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there.” And He said, ” I will not destroy it for ten’s sake.”
33- And the Lord went His way, as soon as He had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.