Allah appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth, 3and said, “My lord, if now I have found favour in your sight, please do not go away from your servant. 4Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.“
They said, “Very well, do as you have said.“
6Ibrahim hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly make ready three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.“ 7Ibrahim ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it. 8He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
9They said to him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?
He said, “See, in the tent.“
10He said, “I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.“
Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him. 11Now Ibrahim and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. It had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?“
13Allah said to Ibrahim, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?’ 14Is anything too hard for Allah? At the appointed time I will come, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son.“[1]
15Then Sarah denied, saying, “I did not laugh,“ for she was afraid.“
He said, “No, but you did laugh.“
16The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Ibrahim went with them to see them on their way. 17Allah said, “Will I hide from Ibrahim what I do, 18seeing that Ibrahim has surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?[2] 19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Allah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Allah may bring on Ibrahim that which he has spoken of him.“ 20Allah 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 to me. If not, I will know.“
22The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Ibrahim stood yet before Allah. 23Ibrahim drew near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked? 24What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are therein? 25Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked. May that be far from you. Should not the Judge of all the earth do right?“
26Allah said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.“ 27Ibrahim answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes. 28What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?“
He said, “I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there.“
29He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?“
He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.“
30He said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?“
He said, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.“
31He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?“
He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.“
32He said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once. What if ten are found there?“
He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.“
33Allah went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Ibrahim, and Ibrahim returned to his place.
[1] 18:14 Quoted in the Injil, Romans 9:9.
[2] 18:18 See the Injil, Galatians 3:8.