also butter and milk, and the calf which he had boiled,
and set before them: but he stood by them under the tree.
18:9. And when they had eaten, they said to him: Where is Sara thy wife?
He answered: Lo she is in the tent.
18:10. 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.
18:11. Now they were both old, and far advanced in years, and it had
ceased to be with Sara after the manner of women.
18:12. And she laughed secretly, saying: After I am grown old, and my
lord is an old man, shall I give myself to pleasure?
18:13. And the Lord said to Abraham: Why did Sara laugh, saying: Shall
I, who am an old woman, bear a child indeed?
18:14. 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.
18:15. Sara denied, saying: I did not laugh: for she was afraid. But the
Lord said: Nay; but thou didst laugh.
18:16. And when the men rose up from thence, they turned their eyes
towards Sodom: and Abraham walked with them, bringing them on the way.
18:17. And the Lord said: Can I hide from Abraham what I am about to do:
18:18. Seeing he shall become a great and mighty nation, and in him all
the nations of the earth shall be blessed?
18:19. 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.
18:20. And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is multiplied,
and their sin is become exceedingly grievous.
18:21. 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.
I will go down, etc... The Lord here accommodates his discourse to the
way of speaking and acting amongst men; for he knoweth all things, and
needeth not to go anywhere for information. Note here, that two of the
three angels went away immediately for Sodom; whilst the third, who
represented the Lord, remained with Abraham.
18:22. And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to
Sodom: but Abraham as yet stood before the Lord.
18:23. And drawing nigh, he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the
wicked?
18:24. If there be fifty just men in the city, shall
|