Genesis 18

Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel

Genesis 18

1And God appeared to him by the oak of Mambre, as he sat by the door of his tent at noon.Ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς τῇ δρυῒ τῇ Μαμβρῇ, καθημένου αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς θύρας τῆς σκηνῆς αὐτοῦ μεσημβρίας.

2And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold! three men stood before him; and having seen them he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and did obeisance to the ground.Ἀναβλέψας δὲ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ εἶδε, καὶ ἰδοὺ τρεῖς ἄνδρες εἱστήκεισαν ἐπάνω αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἰδὼν, προσέδραμεν εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς θύρας τῆς σκηνῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ προσεκύνησεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν.

3And he said, Lord, if indeed I have found grace in your sight, pass not by your servant.Καὶ εἶπε, Κύριε, εἰ ἄρα εὗρον χάριν ἐναντίον σου, μὴ παρέλθῃς τὸν παῖδά σου.

4Let water now be brought, and let them wash your feet, and do you refresh yourselves under the tree.Ληφθήτω δὴ ὕδωρ, καὶ νιψάτωσαν τοὺς πόδας ὑμῶν, καὶ καταψύξατε ὑπὸ τὸ δένδρον.

5And I will bring bread, and you shall eat, and after this you shall depart on your journey, on account of which refreshment you have turned aside to your servant. And he said, So do, as you have said.Καὶ λήψομαι ἄρτον, καὶ φάγεσθε. Καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο παρελεύσεσθε εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν ὑμῶν, οὗ ἕνεκεν ἐξεκλίνατε πρὸς τὸν παῖδα ὑμῶν. Καὶ εἶπεν, οὕτω ποίησον, καθὼς εἴρηκας.

6And Abraam hasted to the tent to Sarrha, and said to her, Hasten, and knead three measures of fine flour, and make cakes.Καὶ ἔσπευσεν Ἁβραὰμ ἐπὶ τὴν σκηνὴν πρὸς Σάῤῥαν, καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ, σπεῦσον, καὶ φύρασον τρία μέτρα σεμιδάλεως, καὶ ποίησον ἐγκρυφίας.

7And Abraam ran to the kine, and took a young calf, tender and good, and gave it to his servant, and he hasted to dress it.Καὶ εἰς τὰς βόας ἔδραμεν Ἁβραὰμ, καὶ ἔλαβεν ἁπαλὸν μοσχάριον καὶ καλὸν, καὶ ἔδωκε τῷ παιδὶ, καὶ ἐτάχυνε τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτό.

8And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had dressed; and he set them before them, and they did eat, and he stood by them under the tree.Ἔλαβε δὲ βούτυρον, καὶ γάλα, καὶ τὸ μοσχάριον ὃ ἐποίησε, καὶ παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἔφαγον· αὐτὸς δὲ παρειστήκει αὐτοῖς ὑπὸ τὸ δένδρον.

9And he said to him, Where is Sarrha your wife? And he answered and said, Behold! in the tent.Εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν, ποῦ Σάῤῥα ἡ γυνή σου; ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν, ἰδοὺ ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ.

10And he said, ✡ I will return and come to you according to this period seasonably, and Sarrha your wife shall have a son; and Sarrha heard at the door of the tent, being behind him.Εἶπε δὲ, ἐπαναστρέφων ἥξω πρὸς σὲ κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον εἰς ὥρας, καὶ ἕξει υἱὸν Σάῤῥα ἡ γυνή σου. Σάῤῥα δὲ ἤκουσε πρὸς τῇ θύρᾳ τῆς σκηνῆς οὖσα ὄπισθεν αὐτοῦ.

11And Abraam and Sarrha were old, advanced in days, and the custom of women ceased with Sarrha.Ἁβραὰμ δὲ καὶ Σάῤῥα πρεσβύτεροι προβεβηκότες ἡμερῶν· ἐξέλιπε δὲ τῇ Σάῤῥᾳ γίνεσθαι τὰ γυναικεια.

12And Sarrha laughed in herself, saying, * The thing has not as yet happened to me, even until now, and my lord is old.Ἐγέλασε δὲ Σάῤῥα ἐν ἑαυτῇ λέγουσα, οὔπω μέν μοι γέγονεν ἕως τοῦ νῦν· ὁ δὲ κύριός μου πρεσβύτερος.

13And the Lord said to Abraam, Why is it that Sarrha has laughed in herself, saying, Shall I then indeed bear? but I am grown old.Καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Ἁβραὰμ, τί ὅτι ἐγέλασε Σάῤῥα ἐν ἑαυτῇ, λέγουσα, ἆρά γε ἀληθῶς τέξομαι; ἐγὼ δὲ γεγήρακα.

14Shall anything be impossible with the Lord? At this time I will return to you seasonably, and Sarrha shall have a son.Μὴ ἀδυνατήσει παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ ῥῆμα; εἰς τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον ἀναστρέψω πρὸς σὲ εἰς ὥρας, καὶ ἔσται τῇ Σάῤῥᾳ υἱός.

15But Sarrha denied, saying, I did not laugh, for she was afraid. And he said to her, Nay, but you did laugh.Ἠρνήσατο δὲ Σάῤῥα, λέγουσα, οὐκ ἐγέλασα· ἐφοβήθη γάρ. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ, οὐχὶ, ἀλλὰ ἐγέλασας.

16And the men having risen up from thence looked towards Sodom and Gomorrha. And Abraam went with them, attending them on their journey.Ἐξαναστάντες δὲ ἐκεῖθεν οἱ ἄνδρες κατέβλεψαν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον Σοδόμων καὶ Γομόῤῥας. Ἁβραὰμ δὲ συνεπορεύετο μετʼ αὐτῶν, συμπροπέμπων αὐτούς.

17And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraam my servant what things I intend to do?Ὁ δὲ Κύριος εἶπε, οὐ μὴ κρύψω ἐγὼ ἀπὸ Ἁβραὰμ τοῦ παιδός μου ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ.

18But Abraam shall become a great and populous nation, and in him shall all the nations of the earth be blest.Ἁβραὰμ δὲ γινόμενος ἔσται εἰς ἔθνος μέγα καὶ πολὺ, καὶ ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν αὐτῷ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς.

19For I know that he will order his sons, and his house after him, and they will keep the ways of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraam all things whatever he has spoken to him.Ἤδειν γὰρ ὅτι συντάξει τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ μετʼ αὐτὸν, καὶ φυλάξουσι τὰς ὁδοὺς Κυρίου, ποιεῖν δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίσιν, ὅπως ἂν ἐπαγάγῃ Κύριος ἐπὶ Ἁβραὰμ πάντα ὅσα ἐλάλησε πρὸς αὐτόν.

20And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha has been increased towards me, and their sins are very great.Εἶπε δὲ Κύριος, κραυγὴ Σοδόμων καὶ Γομόῤῥας πεπλήθυνται πρὸς μὲ, καὶ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν μεγάλαι σφόδρα.

21I will therefore go down and see, if they completely † correspond with the cry which comes to me, and if not, that I may know.Καταβὰς οὖν ὄψομαι, εἰ κατὰ τὴν κραυγὴν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐρχομενεην πρὸς μὲ, συντελοῦνται· εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἵνα γνῶ.

22And the men having departed thence, came to Sodom; and Abraam was still standing before the Lord.Καὶ ἀποστρέψαντες ἐκεῖθεν οἱ ἄνδρες, ἦλθον εἰς Σόδομα· Ἁβραὰμ δὲ ἔτι ἦν ἑστηκὼς ἐναντίον Κυρίου.

23And Abraam drew near and said, Wouldest you destroy the righteous with the wicked, and shall the righteous be as the wicked?Καὶ ἐγγίσας Ἁβραὰμ, εἶπε, μὴ συναπολέσῃς δίκαιον μετὰ ἀσεβοῦς· καὶ ἔσται ὁ δίκαιος ὡς ὁ ἀσεβής.

24Should there be fifty righteous in the city, will you destroy them? will you not spare the whole place for the sake of the fifty righteous, if they be in it?Ἐὰν ὦσι πεντήκοντα δίκαιοι ἐν τῇ πόλει, ἀπολεῖς αὐτούς; οὐκ ἀνήσεις πάντα τὸν τόπον ἕνεκεν τῶν πεντήκοντα δικαίων, ἐὰν ὦσιν ἐν αὐτῇ;

25By no means shall you do as this thing is so as to destroy the righteous with the wicked, so the righteous shall be as the wicked: by no means. You that judge the whole earth, shall you not do right?Μηδαμῶς σὺ ποιήσεις ὡς τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο, τοῦ ἀποκτεῖναι δίκαιον μετὰ ἀσεβοῦς, καὶ ἔσται ὁ δίκαιος ὡς ὁ ἀσεβής· μηδαμῶς· ὁ κρίνων πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν, οὐ ποιήσεις κρίσιν;

26And the Lord said, If there should be in Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole city, and the whole place for their sakes.Εἶπε δὲ Κύριος, ἐὰν ὦσιν ἐν Σοδόμοις πεντήκοντα δίκαιοι ἐν τῇ πόλει, ἀφήσω ὅλην τὴν πόλιν, καὶ πάντα τὸν τόπον διʼ αὐτούς.

27And Abraam answered and said, Now I have begun to speak to my Lord, and I am earth and ashes.Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς Ἁβραὰμ εἶπε, νῦν ἠρξάμην λαλῆσαι πρὸς τὸν Κύριόν μου· ἐγὼ δὲ εἰμὶ γῆ καὶ σποδός.

28But if the fifty righteous should be diminished to forty-five, will you destroy the whole city because of the five lacking? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there forty-five.Ἐὰν δὲ ἐλαττονωθῶσιν οἱ πεντήκοντα δίκαιοι εἰς τεσσαρακονταπέντε, ἀπολεῖς ἕνεκεν τῶν πέντε πᾶσαν τὴν πόλιν; καὶ εἶπεν, οὐ μὴ ἀπολέσω, ἐὰν εὕρω ἐκεῖ τεσσαρακονταπέντε.

29And he continued to speak to him still, and said, But if there should be found there forty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the forty's sake.Καὶ προσέθηκεν ἔτι λαλῆσαι πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ εἶπεν, ἐὰν δὲ εὑρεθῶσιν ἐκεῖ τεσσαράκοντα· καὶ εἶπεν, οὐ μὴ ἀπολέσω ἕνεκεν τῶν τεσσαράκοντα.

30And he said, Will there be anything against me, Lord, if I shall speak? but if there be found there thirty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the thirty's sake.Καὶ εἶπε, μή τι Κύριε ἐὰν λαλήσω; ἐὰν δὲ εὑρεθῶσιν ἐκεῖ τριάκοντα; καὶ εἶπεν, οὐ μὴ ἀπολέσω ἕνεκεν τῶν τριάκοντα.

31And he said, Since I am able to speak to the Lord, what if there should be found there twenty? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there twenty.Καὶ εἶπεν, ἐπειδὴ ἔχω λαλῆσαι πρὸς τὸν Κύριον, ἐὰν δὲ εὑρεθῶσιν ἐκεῖ εἴκοσι; καὶ εἶπεν, οὐ μὴ ἀπολέσω, ἐὰν εὕρω ἐκεῖ εἴκοσι.

32And he said, Will there be anything against me, Lord, if I speak yet once? but if there should be found there ten? And he said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.Καὶ εἶπε, μή τι Κύριε ἐὰν λαλήσω ἔτι ἅπαξ; ἐὰν δὲ εὑρεθῶσιν ἐκεῖ δέκα; καὶ εἶπεν, οὐ μὴ ἀπολέσω ἕνεκεν τῶν δέκα.

33And the Lord departed, when he left off speaking to Abraam, and Abraam returned to his place.Ἀπῆλθε δὲ ὁ Κύριος, ὡς ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν τῷ Ἁβραάμ· καὶ Ἁβραὰμ ἀπέστρεψεν εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ.

Translator's Notes

These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.

• v. 10✡Rom 9:9
• v. 12*Gr. The difference turns on the word Heb. pleasure. Gr until now.
• v. 21†Gr. συντελόῦνται. Heb. A.V. have done altogether.

The Fathers on Genesis 18

Julius Africanus comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.

On Genesis 18

Julius Africanus

Ante-Nicene Fathers · Third century · Fragments of the Chronography

Part VII. VII. In the year of the world 3277, Abraham entered the promised land of Canaan. Of Abraham. VIII. Of Abraham. From this rises the appellation of the Hebrews. For the word Hebrews is interpreted to mean 132those who migrate across, viz., who crossed the Euphrates with Abraham; and it is not derived, as some think, from the fore-mentioned Heber.…

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