Abraham Intercedes with Yahweh for the City of Sodom

18:16-33

16 Then the men got up from there and looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to send them off. 17 And Yahweh said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am doing? 18 And Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 19 For I have known him so that he will command his children and his house after him, and they will keep the way of Yahweh by doing righteousness and justice, so that Yahweh will bring about for Abraham what he has said to him.”

20 Then Yahweh said, “Because the outcry 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 altogether according to its outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, and Abraham was still standing before Yahweh. 23 Then Abraham approached him and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous in the city? Will you really sweep away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do something like that, killing the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous are like the wicked! Far be it from you! Will the one who judges all the earth not do justice?” 26 Then Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

27 Then Abraham spoke up and said, “Behold, please, I have taken it upon myself to speak to my Lord, although I am dust and ashes. 28 Suppose the fifty righteous lack five? Will you destroy the whole city because of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

29 Then he continued again to speak to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And he said, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”

30 Then he said, “Please do not let my Lord be angry, and let me speak: Suppose thirty are found there?” And he said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

31 Then he said, “Behold, please, I have taken it upon myself to speak to my Lord. Suppose twenty are found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

32 Then he said, “Please do not let my Lord be angry, and let me speak just once more: Suppose ten are found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.” 33 Then Yahweh left as soon as he finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.