AND the glory of the Lord was revealed to him in the valley of Mamre; and he, being ill from the pain of circumcision, sat at the door of the tabernacle in the fervour (or strength) of the day.

And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, three angels in the resemblance of men were standing before him; (angels) who had been sent from the necessity of three things;--because it is not possible for a ministering angel to be sent for more than one purpose at a time;--one, then, had come to make known to him that Sarah should bear a man-child; one had come to deliver Lot; and one to overthrow Sedom and Amorah. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the door of the tent, and bowed himself on the earth.

And he said, I beseech, by the mercies (that are) before Thee, O Lord, if now I have found favour before Thee, that the glory of Thy Shekina may not now ascend from Thy servant, until I have set forth provisions

{Abraham again said to these men, Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and recline} under the tree.

And I will bring food of bread, that you may strengthen your hearts, and give thanks in the Name of the Word of the Lord, and afterwards pass on. For therefore at the time of repast are you come, and have turned aside to your servant to take food. And they said, Thou hast spoken well; do according to thy word.

And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said to her, Hasten three measures of flour-meal, mix and make cakes.

And unto the flock ran Abraham, and took a calf, tender and fat, and gave to a young man, and hastened to make prepared meats;

and he took rich cream and milk and the calf which the young man had made into prepared meats, and set them before them, according to the way and conduct (hilkath) of the creatures of the world; and he served before them, and they sat under the tree; and he quieted himself (to see) whether they would eat.

And they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, she is in the tent.

And one of them said, Returning I will return to thee in the coming year; and you shall be revived, and, behold, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah was hearkening at the door of the tent, and Ishmael stood behind her, and marked what the Angel said.

But Abraham and Sarah were old, they had mounted (alu) in days, and with Sarah the way of women had ceased.

And Sarah wondered in her heart, saying After that I am old shall I have conceptions, and my lord Abraham is old?

And the Lord said to Abraham, Why hath Sarah so laughed, saying, Can it be in truth that I shall bear, being old?

Is it possible to hide anything from before the Lord? At the gracious time I will return to thee, in the time when you shall be revived, and Sarah shall have a son.

And Sarah denied and said, I wondered not; for she was afraid. And the Angel said, Fear not: yet in truth thou didst laugh.

And the angels, who had the likeness of men, arose from thence, and the one who had made known the tidings to Sarah ascended to the high heavens; and two of them looked toward Sedom; and Abraham went with them.

And the Lord said, with His Word, I cannot hide from Abraham that which I am about to do; and it is right that before I do it, I should make it known to him. For

Abraham is to be a great and mighty people, and through him shall all the peoples of the earth be blessed.

Because his holiness (piety, chasidutha) is manifest before Me, (and) that he will instruct his sons, and the men of his house after him, to keep the ways that are right before the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him.

And the Lord said to the ministering angels, The cry of Sedom and Amorah, because they oppress the poor, and decree that whosoever giveth a morsel to the needy shall be burned with fire, is therefore great, and their guilt exceedingly weighty.

I will now appear, and see whether, as the cry of a damsel torn away, which ascendeth before Me, they have made completion of their sins; (or, whether they have made an end of their sins;) and if they have wrought repentance, shall they not be as (if) innocent before Me? and as if not knowing, I will not punish.

And the angels who had the likeness of men, turned thence and went towards Sedom. And Abraham now supplicated mercy for Lot, and ministered in prayer before the Lord.

And Abraham prayed and said, Wilt Thou destroy in Thy displeasure the innocent with the guilty?

Perhaps there are fifty innocent persons within the city, who pray before Thee,--ten for every city, of all the five cities of Sedom, Amorah, Admah, Zeboim, and Zoar. Wilt Thou in Thy displeasure destroy and not forgive the country, on account of the fifty innocent ones who are in it? Unholy would it be before Thee to do according to this word, to slay the innocent with the guilty, and to make the innocent to be as the guilty!

That be unholy with Thee. It cannot be that One who is the Judge of all the earth should not do justice.

And the Lord said, If I find in Sedom fifty innocent in the midst of the city who pray before Me, I will forgive all the land on their account.

And Abraham responded, and said, I pray for mercy. Behold, now, I have begun to speak before the Lord; I, who am as dust and ashes.

Perhaps of the fifty innocent persons, five may be wanting. On account of the five who may be wanting to Zoar, wilt Thou destroy the whole city? And He said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.

And he added yet to speak before Him, and said, Perhaps there may be forty found there; ten for each city of the four cities, and Zoar, whose guilt is lighter, forgive thou for Thy mercy's sake. And he said, I will not make an end for the sake of the forty innocent ones.

And he said, Let not the displeasure of the Lord, the Lord of all the world, wax strong against me, and I will speak. Perhaps thirty who pray may be found there, ten for each of the three cities, and Zeboim and Zoar forgive them for Thy mercy's sake. And He said, I will not make an end if I find thirty there.

And he said, Imploring mercy, I have now begun to speak before the Lord, the Lord of all the world. Perhaps twenty who pray may be found; ten in each of the two cities, and the three forgive Thou for Thy mercy's sake! And He said, I will not destroy for the sake of the twenty innocent.

And he said, I implore mercy before Thee! Let not the anger of the Lord,the Lord of all the world, grow strong, and I will speak only this time. Perhaps ten may be found there; and I and they will pray for mercy upon all the land, and Thou wilt forgive them. And He said, I will not destroy for the sake of the ten who may be innocent.

And the majesty of the {Shekinah of the} Lord went up when He had ceased to speak with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.