Genesis 18:22-33 - Abraham Intercedes For Sodom

22 And the men turned from there and went toward Sodom. And Abraham [was] still standing before Yahweh. 23 And Abraham drew near [to Yahweh] and said, "Will you also sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 If perhaps there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city, will you also sweep [them] away and not forgive the place on account of the fifty righteous in her midst? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing as this, to kill [the] righteous with [the] wicked, that the righteous would be as the wicked! Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do justice?"

26 And Yahweh said, "If I find fifty righteous in Sodom, in the midst of the city, then I will forgive the whole place for their sake."

27 Then Abraham answered and said, "Look, please, I was bold to speak to my Lord, but I [am] dust and ashes. 28 Perhaps the fifty righteous are lacking five--will you destroy the whole city on account of the five?" And he answered, "I will not destroy [it] if I find forty-five there."

29 And {once again he spoke} to him and said, "What if forty are found there?" And he answered, "I will not do [it] on account of the forty."

30 And he said, "Please, let not my Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if thirty be found there?" And he answered, "I will not do [it] if I find thirty there."

31 And he said, "Please, now, I was bold to speak to my Lord. What if twenty be found there?" And he answered, "I will not destroy [it] for the sake of the twenty."

32 And he said, "Please, let not my Lord be angry, and I will speak only once more. What if ten are found there?" And he answered, "I will not destroy [it] for the sake of the ten." 33 Then Yahweh left, as he finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.