26
YHWHיְהוָהsaid,וַיֹּאמֶר“IfאִםI findאֶמְצָאin Sodomבִסְדֹםfiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםrighteousצַדִּיקִםwithinבְּתוֹךְthe city,הָעִירI will spareוְנָשָׂאתִיthe wholeלְכָלplaceהַמָּקוֹםfor their sake.”בַּעֲבוּרָם
Genesis 18:26
Study it in the app“YHWH said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.””
Abraham approaches God and pleads for the righteous in SodomPrayer
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 18:26, word by word
- YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- saidיֹּאמֶרyomer
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomer” appears- I findאֶמְצָאemtsa
find
To come upon what one seeks, or something not expected.
Where else “emtsa” appears- in Sodomסְדֹםsedom
Sodom
See it on the mapWhere else “sedom” appears- fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchamishim
fifty
Fifty.
Where else “chamishim” appears- righteousצַדִּיקִםtsadikim
righteous
Someone who lives uprightly; also YHWH.
Where else “tsadikim” appears- withinתוֹךְtoch
inside
The inside of a place or an enclosed space.
Where else “toch” appears- the cityעִירir
city
A settled place protected by a wall, with a gate and houses.
Where else “ir” appears- I will spareנָשָׂאתִיnasati
forgive
To take away someone's sin, forgive.
Where else “nasati” appears- placeמָּקוֹםmakom
place
A place, a spot.
Where else “makom” appears
Places in this verse
Sodom ?
Today: disputed; perhaps south or northeast of the Dead Sea
A city of the Jordan plain; its site is not known for certain, perhaps near the Dead Sea.
Its people were very wicked (Gen 13:13). God destroyed it with fire, and saved Lot (Gen 19:24-25).
The context
25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare like the wicked! Far be it from you! Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?”
26 · This verse (above)
27Abraham answered and said, “Look, I have ventured to speak to Adonai, though I am dust and ashes.
To study Genesis 18 in a group
1. What it says
What did Abraham do when he saw the three men, and what did they announce about Sarah (vv. 2-10)?
2. What it means
What does the question “Is anything too difficult for YHWH?” teach (v. 14)?
3. How I live it
Whom can you welcome this week to your home or table with Abraham’s generosity?