The Passage
Genesis 18:22-33
22 So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. 23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26 And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27 Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” 30 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” 31 He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” 32 Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” 33 And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Word Work
Personalize the meaning. Respond as God speaks to you through the Scriptures. Ask: How could my life be different today as I respond to what I’m reading?
Word Thoughts:
Abraham’s response to God’s revelation is probably prompted by his concern for Lot, although Lot is not mentioned specifically. But the main issue for Abraham is, will God destroy the righteous alongside the wicked? Knowing that God must be true to his nature, Abraham poses the question, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?
As Abraham engages with God on the fate of the righteous in Sodom, different scenarios are presented whereby the hypothetical number of righteous in the city is gradually reduced from 50 to 10 (vv. 26–32). God eventually affirms that for the sake of ten I will not destroy it (v. 32). The principle has been established that God will not punish the righteous along with the wicked. As the next chapter reveals, only Lot and two of his children are actually rescued from the destruction of Sodom. (1)
Word Reflection:
- What stood out?
- What do you learn of God’s heart in these verse?
- How do we see God as the graceful Judge through Jesus?
23 Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
End in Prayer
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