Genesis 18:30

28 suppose the fifty righteous ones lack five. Will You destroy the whole city for the lack of five?” He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.”

29 Once again Abraham spoke to the LORD, “Suppose forty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the forty, I will not do it.”

Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”

31 And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”

32 Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak further. Suppose thirty are found there?” He replied, “If I find thirty there, I will not do it.”
KJV
And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
WEB
He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
ASV
And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
DARBY
And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry that I speak! Perhaps there may be thirty found there. And he said, I will not do it if I find thirty there.
BLB
And he said, “Please, may the Lord not be hot, and I will speak. Suppose there should be found thirty.” And He said, “I will not do [it] if I find there thirty.”
ÅB
Men han sa: Herre, bli ikke vred om jeg taler! Kanskje det finnes tretti. Han svarte: Jeg skal ikke gjøre det dersom jeg finner tretti der.
OTB
Da sa han, “Måtte Herren ikke bli sint, men la meg tale; anta at det finnes tretti der?” Han svarte, “Jeg vil ikke gjøre det hvis jeg finner tretti der.”
B1930
Men han sa: Herre, bli ikke vred om jeg taler! Kanskje det finnes tretti. Han svarte: Jeg skal ikke gjøre det dersom jeg finner tretti der.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Psalms 10:17

    You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear,

    Read in context
  • Job 40:4

    “Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 55:8–9

    “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.

    Read in context
  • Hebrews 12:28–29

    Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 89:7

    In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared, and awesome above all who surround Him.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 9:12

    For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.

    Read in context
  • Esther 4:11–16

    “All the royal officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned—that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the gold scepter may that person live. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the past thirty days.”

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 6:5

    Then I said: “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.”

    Read in context