And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; to the end that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." And the Lord said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; {31} I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the report of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know." And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord. And Abraham drew near, and said, "Wilt thou consume the righteous within the city: wilt thou consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" And the Lord said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake." And Abraham answered and said, "Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes: peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five." And he spake unto him yet again, and said, "Peradventure there shall be forty found there." And he said, "I will not do it for the forty's sake." And he said, "Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: peradventure there shall be thirty found there." And he said, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." And he said, "Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there shall be twenty found there." {32} And he said, "I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake." And he said, "Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but this once: peradventure ten shall be found there." And he said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake." And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had done communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place. DESTRUCTION OF THE CITIES OF THE PLAIN. _The Fate of Sodom and Gomorrah_. And the two angels came to Sodom at evening; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot saw them and rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face to the earth; and he said, "Behold now, my lords, turn aside, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your way." And they said, "Nay; but we will abide in the street all night."