Genesis 18:24

Verse

What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there?

American Standard Version (1901)

Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

Bible in Basic English

If by chance there are fifty upright men in the town, will you give the place to destruction and not have mercy on it because of the fifty upright men?

Douay-Rheims 1899

If there be fifty just men in the city, shall they perish withal? and wilt thou not spare that place for the sake of the fifty just, if they be therein?

Free Bible Version

What if there are fifty good people in the town? Are you still going to wipe it out despite the fifty good people there?

Geneva Bible 1599

If there be fiftie righteous within the citie, wilt thou destroy and not spare the place for the fiftie righteous that are therein?

King James (Authorized) Version

Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

One Unity Resource Bible

What if there are fifty upright within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty upright who are in it?

Plain English Version

There might be 50 good people that live the right way down there in that town. Will you still finish up that town? Or will you save that town to save those 50 good people?

Translation for Translators

What will you do if there are only 50 righteous people in the city? Will you really get rid of them all, and not spare the place/city for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are in the city?

Unlocked Literal Bible

Perhaps there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous that are there?

Noah Webster Bible

Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are in it?

World English Bible

What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?

Young's Literal Translation

peradventure there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city; dost Thou also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty — the righteous who [are] in its midst?

Context

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

²³Abraham stepped forward and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?²⁴What if there are fifty righteous ones in the city? Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous ones who are there?²⁵Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

Sermons

(Through the Bible) Exodus 1-5

Chuck Smith

1.8K

Summary

In this verse, Abraham appeals to God's righteous character as he intercedes for the city of Sodom, questioning whether the Judge of all the earth would destroy the righteous along with the wicked. Abraham's plea reflects his understanding of God's justice and mercy, as he seeks to spare the city if even a few righteous people are found within it. This passage showcases Abraham's boldness in prayer and his deep concern for the well-being of others, demonstrating a model of righteous intercession before God.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city,.... Within the Pentapolis, which consisted of five cities; and so ten righteous persons are supposed to be in each, as Jarchi observes, agreeably to the Targum of Jonathan;"perhaps there may be fifty righteous persons in the city who pray before thee, ten for every city, answerable to the five cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar:" wilt thou also destroy, and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? here Abraham becomes an advocate and intercessor for all the inhabitants of the place, even the wicked, that they might not be destroyed, but spared and be delivered from impending ruin, for the sake of the fifty righteous among them; before he seemed only concerned for the righteous, lest they should perish with the rest, and that some method might be found out and taken to distinguish them from them; but here he expresses himself in favour of the wicked also, that they might be spared, provided such a number of righteous ones was found among them.