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."

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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."

And he urged them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered
into his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread,
and they ate.

And the men said unto Lot, "Hast thou here any besides? son in law,
and thy sons, and thy daughters,