Genesis 18:24

24 Maybe there are fifty righteous people in the city; will you actually sweep the place away, and not forgive it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are there?

Genesis 18:24 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:24

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.

Genesis 18:24 In-Context

22 The men turned away from there and went toward S'dom, but Avraham remained standing before ADONAI.

23 Avraham approached and said, "Will you actually sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

24 Maybe there are fifty righteous people in the city; will you actually sweep the place away, and not forgive it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are there?

25 Far be it from you to do such a thing - to kill the righteous along with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! Far be it from you! Shouldn't the judge of all the earth do what is just?"

26 ADONAI said, "If I find in S'dom fifty who are righteous, then I will forgive the whole place for their sake."