Genesis 18:29

29 And {once again he spoke} to him and said, "What if forty are found there?" And he answered, "I will not do [it] on account of the forty."

Genesis 18:29 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:29

And he spake [unto him] yet again, and said
Being encouraged by such a gracious answer: Peradventure there shall be forty found there;
forty righteous persons; and, from preceding passages, it must be supplied,

``wilt thou destroy and not spare the place for their sakes?''

and he said, I will not do [it] for forty's sake;
but spare them for their sake.

Genesis 18:29 In-Context

27 Then Abraham answered and said, "Look, please, I was bold to speak to my Lord, but I [am] dust and ashes.

28 Perhaps the fifty righteous are lacking five--will you destroy the whole city on account of the five?" And he answered, "I will not destroy [it] if I find forty-five there."

29 And {once again he spoke} to him and said, "What if forty are found there?" And he answered, "I will not do [it] on account of the forty."

30 And he said, "Please, let not my Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if thirty be found there?" And he answered, "I will not do [it] if I find thirty there."

31 And he said, "Please, now, I was bold to speak to my Lord. What if twenty be found there?" And he answered, "I will not destroy [it] for the sake of the twenty."

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "And he added again to speak"
• [b]. Or "Perhaps"