Genesis 18:24

24 Yf there be .l. rightwes within the cyte wilt thou destroy it and not spare the place for the sake of .l. rightwes that are therin?

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 And the me departed thece and went to Sodomeward. But Abraham stode yet before ye LORde

23 and drewe nere and saydeWylt thou destroy the rightwes with the wyked?

24 Yf there be .l. rightwes within the cyte wilt thou destroy it and not spare the place for the sake of .l. rightwes that are therin?

25 That be farre from the that thou shuldest do after thys maner to sley the rightwes with the weked ad that the rightwes shulde be as the weked: that befarre from the. Shulde not the iudge of all ye worlde do acordynge to righte?

26 And the LORde sayde: Yf I fynde in Sodome .l. rightwes within the cyte I will spare all the place for their sakes.