Genesis 18:23

23 and nighed, and said, Whether thou shalt lose a just man with the wicked? (and he came over, and said to him, Shalt thou destroy the righteous along with the wicked?)

Genesis 18:23 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:23

And Abraham drew near
To the Lord; he approached nearer to him, to have more close and intimate conversation with him on the subject of the destruction of Sodom, which he perceived, by what had been said, was like to be; he drew nigh to God in prayer; so the Targum of Jonathan,

``and Abraham prayed and said;''

he drew nigh with faith and freedom, and an holy boldness and confidence, and yet with great reverence of the divine Majesty, and in all humility, under a deep sense of his own meanness and unworthiness: and said, wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
having in his mind righteous Lot, who dwelt in Sodom, whom he knew to be a just man, though he had departed from him, and was dwelling in such a wicked place; and he might charitably hope there were more in so large a city and in the parts adjacent, at least that were not so flagitious and abominably wicked as the greater part were, and who, in comparison of them, were sober and moral people.

Genesis 18:23 In-Context

21 I shall come down, and see whether they have [ful]filled in work the cry that came to me, that I know whether it is not so. (and so I shall go down there, and see whether their deeds have warranted the outcry that came to me, and so that I know if it is so, or not.)

22 And they turned them[selves] from thence, and went to Sodom. Abraham soothly stood yet before the Lord, (And then two of the men went forth from there, and went down to Sodom. But Abraham stood yet before the Lord,)

23 and nighed, and said, Whether thou shalt lose a just man with the wicked? (and he came over, and said to him, Shalt thou destroy the righteous along with the wicked?)

24 if fifty just men be in the city, shall they perish together, and shalt thou not spare that place for fifty just men, if they be therein? (what if fifty righteous people be in the city, shall they perish along with the others, and shalt thou not spare that place for fifty righteous people, if they be there?)

25 Far be it from thee that thou do this thing, and slay the just with the wicked, and that a just man be made as a wicked man; this is not thine that deemest all [the] earth; thou shalt not make this doom. (Far be it from thee that thou do this thing, and kill the righteous along with the wicked, and that the righteous be made like the wicked; this is not thee who judgest all the earth; nay, thou shalt not make such a judgement.)