Genesis 18:23

23 Avraham approached and said, "Will you actually sweep away the righteous 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 that I will now go down and see whether their deeds warrant the outcry that has reached me; if not, I will know."

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?"