Genesis 18:31

31 Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord: What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.

Genesis 18:31 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:31

And he said, behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto
the Lord (See Gill on Genesis 18:27):

Peradventure there shall be twenty found there;
wouldest thou destroy it, such a number being in it; or, wouldest thou spare it for their sakes?

and he said, I will not destroy [it] for twenty's sake;
if there were no more in it, I would spare it for their sake.

Genesis 18:31 In-Context

29 And again he said to him: But if forty be found there, what wilt thou do? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of forty.

30 Lord, saith he, be not angry, I beseech thee, if I speak: What if thirty shall be found there? He answered: I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

31 Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord: What if twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.

32 I beseech thee, saith he, be not angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more: What if ten shall be found there? And he said: I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.

33 And the Lord departed, after he had left speaking to Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.