Genesis 18:28

28 What though there lacke .v. of .l. rightwes wylt thou destroy all the cyte for lacke of .v? And he sayde: Yf I fynde there .xl. and .v. I will not destroy them.

Genesis 18:28 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:28

Peradventure there should lack five of the fifty righteous,
&c.] Or there should be but forty five; for Abraham perceived, by the Lord's answer, that there were not fifty righteous persons in the place: wilt thou destroy all the city for [lack of] five?
Abraham proceeds gradually in his requests, and does not ask too much at once, lest he should not succeed: and he said, if l find there forty and five, I will not destroy [it];
that is, forty five righteous persons.

Genesis 18:28 In-Context

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

27 And Abraham answered and sayde: beholde I haue taken vppon me to speake vnto ye LORde ad yet am but dust ad asshes.

28 What though there lacke .v. of .l. rightwes wylt thou destroy all the cyte for lacke of .v? And he sayde: Yf I fynde there .xl. and .v. I will not destroy them.

29 And he spake vnto him yet agayne and sayde: what yf there be .xl. foude there: And he sayde: I wyll not do it for forties sake.

30 And he sayde: O let not my LORde be angrye that I speake. What yf there be foude .xxx. there? And he sayde: I will not do it yf I finde .xxx. there.