The First Book of Moses: Genesis

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: Allioli - Arndt Bibel ⭑

- Kapitel 18 -

Then the Lord appeared to him, in the steep valley of Mamre, when he was sitting at the door of his tent, in the very heat of the day.

And when he had lifted up his eyes, there appeared to him three men, standing near him. When he had seen them, he ran to meet them from the door of his tent, and he reverenced them on the ground.(a)

And he said: “If I, O lord, have found grace in your eyes, do not pass by your servant.

But I will bring a little water, and you may wash your feet and rest under the tree.(b)

And I will set out a meal of bread, so that you may strengthen your heart; after this you will pass on. It is for this reason that you have turned aside to your servant.” And they said, “Do as you have spoken.”

Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and he said to her, “Quickly, mix together three measures of the finest wheat flour(c) and make loaves baked under the ashes.”(d)

In truth, he himself ran to the herd, and he took a calf from there, very tender and very good, and he gave it to a servant, who hurried and boiled it.

Likewise, he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had boiled, and he placed it before them. Yet truly, he himself stood near them under the tree.

Sarah Laughs at the Promise

And when they had eaten, they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He answered, “Behold, she is in the tent.”

And he said to him, “When returning, I will come to you at this time, with life as a companion, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” Hearing this, Sarah laughed behind the door of the tent.(e)

Now they were both old, and in an advanced state of life, and it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

And she laughed secretly, saying, “After I have grown old, and my lord is elderly, shall I give myself to the work of delight?”

Then the Lord said to Abraham: “Why did Sarah laugh, saying: ‘How can I, an old woman, actually give birth?’

Is anything difficult for God? According to the announcement, he will return to you at this same time, with life as a companion, and Sarah will have a son.”(f)

Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh.” For she was terribly afraid. But the Lord said, “It is not so; for you did laugh.”

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

Therefore, when the men had risen up from there, they directed their eyes against Sodom. And Abraham traveled with them, leading them.

And the Lord said: “How could I hide what I am about to do from Abraham,

since he will become a great and very robust nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?

For I know that he will instruct his sons, and his household after him, to keep to the way of the Lord, and to act with judgment and justice, so that, for the sake of Abraham, the Lord may bring about all the things that he has spoken to him.”

And so the Lord said, “The outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah has been multiplied, and their sin has become exceedingly grievous.

I will descend and see whether they have fulfilled the work of the outcry that has reached me, or whether it is not so, in order that I may know.”(g)

(h)

And they turned themselves from there, and they went toward Sodom. Yet in truth, Abraham still stood in the sight of the Lord.(i)

And as they drew near, he said: “Will you destroy the just with the impious?

If there were fifty of the just in the city, will they perish with the rest? And will you not spare that place for the sake of fifty of the just, if they were in it?

Far be it from you to do this thing, and to kill the just with the impious, and for the just to be treated like the impious. No, this is not like you. You judge all the earth; you would never make such a judgment.”

And the Lord said to him, “If I find in Sodom fifty of the just in the midst of the city, I will release the entire place because of them.”

And Abraham responded by saying: “Since now I have begun, I will speak to my Lord, though I am dust and ashes.

What if there were five less than fifty of the just? Would you, despite the forty-five, eliminate the entire city?” And he said, “I will not eliminate it, if I find forty-five there.”

And again he said to him, “But if forty were found there, what would you do?” He said, “I will not strike, for the sake of the forty.”(j)

“I ask you,” he said, “not to be angry, Lord, if I speak. What if thirty were found there?” He responded, “I will not act, if I find thirty there.”

“Since now I have begun,” he said, “I will speak to my Lord. What if twenty were found there?” He said, “I will not put to death, for the sake of the twenty.”

“I beg you,” he said, “not to be angry, Lord, if I speak yet once more. What if ten were found there?” And he said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

And the Lord departed, after he had ceased speaking to Abraham, who then returned to his place.

Fußnoten

(a)18:2 The word ‘adoravit’ in Latin does not always refer to adoration; it can also refer to treating someone with reverence or respect.(Conte)

(b)18:4 Because ‘lavate’ and ‘requiescite’ are imperative, it implies that the washing of the feet will be done by the visitors, not by Abram. Otherwise, the verb would have been indicative first person singular.(Conte)

(c)18:6 wheat flourThe word ‘sata’ refers to something that is cultivated, as opposed to grain that is wild. There is also a strong implication that it was cultivated locally, that is, by the servants of Abraham; it was not bought, but home-grown. This could be translated as ‘home-grown wheat flour,’ but it is usually translated as ‘the finest wheat flour,’ since wheat has a strong symbolic connection to the Eucharist, the finest Sacrament.(Conte)

(d)18:6 baked ... ashesThe word ‘subcinericios’ probably refers to an ancient type of heat retention cooking, where loaves were placed under the ashes of a fire to bake.(Conte)

(e)18:10 The phrase ‘vita comite’ literally means ‘with life as a companion.’ Wycliffe translates this as ‘if I live.’ But other translations see it as referring to the time of his return, the springtime. The phrase, in this context, has a dual meaning. It refers to the springtime: life springing up when he returns, as if his companion. It also refers to the life in Sarah’s womb, for this new life’s birth will coincide with his return.(Conte)

(f)18:14 The Douay-Rheims versions have ‘I shall return,’ but the text says ‘he shall return,’ using the third person singular.(Conte)

(g)18:21 Scripture is explaining God’s actions in human terms, as a figure of speech, because it is difficult to describe or even imagine the fullness of Eternity and Knowledge found in God. Scripture is not saying that God could not know without going down to investigate.(Conte)

(h)18:21 I will go down, etc:The Lord here accommodates his discourse to the way of speaking and acting amongst men; for he knows all things, and needs not to go anywhere for information. Note here, that two of the three angels went away immediately for Sodom; whilst the third, who represented the Lord, remained with Abraham.(Challoner)

(i)18:22 Abraham traveled, but he still was, in a manner of speaking always standing in front of the Lord.(Conte)

(j)18:29 Too many different words in Latin are all typically translated with the English word ‘destroy.’(Conte)

Der Sohn der Verheißung

Der Herr aber erschien ihm im Tale Mambre, während er gerade zur heißen Tageszeit an dem Eingange seines Zeltes saß.

Und als er seine Augen erhob, erschienen ihm drei Männer, nahe bei ihm stehend; und da er sie sah, lief er ihnen von dem Eingange seines Zeltes entgegen und neigte sich bis zur Erde.

Und er sprach: Herr! habe ich Gnade in deinen Augen gefunden, so gehe nicht an deinem Knechte vorüber.

Ich will ein wenig Wasser bringen, lasset eure Füße waschen und ruhet aus unter dem Baume.

Auch will ich einen Bissen Brot vorlegen, dass ihr euch stärket, darnach möget ihr weiter ziehen; denn deswegen seid ihr vom Wege zu eurem Knechte gekommen. Und sie sprachen: Tue, wie du gesagt hast.

Da eilte Abraham in das Zelt zu Sara und sprach zu ihr: Knete eilends drei Maß Weißmehl und backe Aschenkuchen!

Er selbst aber lief zu der Herde, nahm das zarteste und beste Kalb und übergab es dem Diener, welcher es eilig zubereitete.

Sodann nahm er Butter und Milch, und das Kalb, das er zubereitet hatte, und setzte es ihnen vor; er selbst aber stand bei ihnen unter dem Baume.

Nachdem sie gegessen hatten, sprachen sie zu ihm: Wo ist Sara, dein Weib? Er antwortete: Dort im Zelte ist sie.

Er sprach zu ihm: Ich werde zu dir zu dieser Zeit, wenn das Leben vorhanden, wiederkommen, und Sara, dein Weib, wird einen Sohn haben. Da Sara dies hörte, lachte sie hinter dem Eingange des Zeltes.

Beide aber waren alt und hoch betagt, und der Sara erging es nicht mehr, wie es Frauen zu geschehen pflegt.

Da lachte sie für sich und sprach: Nun, da ich alt geworden und mein Herr auch alt ist, soll ich der Lust pflegen?

Der Herr aber sprach zu Abraham: Warum lacht Sara und spricht: Sollte ich wirklich, nachdem ich alt geworden, noch gebären?

Sollte wohl Gott etwas schwer sein? Wie ich gesagt, werde ich zu eben dieser Zeit wieder zu dir kommen, wenn das Leben vorhanden, und dann wird Sara einen Sohn haben.

Da leugnete Sara und sprach: Ich habe nicht gelacht; denn sie war sehr erschrocken. Der Herr aber sprach: Nicht also ist es, sondern du hast gelacht.

Abrahams Fürsprache für Sodom

Da machten sich die Männer auf von da und wandten ihre Augen gegen Sodoma; und Abraham ging mit ihnen, sie zu geleiten.

Und der Herr sprach: Kann ich etwa Abraham verbergen, was ich tun will,

da er doch der Stammvater eines großen und sehr mächtigen Volkes werden wird, und in ihm alle Völker der Erde gesegnet werden sollen?

Denn ich weiß, dass er seinen Kindern und seinem Hause nach ihm gebieten wird, den Weg des Herrn zu halten und Recht und Gerechtigkeit zu üben, damit der Herr um Abrahams willen alles kommen lasse, was er zu ihm gesprochen hat.

Da sprach der Herr: Das Geschrei über Sodoma und Gomorrha hat sich gemehrt, und ihre Sünde ist allzuschwer geworden.

Darum will ich niedersteigen und sehen, ob sie nach dem Rufe, der zu mir gedrungen ist, getan haben, oder ob es nicht also ist, dass ich es wisse.

Und sie wandten sich von dannen und gingen nach Sodoma zu; Abraham aber stand noch vor dem Herrn.

Und er nahte sich ihm und sprach: Wirst du den Gerechten mit dem Gottlosen verderben?

Wenn fünfzig Gerechte in der Stadt sind, sollten auch sie mit umkommen? und wirst du des Ortes nicht um der fünfzig Gerechten willen schonen, die darin sind?

Fern sei es von dir, solches zu tun, den Gerechten mit den Gottlosen zu töten, und dass es dem Gerechten wie dem Gottlosen ergehe, das ist fern von dir; der du die ganze Welt richtest, nimmer wirst du ein solches Urteil vollziehen.

Der Herr sprach zu ihm: Wenn ich in Sodoma fünfzig Gerechte finde inmitten der Stadt, so werde ich um ihretwillen dem ganzen Orte vergeben.

Da begann Abraham wiederum und sprach: Weil ich einmal mich unterfangen habe, so will ich zu meinem Herrn reden, obwohl ich Staub und Asche bin.

Wie? wenn fünf Gerechte weniger denn fünfzig da sind, wirst du, weil nur fünfundvierzig da sind, die ganze Stadt vernichten? Er sprach: ich werde sie nicht vernichten, wenn ich daselbst fünfundvierzig finde.

Und wiederum sprach er zu ihm: Wenn sich aber vierzig daselbst finden, was wirst du tun? Er sprach: Ich werde um der vierzig willen nicht strafen.

Und Abraham sprach: Ach, zürne nicht, Herr, wenn ich rede. Wie? wenn sich dreißig darin finden? Er antwortete: Wenn ich dreißig darin finde, will ich es nicht tun.

Und er sprach: Weil ich einmal begonnen, will ich zu meinem Herrn reden. Wie? wenn sich zwanzig darin finden? Er sprach: Ich will sie nicht töten, um der zwanzig willen.

Da sprach er: Ich bitte, zürne nicht, mein Herr, wenn ich noch einmal rede. Wie? wenn sich zehn darin finden? Er sprach: Ich werde sie nicht vertilgen um der zehn willen.

Und der Herr ging hinweg, nachdem er das Gespräch mit Abraham geendet, dieser aber kehrte wieder zu seinem Wohnorte zurück.