Genesis 18:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

NIV: Then Abraham approached him and said: 'Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

NASB: Abraham approached and said, 'Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

CSB: Abraham stepped forward and said, "Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

NLT: Abraham approached him and said, 'Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked?

KJV: And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

NKJV: And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

The Lord has revealed to Abraham His plans to investigate the sinfulness of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and, by implication, execute judgment upon them if they are guilty. This is entirely for man's benefit, since God already knows what is happening. Rather, by speaking of "investigation," and conversing with Abraham, God is teaching mankind by giving us a clear, unmistakable justification for what He is about to do.

Abraham certainly knew of the wickedness of these cities (Genesis 13:13; Genesis 14:22–23). Not only would they have had a reputation in the region for their behavior, but Abraham's nephew Lot and his family also live in the city, among the people. Abraham is concerned that Lot will suffer the same fate as the rest of the city if the Lord chooses to take action against them. This seems to be his motivation for asking God to spare the city.

Abraham begins to question the Lord about what will happen. Will He "sweep away the righteous with the wicked?" In other words, will God allow innocent people to be hurt in His judgment of the guilty? This is a question many still ask about the Lord. Is He just? What are the boundaries of His mercy? What will keep Him from delivering His righteous wrath on those who are guilty of grave sins? As human beings, we recoil at the idea of those we perceive as "innocent" being caught up in God's wrath against those we perceive as "guilty."

The following verses will reveal that Abraham desperately wants for the Lord to quantify His mercy with a specific number.

Genesis 18:22–33 describes Abraham's negotiation with the Lord for the city of Sodom, where his nephew Lot and his family live. Previously, God spoke from a poetic human perspective, saying that He would judge Sodom and Gomorrah if their sins were as awful as they seemed. Here, Abraham recoils at the idea that the Lord would annihilate righteous people along with the wicked, beginning a sort of negotiation with God. Of course, God does not need to negotiate with man, and already knows how depraved Sodom is. This conversation with Abraham has nothing to do with changing God's mind; it has everything to do with proving, beyond all doubt, that God's actions here are just. God says He will spare Sodom for the sake of just ten righteous people; later passages show the city fails that test.

Abraham hurries to offer respect and hospitality to three men who appear near his tent. Over the course of the chapter, the men reveal themselves to be the Lord and two angels in human form. As He had told Abraham in the previous chapter, the Lord now reveals to Sarah that she will have a son within the year. Later, the Lord poetically says He will investigate the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, where Abraham's nephew Lot lives. Abraham asks, and the Lord agrees, not to destroy Sodom if God finds 10 righteous people there.

God appeared to Abraham in the previous chapter revealing, in part, that Sarah would bear Abraham a son within a year's time. Now the Lord appears again, this time in human form and accompanied by two disguised angels. He reveals to Sarah the same promise. She laughs, and the Lord insists that even her age isn't too hard for Him to overcome. Next the Lord reveals to Abraham that He will investigate the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham receives the Lord's promise not to destroy Sodom (where Abraham's nephew lives) if He finds 10 righteous people in the city. Unfortunately, the city is beyond saving, and the next chapter details its utter destruction.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.