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From: Genesis 18:20-32

Abraham Intercedes For Sodom (Continuation)

[20] Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry again Sodom and Gomorrah is
great and their sin is very grave, [21] I will go down to see whether they have
done altogether according to the outcry which has come to me; and if not, I will
know.”

[22] So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham still
stood before the Lord. [23] Then Abraham drew near and said, “Wilt thou indeed
destroy the righteous with the wicked? [24] Suppose there are fifty righteous with-
in the city; wilt thou then destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous
who are in it? [25] Far be it from thee to do such a thing, to slay the righteous
with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from thee!
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” [26] And the Lord said, “If I find at
Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” [27]
Abraham answered, “Behold, I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord, I
who am but dust and ashes. [28] Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking?
Wilt thou destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy
it if I find forty-five there.” [29] Again he spoke to him, and said, “Suppose forty
are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” [30] Then
he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found
there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” [31] He said, “Behold,
I have taken upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.”
He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” [32] Then he said,
“Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten
are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”

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Commentary:

18:16-33. When interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham argues in terms
of collective responsibility, as understood in ancient times in Israel: the entire
people shared the same fate even though not all of them sinned, for the sin some
affected all. According to that way of looking at things, if there were enough just
people in the city (Abraham did not dare go below ten) God would not have des-
troyed it. This way of thinking also shows how the salvation of many (even if they
are sinners) can come through the faithfulness of a few, thereby preparing the
way to see how the salvation of all mankind is brought about by the obedience
of one man alone, Jesus Christ.

The final outcome of this episode shows that, even though he destroys these
cities, God saves the righteous who live in them. God does not punish the just
man along with the sinner (as Abraham thought); a person is allowed to perish
or is saved depending on his personal behavior. This truth, which is found in the
Bible from the start, will be given special emphasis in the teaching of the pro-
phets, particularly Jeremiah and Ezekiel (cf. Jer 31:29-30; Ezek 18), who stress
individual and personal responsibility before God.

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.