Genesis 18:23
Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Abraham doesn't just ask a general question about justice; he uses the word "also" ("Wilt thou also destroy...") implying that God's destruction of Sodom would be an additional act of judgment beyond the wicked, touching the innocent. This reveals his profound belief that God's justice operates with distinction, not indiscriminate sweeping away.
God has revealed to Abraham His intention to judge and destroy Sodom and Gomorrah due to their grievous sin. As the divine messengers turn to head towards those cities, Abraham, deeply concerned and acting as an intercessor, steps forward to question God's justice in potentially destroying the innocent along with the guilty. This marks the beginning of Abraham's heartfelt plea to spare the cities if even a small number of righteous people can be found within them.
Why would God reveal His destructive plans to Abraham, only to have Abraham question them? This isn't a divine debate, but a profound interaction.
Divine Revelation, Human Response
God, in His sovereign wisdom, chose to reveal His impending judgment on Sodom to Abraham. This wasn't because God was unsure or needed Abraham's advice. Instead, it served multiple purposes:
Abraham’s response, drawing near to question, wasn't an act of defiance. It was born from a deep concern for justice and a relationship where he felt free to inquire, even about God’s seemingly severe actions. It highlights that God’s plans, while sovereign, are often revealed to those He walks with, inviting them into a deeper understanding.
Abraham didn't just ask 'if' God would destroy the righteous; he challenged the very notion. What drives this audacious question?
The Moral Core of Faith
Abraham's question, 'Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?' strikes at the heart of divine justice. This wasn't a minor detail; it was the foundational principle Abraham appealed to.
Understand the original words
nagash · Hebrew Verb
To come into the presence of God; in a religious context, it signifies the privilege of the believer to approach God in prayer, often implying intimacy, reverence, and boldness rooted in relationship.
tsaddiq · Hebrew Adjective
Refers to those who are morally upright, blameless, and compliant with God’s standard of holiness. In a biblical context, it describes a person whose life aligns with the will of God through faith and obedience.
rasha' · Hebrew Adjective
Those who depart from the divine standard of morality, showing hostility toward God and His ways. It describes people who live in defiance of God’s law and oppress others.
c. 2100 BC
Abraham settles in Canaan
Abraham and his extended family establish themselves in the land of Canaan, living a nomadic lifestyle among the established city-states.
c. 2090 BC
Lot settles near Sodom
Abraham's nephew, Lot, chooses to settle near the densely populated and prosperous city of Sodom, known for its wickedness.
c. 2080 BC
Abimelech's encounter with Abraham
Abraham, fearing for his life, twice claims his wife Sarah is his sister while in the region of the Philistines, leading to divine intervention and the king's rebuke.
c. 2080 BC
The birth of Ishmael
Abraham's son Ishmael is born to Hagar, Sarah's servant, a significant event that nonetheless falls outside God's covenant promise of a son through Sarah.
c. 2070 BC
God reaffirms covenant with Abraham
God appears to Abraham, re-establishes His covenant, and promises him a son through Sarah, renaming Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah.
This passage directly echoes Abraham's question, asking if God delights in the death of the wicked, emphasizing God's desire for repentance rather than destruction.
Jeremiah 5:1Similar to Abraham's plea, the prophet Jeremiah is sent to search Jerusalem for even one righteous person, highlighting the rarity of righteousness in corrupt cities and the principle of God's judgment.
Romans 3:5-6This passage reflects Abraham's reasoning that God's justice would not allow the innocent to perish with the guilty, affirming that God's judgment is always righteous.
Matthew 11:23-24Jesus references the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a stark example of judgment, but also implicitly contrasts it with the greater judgment that would fall on unbelieving Jewish cities, showing the severe consequences of rejecting God's people and message.
2 Peter 2:7-8This passage explicitly mentions Lot as a righteous man rescued from Sodom, underscoring the theme of divine intervention to save the godly even amidst widespread wickedness.
calvinGenesis 18:1-33: "And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;"
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Et negavit Sarah, dicendo, Non risi: quia timuit. Et dixit, Nequaquam, quia risisti.
And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
Et surrexerunt inde viri, et respexerunt contra faciem S…
wesleyGenesis 18:23: "And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?"
18:23 Abraham drew near - This expression intimates, A holy concern. A holy confidence; he drew near with an assurance of faith, drew near as a prince, Job 31:37.
Abraham doesn't just ask a general question about justice; he uses the word "also" ("Wilt thou also destroy...") implying that God's destruction of Sodom would be an additional act of judgment beyond the wicked, touching the innocent. This reveals his profound belief that God's justice operates with distinction, not indiscriminate sweeping away.
God has revealed to Abraham His intention to judge and destroy Sodom and Gomorrah due to their grievous sin. As the divine messengers turn to head towards those cities, Abraham, deeply concerned and acting as an intercessor, steps forward to question God's justice in potentially destroying the innocent along with the guilty. This marks the beginning of Abraham's heartfelt plea to spare the cities if even a small number of righteous people can be found within them.
God has revealed to Abraham His intention to judge and destroy Sodom and Gomorrah due to their grievous sin. As the divine messengers turn to head towards those cities, Abraham, deeply concerned and acting as an intercessor, steps forward to question God's justice in potentially destroying the innocent along with the guilty. This marks the beginning of Abraham's heartfelt plea to spare the cities if even a small number of righteous people can be found within them.
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c. 2070 BC— this verse
The LORD visits Abraham
Three visitors, one of whom is the LORD Himself, appear to Abraham near Mamre. They confirm the promise of a son and reveal God's intention to judge Sodom and Gomorrah.
"Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?" — Abraham doesn't just ask a general question about justice; he uses the word "also" ("Wilt thou also destroy...") implying that God's destruction of Sodom would be an additional act of judgment be…
