Genesis 18:31

And Abraham said, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord, suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “On account of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Abraham speaks to the Lord during a negotiation over Sodom’s fate, following his previous request regarding thirty people and preceding his final request for ten.

The words — The text records Abraham’s hesitant advance with הוֹאַלְתִּי (ho.'Al.ti, “I have ventured”) and אוּלַי (‘u.Lai, “perhaps” or “suppose”), framing his plea as a conditional inquiry.

The thread — This bargaining sequence continues in Genesis 18:30 and Genesis 18:32, while the pattern of persistent inquiry appears in Matthew 7:7 and Luke 11:8.

Why it lands — The passage requires a reader to examine how repeated, respectful appeals can shift circumstances, noting that God’s response hinges on the presence of the specified number rather than Abraham’s rhetorical skill.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֗אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said הִנֵּֽה־hi.neh-here!נָ֤אna'please הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ho.'Al.tiI have undertaken לְדַבֵּ֣רle./da.Berto/ speak אֶל־'el-to אֲדֹנָ֔י'a.do.Nai[the] Lord אוּלַ֛י'u.Laiperhaps יִמָּצְא֥וּןyi.ma.tze.'U/nthey will be found/ !שָׁ֖םshamthere עֶשְׂרִ֑ים'es.Rimtwenty וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙va/i.Yo.merand/ he said לֹ֣אlo'not אַשְׁחִ֔ית'ash.ChitI will destroy [it]בַּעֲב֖וּרba./'a.Vurfor/ sake of הָֽעֶשְׂרִֽים׃Ha./'es.Rimthe/ twenty

King James Version

And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake.

Cross-references

Luke 11:8 I tell you, even though he will not get up to provide for him because of his friendship, yet because of the man’s persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
Genesis 18:27 Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—
Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:11 So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:
Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 10:20 by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body,