[23] And Abraham drew near,
and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? [24]
Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy
and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? [25]
That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with
the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far
from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? [26] And
the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then
I will spare all the place for their sakes.
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.
[27] And Abraham answered and
said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am
but dust and ashes: [28] Peradventure there shall lack five of the
fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he
said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. [29]
And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be
forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord,
who am but dust and ashes - He speaks as one amazed at his own boldness,
and the liberty God graciously allowed him, considering God's greatness,
he is the Lord; and his own meanness, but dust and ashes. Whenever we draw
near to God, it becomes us reverently to acknowledge the vast distance
that there is between us and Him. He is the Lord of glory, we are worms
of the earth.
[30] And he said unto him, Oh
let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty
be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
[31] 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. [32] And he said, Oh let
not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure
ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's
sake.
Oh let not the Lord be angry - The importunity which
believers use in their addresses to God is such, that if they were dealing
with a man like themselves, they could not but fear that he would be angry
with them. But he with whom we have to do is God and not man, and he is
pleased when he is wrestled with. But why then did Abraham leave off asking
when he had prevailed so far as to get the place spared if there were but
ten righteous in it? Either,
-
Because he owned that it deserved to perish if there were
not so many: as the dresser of the vineyard, who consented that the barren
tree should be cut down if one year's trial more did not make it fruitful,
13:9. Or,
-
Because God restrained his spirit from asking any farther.
When God hath determined the ruin of a place, he forbids it to be prayed
for, Jeremiah 7:16.
[33] And the LORD went his way,
as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto
his place.
Abraham returned into his place - To wait what the event
would be; and it proved that his prayer was heard, and yet Sodom not spared,
because there were not ten righteous in it.
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