Genesis 18:28

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

'Suppose the fifty righteous people lack five. Will You destroy the entire city for lack of five?' He replied, 'If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

א֠וּלַי יַחְסְר֞וּן חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים הַצַּדִּיקִם֙ חֲמִשָּׁ֔ה הֲתַשְׁחִ֥ית בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה אֶת־כָּל־הָעִ֑יר וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א אַשְׁחִ֔ית אִם־אֶמְצָ֣א שָׁ֔ם אַרְבָּעִ֖ים וַחֲמִשָּֽׁה׃

Transliteration

Perhaps yaḥsərûn fifty the-ṣaddîqim five hăṯašḥîṯ with-the-five ʾeṯ-all-the-ʿîr and-wayyōʾmer not ʾašḥîṯ if-ʾemṣāʾ there forty and-five.

Grammar Details

• *yaḥsərûn*: qal imperfect, 3rd masculine plural with paragogic nun - would lack
• *ṣaddîqim*: adjective, masculine plural - righteous ones
• *hăṯašḥîṯ*: hiphil imperfect, 2nd masculine singular with interrogative prefix - will you destroy
• *ʿîr*: noun, feminine singular - city
• *wayyōʾmer*: qal waw-consecutive imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - said
• *ʾašḥîṯ*: hiphil imperfect, 1st person singular - I will destroy
• *ʾemṣāʾ*: qal imperfect, 1st person singular - I find

Word Meanings

• *yaḥsərûn*: would lack/be missing/be short
• *hăṯašḥîṯ*: will you destroy/ruin/corrupt

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  Suppose there should lack five of the fifty righteous; will you destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  peradventure there shall lack{H2637} five{H2568} of the fifty{H2572} righteous:{H6662} wilt thou destroy{H7843} all the city{H5892} for lack of five?{H2568} And he said,{H559} I will not destroy{H7843} it, if I find{H4672} there forty{H705} and five.{H2568}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Peradventure there shall lack{H2637}{(H8799)} five{H2568} of the fifty{H2572} righteous{H6662}: wilt thou destroy{H7843}{(H8686)} all the city{H5892} for lack of five{H2568}? And he said{H559}{(H8799)}, If I find{H4672}{(H8799)} there forty{H705} and five{H2568}, I will not destroy{H7843}{(H8686)} it.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  What though there lacke.v. of.l. rightwes wylt thou destroy all the cyte for lacke of.v? And he sayde: Yf I fynde there.xl. and.v. I will not destroy them.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Peraduenture there maye be fyue lesse then fiftie righteous therin: Wilt thou then destroye the whole cite because of those fyue? He sayde: yf I fynde fyue and fourtie therin, I will not destroye them?

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  If there shall lacke fiue of fiftie righteous, wilt thou destroy all the citie for fiue? And he saide, If I finde there fiue and fourtie, I will not destroy it.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  If there shall lacke fiue of fiftie ryghteous, wylt thou destroy all the citie for lacke of fiue? And he saide: If I fynde there fourtie and fiue I wyl not destroy them.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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].

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?" He said, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  peradventure there are lacking five of the fifty righteous -- dost Thou destroy for five the whole of the city?' and He saith, `I destroy `it' not, if I find there forty and five.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  If by chance there are five less than fifty upright men, will you give up all the town to destruction because of these five? And he said, I will not give it to destruction if there are forty-five.

• World English Bible (2000)

  What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?" He said, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy the whole city because five are lacking?” He replied,“I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

Referenced Verses

• Gen 18:26 : 26 The LORD replied, 'If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the entire place for their sake.'
• Gen 18:29 : 29 Once again Abraham spoke to Him, 'What if forty are found there?' He answered, 'For the sake of forty, I will not do it.'
• Num 14:17-19 : 17 Now may the Lord's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 'The LORD is slow to anger, abundant in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and rebellion; yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers' iniquity upon the children to the third and fourth generation.' 19 Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven them from Egypt until now.
• 1 Kgs 20:32-33 : 32 So they put sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads, went to the king of Israel, and said, "Your servant Ben-Hadad says: 'Please let me live.'" The king answered, "Is he still alive? He is my brother." 33 The men interpreted this as a good sign and quickly seized on it, saying, 'Yes, Ben-Hadad is your brother!' The king said, 'Go and bring him.' So Ben-Hadad came out to him, and Ahab had him brought into his chariot.
• Job 23:3-4 : 3 If only I knew where to find him, so that I might come to his dwelling. 4 I would lay my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.