Discovery BoxGenesis 18:27-32 
Context18:27 Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord 1 (although I am but dust and ashes), 2 18:28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy 3 the whole city because five are lacking?” 4 He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”
18:29 Abraham 5 spoke to him again, 6 “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”
18:30 Then Abraham 7 said, “May the Lord not be angry 8 so that I may speak! 9 What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
18:31 Abraham 10 said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”
18:32 Finally Abraham 11 said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”
1 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 30, 31, 32 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).
2 tn The disjunctive clause is a concessive clause here, drawing out the humility as a contrast to the
3 tn The Hebrew verb שָׁחַת (shakhat, “to destroy”) was used earlier to describe the effect of the flood.
4 tn Heb “because of five.”
5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys – the preterite (“he added”) is combined with an adverb “yet” and an infinitive “to speak.”
7 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
8 tn Heb “let it not be hot to the
9 tn After the jussive, the cohortative indicates purpose/result.
10 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
