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.
What if there are only forty-five righteous people instead of fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because five are missing? And God said, If I find forty-five righteous people there, I will not destroy it.
Abraham is boldly negotiating with God, asking if He would spare the entire city of Sodom if just forty-five righteous people could be found there instead of fifty.
📚 Historical Context
This is part of Abraham's famous bargaining session with God over the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham had started by asking if God would spare the cities for fifty righteous people, and now he's gradually reducing the number, testing God's mercy. This conversation shows the remarkable intimacy Abraham had with God, being able to appeal directly to God's justice and compassion.
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