Genesis 18:25 kjv

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?

Genesis 18:25 nkjv

Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

Genesis 18:25 niv

Far be it from you to do such a thing?to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

Genesis 18:25 esv

Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?"

Genesis 18:25 nlt

Surely you wouldn't do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn't do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?"

Genesis 18 verses

Genesis 18 25 Meaning

Genesis 18:25 presents Abraham's impassioned plea to the Lord during his intercession for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. It encapsulates Abraham's deep theological understanding and firm belief in God's perfect justice. He emphatically asserts that it would be entirely contradictory to God's character to indiscriminately destroy the righteous alongside the wicked, as if there were no distinction between them. The rhetorical question, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" serves as Abraham's conclusive argument, affirming God's inherent nature as the supreme and righteous arbiter who always acts with moral rectitude and distinguishes between the innocent and the guilty.

Genesis 18 25 Context

Genesis 18:25 occurs during a pivotal divine encounter with Abraham. Earlier in chapter 18, the Lord, accompanied by two angels, appears to Abraham and Sarah to reaffirm the promise of a son, Isaac. After this, the Lord confides in Abraham His intention to investigate and judge the severe sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, stating that the outcry against them is great (Gen 18:20-21).

Abraham's bold intercession, spanning from verse 23 to 32, immediately follows this divine disclosure. Recognizing the severity of the impending judgment, and perhaps knowing that his nephew Lot and his family resided there, Abraham approaches the Lord with an unprecedented plea. He challenges the notion of an indiscriminate judgment, appealing directly to God's righteous character. His negotiation, starting from the premise of 50 righteous people and progressively lowering the number down to 10, highlights his faith in God's willingness to spare for the sake of the few righteous.

Historically and culturally, this passage stands in stark contrast to the often capricious and arbitrary nature of pagan deities worshipped in the ancient Near East. Those gods could act purely out of self-interest or whim, punishing indiscriminately. Here, the God of Abraham is revealed as absolutely just, operating according to an unwavering moral standard, deeply concerned with discerning between the righteous and the wicked. This context elevates Yahweh as the unique and supreme moral authority over all the earth.

Genesis 18 25 Word analysis

• "Far be it from You" (Hebrew: חלילה לך - ḥālîlâ lek̠ā): This is an extremely strong expression of moral repulsion or abhorrence, signifying an emphatic "May it never happen to You!" or "It is a desecration to You!" It's not a suggestion that God might act unjustly, but an appeal that God could not possibly act contrary to His own just character. It demonstrates Abraham's intimate knowledge and trust in God's nature.

• "to do such a thing": Refers to the unthinkable act of destroying the righteous indiscriminately alongside the wicked, an action utterly inconsistent with God's nature.

• "to slay the righteous with the wicked" (Hebrew: להספת צדיק עם רשע - laḥăṣôṯ tsadîq ʻim rāšāʻ): This phrase highlights the central moral dilemma for Abraham. The Hebrew terms tsadîq (righteous) denote moral uprightness and adherence to God's ways, while rāšāʿ (wicked) refers to those who are guilty, lawless, and evil. Abraham insists that God's justice necessitates a distinction between these two categories.

• "so that the righteous and the wicked would be alike" (Hebrew: והיה צדיק כרשע - wehāyâ tsaddîq kerašāʿ): This clause articulates the outcome Abraham finds reprehensible. It signifies that such an action would nullify the distinction between good and evil, righteous and wicked, making God's moral governance meaningless. It underscores the profound theological implications if divine justice were to cease discriminating.

• "Far be it from You!": The repetition of this strong phrase (first at the beginning, then mid-sentence) emphasizes Abraham's shock and firm conviction, driving home his argument. It is a powerful exclamation mark on his plea.

• "Shall not the Judge of all the earth" (Hebrew: הלא שׁפט כל־הארץ - hălōʾ šōp̱ēṭ kol-hāʾāreṣ): This is a rhetorical question, anticipating an emphatic affirmative answer. It’s Abraham's most potent argument.

  • "Judge" (shophet): Not merely one who presides in court, but one who governs, rules, maintains justice, vindicates, and delivers. This term emphasizes God's sovereign authority and His commitment to establishing moral order globally.
  • "of all the earth": This underscores God's universal sovereignty and jurisdiction. His justice is not limited to Abraham's clan or a specific people group, but extends to all humanity. This also counters localized, limited pagan deities.

• "do what is just?" (Hebrew: יעשׂה משׁפט - yaʻaśeh mišpāṭ): Mišpāṭ refers to judgment, justice, fairness, and legal right. It signifies action taken according to a standard of righteousness. Abraham is affirming that God's very being ensures that He must act justly. This phrase grounds God's character as fundamentally righteous in all His actions concerning creation and humanity.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Far be it from You... Far be it from You!": The repetition acts as a literary device (epanaphora) that highlights the profound abhorrence and unthinkability of the proposed action in Abraham’s mind, demonstrating his absolute certainty in God's moral character.
  • "to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked would be alike": This segment outlines the specific unacceptable action and its horrifying consequence from Abraham's perspective. It emphasizes that a truly just judge differentiates; not to do so would undermine moral order.
  • "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?": This climatic rhetorical question functions as a foundational theological assertion. It appeals directly to God's supreme title and role as the universal arbiter of justice. It solidifies the divine imperative that God's actions must align with justice because of who He is.

Genesis 18 25 Bonus section

• Abraham's prayer here serves as a powerful model of intercessory prayer: It is audacious, persistent, and, most importantly, anchored in a deep knowledge and confidence in God's attributes, rather than in one's own deservingness.
• The scene highlights God's accessibility and willingness to engage in dialogue with His chosen ones, demonstrating a relational depth far beyond any pagan deity.
• This verse underpins the biblical concept of accountability and consequences, where one's actions, whether righteous or wicked, matter deeply to God and incur specific, fitting responses from Him.
• It implicitly lays the groundwork for the future Law (Torah) given at Sinai, which detailed a just system for a righteous people, predicated on God's own character of justice.
• The principle expressed here finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Christ, where God's justice (requiring payment for sin) and His mercy (providing salvation through a righteous substitute) meet, ensuring that God is "just and the justifier" (Rom 3:26).

Genesis 18 25 Commentary

Genesis 18:25 is a monumental declaration about the character of God, spoken through the courageous intercession of Abraham. It is not a challenge to God's authority, but rather a profound appeal to His self-revealed nature as the perfectly righteous and just Judge of the entire earth. Abraham dares to argue not on the basis of human merit, but on the unassailable truth of God's integrity and consistency. This verse solidifies the principle that God's judgments are always discerning and never arbitrary. He differentiates between the righteous and the wicked, ensuring that justice is meted out appropriately. This theological anchor underscores that chaos does not reign in God's dealings with humanity; rather, a profound and ordered righteousness governs all His actions, from individual judgment to global interventions. It establishes a fundamental truth that reverberates throughout all Scripture: God is immutable in His justice, separating good from evil, and this distinction is pivotal to understanding His divine plan for humanity and for the ages.