Here we have a Jew haggling with God over numbers. I can just imagine Abraham returning triumphantly to his people and saying, "He wanted 50, but I got him down to 10".
26 The Lord said, If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.
27 Then Abraham spoke up again: Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?
If I find forty-five there, he said, I will not destroy it.
29 Once again he spoke to him, What if only forty are found there?
He said, For the sake of forty, I will not do it.
30 Then he said, May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?
He answered, I will not do it if I find thirty there.
31 Abraham said, Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?
He said, For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.
32 Then he said, May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?
He answered, For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.
33 When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
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"No friend ever served me, and no enemy ever wronged me, whom I have not repaid in full."
Thanks everyone, for your input. However, I am closing this thread now. Please note that we do not allow discussions about religion as, in our experience, these lead to bad feelings and ultimately personal attacks. Thanks for your understanding.