Abraham pleaded with God because his nephew Lot and Lot's household were in Sodom, and he asked that the righteous not perish with the wicked.
The Lord had announced that the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah was great and their sin very grievous. Abraham then asked whether the city would be spared if fifty righteous people were found, and he pressed the number down to ten. The Lord agreed to spare the city for ten's sake, but the judgment fell because not even ten righteous were found there.
Genesis 18:23-24 — Abraham's question shows he was pleading for the righteous inside Sodom.
Genesis 19:29 — This verse reveals that God remembered Abraham when He sent Lot out of the destruction.
The Bible records that, before raining judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah, the Lord told Abraham what He was about to do (Genesis 18:17). The outcry against the cities was great and their sin very grievous (Genesis 18:20). Abraham then drew near and asked, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? (Genesis 18:23). He proposed that if fifty righteous were in the city, God would spare it. As the conversation continued, Abraham pressed the number down to forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, and finally ten. The Lord's answer was consistent: He would not destroy the city for ten's sake (Genesis 18:24-32). The Scripture then shows that Abraham's concern was answered in Lot's rescue: God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow (Genesis 19:29).
The provided clips do not include Les Feldick directly commenting on Abraham's intercession in Genesis 18. They do, however, give the historical setup. Les teaches that Lot chose the well-watered Jordan Valley and pitched his tent toward Sodom (Clip 5). He explains that Lot gradually slipped until he was sitting at the city gate as one of the leaders (Clip 6). By judgment time, Les says, Sodom's whole population was wrapped up in this immoral, rotten lifestyle (Clip 7), and Lot had fallen so far that he offered his two daughters to the mob (Clip 4). Les also shows Abraham's earlier care for Lot when he raised a small army and rescued him from invaders (Clip 3). This context explains what made Abraham's plea for Sodom so personal.
Abraham's nephew Lot had set up his life in Sodom. Les notes that Lot chose the valley, pitched his tent toward Sodom, then became one of the city's leaders. The Scripture records that the Lord told Abraham the cities were about to be judged because their sin was very grievous. In this context, Abraham's plea is a personal intercession for the righteous who might be inside the city.
Les explains that Lot did not jump into Sodom immediately; he moved his tent toward the city first. Playing with sin gradually slipped until Lot was sitting at the gate as one of the city fathers. This means Abraham's plea was not just about an unknown city but about a relative whose life was deeply entangled with Sodom.
Abraham asked whether God would destroy the righteous with the wicked. He began by asking if the city would be spared for fifty righteous people. He then lowered the number to forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, and finally ten. Each time the Lord agreed to spare the city for the sake of those righteous people.
The Lord promised to spare the city if fifty righteous were found, and He repeated that promise as the number went down to ten. The outcome is seen in the next chapter: when God destroyed the cities of the plain, He remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow. Abraham's plea did not spare the city, but it did attach to the rescue of Lot.
Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord? Genesis 18 & God in Human Form
the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. Now isn't that something? All the nations of the world, Gentile as well as the Hebrew, can trace their great men back to this man, Abraham. Now from the Old Testament, of course, we know that the kings of Israel, Saul, David, Solomon, and all the kings, be they good or bad, throughout the Old Testament, were all from the loins of Abraham.
What the Bible Says About Sodom, Lot, and Judgment (Romans 1)
And he has been so much a part and parcel of Sodom that he has actually become one of the city leaders. He's sitting at the gate, which indicates his position. And then you remember the two angels who accompanied the Lord back in chapter 18, and that's what they were, although they were three men. It was the Lord and two angels.
Who is Melchizedek? Understanding the "Most High God" & His Names
Now, for those of you here in the studio, if you've got your Bible, and you're at Genesis chapter 14, beginning with verse 17—now, for just a little review, you remember the last time we were together, Abraham and Lot had separated. Lot had pitched his tent down toward Sodom, and Abraham remains up in the central part of what we now know as Israel, in the highlands.
Abraham Rescues Lot from Captivity
Les recounts that after invaders captured Lot, Abraham raised a small army from his own household and defeated them, showing Abraham's long-standing care for his nephew.
Lot Offers His Daughters
Les uses Lot's willingness to offer his two daughters to the Sodomite mob to show how far Lot had slipped morally.
Lot Pitches His Tent Toward Sodom
Les explains that Lot did not jump into Sodom; he moved his tent toward the city first, beginning his slide into its corrupt culture.
Lot Becomes a City Father
Les teaches that Lot ended up as not just a resident but one of the city leaders sitting at the gate, putting his family in the middle of the city.
The Whole City Wrapped in Immorality
Les describes the city as entirely given over to an immoral, rotten lifestyle, which confirms why judgment was imminent.
Genesis 18:17: And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
God chose to reveal His judgment plan to Abraham because of their relationship.
Genesis 18:20: And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
This is the divine indictment that prompted Abraham's intercession.
Genesis 18:23: And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Abraham's opening question gets to the heart of his plea.
Genesis 18:26: And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
The Lord's promise shows Abraham's plea was being taken seriously.
Genesis 18:32: And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
Abraham's lowest number, ten, still received the Lord's agreement.
Genesis 19:29: And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
This shows the concrete result of God's connection with Abraham during Lot's rescue.
He asked whether God would destroy the righteous with the wicked. He proposed sparing the city for fifty righteous, then lowered the number to ten.
Lot chose the well-watered Jordan Valley and pitched his tent toward Sodom. Over time he moved into the city and became one of its leaders.
Yes, the Lord said He would not destroy the city for ten's sake. The judgment came because the city did not have even ten righteous people.
Genesis 19:29 says God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow.
Watch the Teaching: Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord? Genesis 18 & God in Human Form