Chaf Lamed Hay –Genesis 18:21, This has been translated Destruction or Altogether or completed or . . . . I think you get the idea about the word in general.
The issue is in specific. This verse in question with the leading verse 20, reads as:
[20 And the LORD said: ‘Verily, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and, verily, their sin is exceeding grievous. 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto Me; and if not, I will know.’] JPS 1917, reads the same in 1999 version.
Some translation like the Art Scroll -Stone Edition Tanach, adds the words “then Destruction” following the “come unto Me;”.
O.k. big deal, some people think there should be “Destruction” in this verse. Why does it matter?
That is the real question, “Why does it matter?”. I tell you that for the majority of people in the world it does not matter at all. It does matter to me and apparently it matters to some translators. I can not speak for them, only for me and maybe you will find some value in this also.
This maybe the reason it matters: Abraham beginnings to negotiate with G-D for the lives of the cities. If G-D did not declare destruction, then there is no reason for Abraham to negotiate and all of the teaches regarding this good and bad of Abraham’s negotiations are for nothing.
If G-D did not declare destruction, then negotiating would be to make G-D as other gods that other peoples worship.
If G-D did not declare destruction, Abraham failed another test of his trust in G-D.
If G-D did not declare destruction, HE already knew that Abraham was going to negotiate and uses this to teach Abraham and US about the G-D of Abraham, G-D of Isaac, G-D of Jacob(a.k.a.Israel)
and about our misunderstandings of those things we have been taught, which we did not question to understand for ourselves.
It has occurred to me that the Written Torah has more of importance in what is written than is generally seen in the text.(The contexts of what has happened before, is happening and happens after a particular text, along with to whom, by whom and in what reference words are said makes the total of the story.) As I believe that the Written Torah a.k.a.”Writings of Moses” are accomplished by Moses, but commanded by G-D and are HIS manual regarding what HE wants us to know and perform in our lives.
G-D did not tell Abraham that HE would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, which creates several problems.
Abraham starts negotiations with G-D over the destruction of those cities on the plains. Is it because Abraham does not know that G-D is not fickle, as are the other deities which are worshiped in the areas around Abraham’s existence? Leave out the fantasy stories that Abram’s father was a idol maker, or other such tales, let us stick to the Written Torah(written is not moveable in content although understanding can be difficult) for our source.
Abraham is the first to declare destruction with the question “23 And Abraham drew near, and said: ‘Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?”
While Abraham negotiates G-D agrees not to destroy for what ever number Abraham is down to in the negotiation. But there is no place where G-D changed HIS mind, or puts forth what HE wants to do, all of the negotiation is by Abraham.
I will stop here to explain that many use this story to show how righteous Abraham was in negotiating with G-D, however I declare that G-D knew what was in the cities already and how many will be destroyed and why. So why go through all of this story at all? Because there is much here for US to learn. What I have learned here:
1)Abram/Abraham only fully passed the tests twice. First when he left his fathers house when G-D told him to, and without negotiations or argument. The second time is when G-D told Abraham to present Isaac, his beloved son as a sacrifice to G-D, again there was no argument or negotiation, he just did what G-D asked of him. Because of this trust in G-D, all of the people of the earth will bless themselves by Abraham’s name, as G-D has declared to be the case.
2)Abraham may have stated the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, similar to Moses and the event with Korah, Numbers 16:28..30. Moses declares a sign before the Children of Israel, which G-D has not told him in the text, where upon as soon as the words are out of his mouth, it is accomplished.
3)Even the declaring of an outcome will have consequences in our world.
The G-D of Abraham, G-D of Isaac, G-D of Jacob, the G-D Most High knows what we think, say and need. Our G-D listens to those who seek HIM and strive to be righteous, so before you turn loose of a statement out of your mouth, make sure that it is Righteous before G-D. It is better to say nothing, than to produce an evil upon your soul or upon the soul of another. May the G-D of our Fathers protect our thoughts, words and deeds that nothing unrighteous be done by my actions, so that I will bring only righteousness in to this world.
Posted by Yaakov –James Jeffries