Genesis 18:26-32

"And Jehovah said, If I in Sodom find fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes: peradventure there shall lack five for the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for the lack of five? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find there are forty and five. And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for the forty's sake. And he said, O let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak; peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there. And he said, Behold now, I have taken it upon me to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there shall be twenty there. And he said I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake. 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 the ten's sake."

One may only wonder as to why Abraham stopped there. It is possible that he thought, perhaps, that the city would be spared, based upon the assumption which he could have made that surely there are actually ten righteous people in the whole city of Sodom. Lot and members of his family might have been sufficient to make up such a total in the eyes of Abraham. In any case, we do know.

Perhaps this episode is where the expression, "Jew him down" originated, indicating the offering of less and less money on a projected purchase.

"Who am but dust and ashes ... have taken it upon me to speak unto the Lord ... Oh let not the Lord be angry ... etc." Such expressions show the fear and trepidation with which Abraham pleaded with the Lord. It is as beautiful and impressive an intercession as ever came from the heart and lips of a man.