Genesis 18:21
New International Version
that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

New Living Translation
I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”

English Standard Version
I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

Berean Standard Bible
I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find out.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

New American Standard Bible
I will go down now and see whether they have done entirely as the outcry, which has come to Me indicates; and if not, I will know.”

NASB 1995
“I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

NASB 1977
“I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

Legacy Standard Bible
I will go down now and see whether they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

Amplified Bible
I will go down now, and see whether they have acted [as vilely and wickedly] as the outcry which has come to Me [indicates]; and if not, I will know.”

Christian Standard Bible
I will go down to see if what they have done justifies the cry that has come up to me. If not, I will find out.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will go down to see if what they have done justifies the cry that has come up to Me. If not, I will find out.”

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
Now I am going down to see for myself if those people really are that bad. If they aren't, I would like to know."

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I must go down and see whether these complaints are true. If not, I will know it."

Good News Translation
I must go down to find out whether or not the accusations which I have heard are true."

International Standard Version
I'm going down to see whether they've acted according to the protests that have reached me. If not, I wish to know."

Majority Standard Bible
I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find out.”

NET Bible
that I must go down and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. If not, I want to know."

New Heart English Bible
I will go down now, and see whether they have done entirely according to the outcry which has come to me. And if not, I will know."

Webster's Bible Translation
I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come to me; and if not, I will know.

World English Bible
I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
I go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming to Me they have done completely—and if not—I know”;

Young's Literal Translation
I go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming unto Me they have done completely -- and if not -- I know;'

Smith's Literal Translation
I will go now and see whether they did wholly according to its cry coming to me; and if not, I shall know.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry that is come to me: or whether it be not so, that I may know.

Catholic Public Domain Version
I will descend and see whether they have fulfilled the work of the outcry that has reached me, or whether it is not so, in order that I may know.”

New American Bible
that I must go down to see whether or not their actions are as bad as the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out.

New Revised Standard Version
I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to their cry which has come before me; and if not, I will know.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
I shall descend; I shall see if they have done and they have fulfilled according to the bellowing that has come to me, otherwise I shall know.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
I will therefore go down and see, if they completely correspond with the cry which comes to me, and if not, that I may know.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Abraham Begs for Sodom
20Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous, 21I will go down to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will find out.” 22And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.…

Cross References
Genesis 11:5
Then the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of men were building.

Genesis 19:13
because we are about to destroy this place. For the outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that He has sent us to destroy it.”

Exodus 3:7-8
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings. / I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

Exodus 2:23-25
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. / So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. / God saw the Israelites and took notice.

Deuteronomy 8:2
Remember that these forty years the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments.

Psalm 14:2
The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.

Psalm 53:2
God looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God.

Isaiah 5:7
For the vineyard of the LORD of Hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the plant of His delight. He looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard a cry of distress.

Isaiah 10:1-3
Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, / to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder. / What will you do on the day of reckoning when devastation comes from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth?

Jeremiah 6:6-7
For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Cut down the trees and raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem. This city must be punished; there is nothing but oppression in her midst. / As a well gushes its water, so she pours out her evil. Violence and destruction resound in her; sickness and wounds are ever before Me.

Jeremiah 11:20
O LORD of Hosts, who judges righteously, who examines the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause.

Jeremiah 18:11
Now therefore, tell the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I am planning a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways, and correct your ways and deeds.’

Ezekiel 9:9
He replied, “The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of bloodshed, and the city is full of perversity. For they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.’

Amos 3:7
Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.

Jonah 1:2
“Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before Me.”


Treasury of Scripture

I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come to me; and if not, I will know.

I will go down.

Genesis 11:5,7
And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded…

Exodus 3:8
And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Exodus 33:5
For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

see.

Job 34:22
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

Psalm 90:8
Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

Jeremiah 17:1,10
The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; …

I will know.

Exodus 33:5
For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

Deuteronomy 8:2
And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

Deuteronomy 13:3
Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

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Acts Altogether Bad Completely Cry Deeds Entirely Outcry Reached Reports Seem Whether
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Acts Altogether Bad Completely Cry Deeds Entirely Outcry Reached Reports Seem Whether
Genesis 18
1. The Lord appears to Abraham, who entertains angels.
9. Sarah is reproved for laughing at the promise of a son.
16. The destruction of Sodom is revealed to Abraham.
23. Abraham makes intercession for its inhabitants.














I will go down
This phrase indicates a divine action where God expresses His intention to investigate the situation personally. The Hebrew root for "go down" is "יָרַד" (yarad), which often signifies a movement from a higher place to a lower one. In the context of Genesis, it reflects God's willingness to engage directly with human affairs, emphasizing His justice and personal involvement. This anthropomorphic expression reassures believers of God's intimate concern for righteousness and justice on earth.

to see
The Hebrew word "רָאָה" (ra'ah) means "to see" or "to perceive." This suggests not just a physical observation but a deeper understanding and discernment. In the biblical context, God's "seeing" is comprehensive, encompassing all aspects of human behavior and motives. It reassures believers that God is not distant or unaware but is actively observing and understanding the moral state of humanity.

if their actions fully justify
The phrase "fully justify" is derived from the Hebrew "כָּלָה" (kalah), meaning "to complete" or "to finish." This implies a thorough examination of the actions of Sodom and Gomorrah to determine if they are as grievous as reported. It highlights God's fairness and His commitment to justice, ensuring that any judgment is based on complete and accurate information.

the outcry
The term "outcry" comes from the Hebrew "זְעָקָה" (ze'aqah), which refers to a cry for help or a call for justice. This word is often associated with the suffering of the oppressed and the demand for divine intervention. It underscores the biblical theme that God is attentive to the cries of those who suffer injustice and is moved to act on their behalf.

that has reached Me
This phrase indicates that the outcry has come to God's attention, suggesting a divine awareness of human suffering and sin. The Hebrew concept here is one of communication reaching the divine ear, emphasizing God's responsiveness to human conditions. It reassures believers that no injustice goes unnoticed by God.

If not, I will find out
The concluding phrase underscores God's commitment to truth and justice. The Hebrew "יָדַע" (yada) means "to know," indicating a process of acquiring knowledge. This reflects God's thorough and fair approach to judgment, ensuring that any action taken is based on complete understanding. It serves as a reminder of God's omniscience and His just nature, providing comfort to believers that God's judgments are always righteous and well-founded.

(21) I will go down.--God examines before He punishes (see Note on Genesis 11:5) with the same care and personal inspection as the most conscientious earthly judge.

Altogether.--Some take this word, not as an adverb, but as a noun (comp. Isaiah 10:23), and translate "I will see whether they have done according to the cry of it: (in which case there shall be for them) utter destruction." But the ellipse is harsh; and inquiry, the knowing and not the punishing, is the prominent thought in the words of Jehovah. Hence too the last clause, "I will know." The two angels go to Sodom to give the people a final trial. If they meet with upright treatment, then God will know that there are limits to the wickedness of its inhabitants, and it will be spared.

Verse 21. - I will go down now (cf. Genesis 11:5), and see (judicial investigation ever precedes judicial infliction at the Divine tribunal) whether they have done altogether - literally, whether they have made cow, piousness, i.e. carried their iniquity to perfection, to the highest pitch of wickedness (Calvin, Delitzsch, Keil); or consummated their wickedness, by carrying it to that pitch of fullness which works death (Ainsworth, Kalisch, Rosenmüller). The received rendering, which regards כלה as an adverb, has the authority of Luther and Gesenius - according to the cry of it, which has come unto me; and if not, I will know. The LXX. render ἵνα γνῶ, meaning, "should it not be so, I will still go down, that I may ascertain the exact truth;" the Chaldee paraphrases, "and if they repent, I will not exact punishment." The entire verse is anthropomorphic, and designed to express the Divine solicitude that the strictest justice should characterize all his dealings both with men and nations.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I will go down
אֵֽרֲדָה־ (’ê·ră·ḏāh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

to see
וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה (wə·’er·’eh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

if their actions
עָשׂ֣וּ ׀ (‘ā·śū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

fully
כָּלָ֑ה (kā·lāh)
Adverb
Strong's 3617: Completion, complete destruction, consumption, annihilation

justify the outcry
הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ (hak·kə·ṣa·‘ă·qā·ṯāh)
Article, Preposition-k | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6818: A cry, outcry

that has reached
הַבָּ֥אָה (hab·bā·’āh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

Me.
אֵלַ֖י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

If
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

not,
לֹ֖א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

I will find out.”
אֵדָֽעָה׃ (’ê·ḏā·‘āh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 3045: To know


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OT Law: Genesis 18:21 I will go down now and see (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 18:20
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