A Prayer of Intercession Inspired by Genesis 18:23-32
"And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. 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 forty’s sake. And he said unto him, Oh 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 upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for 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 ten’s sake." - Genesis 18:23-32
O Lord God Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, the One who knows every heart and sees all deeds, I come before Thee in humble reverence and supplication. As I reflect upon the profound dialogue of Abraham with Thee, recorded in Genesis 18:23-32, I am reminded of the depth of merciful inquiry and intercession that speaks to the righteousness of Thy judgment and the boundless compassion of Thy grace.
In the sacred passage, Thy faithful servant Abraham approached with boldness and trepidation, asking, "Wilt Thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" His earnestness in petition reminds me of the weighty responsibility we bear as stewards of Thy creation, and the call to intercede for those around us. Lord, grant me the courage to step into the gap for those who may be lost, those who dwell in darkness, and those who have turned away from Thy light.
As Abraham pleaded, saying, "Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt Thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?" I too ask for mercy on behalf of the many who may be righteous in this world, who uphold Thy truth, who strive to live justly in a time of confusion and strife. O Merciful Father, hear my prayer! May Thy eyes discern the righteousness that still exists among the nations.
When Abraham, in his humility, continued to plead, reducing the number until he reached ten, let it remind us of how few it may take for Thy mercy to shine down upon a sinful community. "And He said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake." Strengthen my heart to believe in that mercy. Though the world may seem flooded with chaos and sin, I trust in Thy ability to redeem even the smallest remnant. Lay upon my heart the names of those in my community who need Thy grace, that I might pray fervently and without ceasing for their salvation.
O God, I recognize that while Abraham questioned, he did so from a place of profound faith and relationship with Thee. Help me to cultivate this relationship, that I might approach Thee with confidence, knowing Thy heart is one of love and justice. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Indeed, Thou art the embodiment of justice, and I rest assured that Thy decisions are unfailingly true and just. Yet, I come before Thee, speaking on behalf of my brothers and sisters, with the hope that Thy mercy will prevail amidst judgment.
In a world where wickedness can cause despair, ignite my spirit with the light of hope. Instead of turning away in frustration at the actions of the ungodly, may I rise up as an intercessor—knowing that in intercession, I partner with Thee to bring about change. Teach me, Lord, the art of prayerful boldness so that I may seek not only my own needs but carry the burdens of others unto Thee.
Let this prayer be a reminder that Thou art intimately involved with the affairs of mankind. Remind me to remain vigilant and not grow weary in well-doing. May my hands be lifted in prayer for those who remain oblivious to Thy grace and those who dare to challenge Thy sovereignty.
Thank You for taking our questions and our pleas to heart, for hearing our prayers. As we witness the world around us, grant us the resolve to never lose sight of our role in intercession, embracing the truth that our prayers can usher in a wave of Thy mercy and transformation.
In the name of Jesus, my Advocate and Redeemer, I pray. Amen.
Want to pray more deeply over Genesis 18:23-32?
Explore this scripture further with Bible Chat — an AI-powered tool for diving deeper into God's Word through conversation. Ask questions, find related verses, and enrich your faith.
Get Our Apps
Genesis 18:23-32 Artwork
Genesis 18:23-32 - "Genesis 18:23-32: Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 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, 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.” 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.” 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.” 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.” 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.”"
"Genesis 18:23-32: Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 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, 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.” 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.” 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.” 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.” 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.”" - Genesis 18:23-32
Genesis 18-32
Genesis 18-23
Genesis 23-18
Genesis 32:23 - "And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had."
Genesis 18:23 - "¶ And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?"
Genesis 32:18 - "Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us."
Genesis 23:18 - "Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city."
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."
"And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had." - Genesis 32:23
"¶ And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" - Genesis 18:23
Jeremiah 32:18
Genesis 19-32
Genesis 27:32
Genesis 24-32
Genesis 25-32
Genesis 21-32
Numbers 32:16-18
Numbers 32:16-18
Matthew 23:32 - "Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers."
"Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city." - Genesis 23:18
2 Samuel 23:32 - "Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,"
Exodus 23:32 - "Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods."
Proverbs 23:32 - "At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder."
Acts 23:32 - "On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:"
Genesis 18-18
"Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us." - Genesis 32:18
Genesis 49:32 - "The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth."
Luke 23:32 - "And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death."