After the visitors finished eating; they got up and went towards Sodom (v. 16). Abraham accompanied them. Verse 17, “And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;” – means, ‘I will not hide’. This is a common mode of speech in Scripture – a question asked when an affirmative is designed.
God restates that Abraham shall become a great/mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him; in a rhetorical way. Then in the affirmative, God said He knows Abraham and that he will command his children/household/descendants to keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment…THAT the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him (vs. 18-19). Again, this is the condition of the covenant – THEY must keep God’s ways (character, laws) in doing so the Lord will bring upon Abraham the promises.
Sodom and Gomorrah
The Lord states that Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin is ‘very grievous’. He will investigate whether they are guilty of what has been reported (cry). The other two men (angels) leave and travel to Sodom where they are identified as angels in Chapter 19:1, 15. Abraham stayed with the Lord. (vs. 20-22).
Abraham dialogues with the Lord, asking would He destroy the righteous with the wicked…if there were 50 righteous? Then Abraham affirms that He would not slay the righteous with the wicked…asking a question in the affirmative: “Shall not the Judge of the earth do right?” This dialogue continues for 45…40…30…20…and finally for 10 righteous. Abraham boldly comes to the Lord, and has an intercessory conversation for the righteous. After this conversation, the Lord went his way (vs. 23-33).