Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking?: Abraham now ventures to lower the number by five. Suppose can also be rendered “Perhaps.” A literal translation may give the impression that the five exist but they have disappeared somewhere. Bible en français courant says “Instead of fifty righteous, there may be only forty-five.” Good News Translation also provides a good translation model.

Wilt thou destroy the whole city for lack of five?: Hebrew does not repeat the word translated lack, but it is supplied by Revised Standard Version. It may be preferable to use the number forty-five in both sentences; however, in some languages, focusing on the small number by which the total falls short adds emphasis to Abraham’s plea. Good News Translation says “five too few.” Other translations have something like “… because the number of good people doesn’t reach the mark, but is five short” or “You can’t wipe out the town because there are five people short of the number, can you?”

The LORD’s reply is similar to his first response in verse 26: I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there. It, which is not in Hebrew, is required with destroy in English and refers to the city of Sodom. We may also say “I will not destroy Sodom if I find forty-five innocent people there.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .