And Abraham came near and said, “Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?  Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep [it] away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?  Far be it from Thee to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are [treated] alike. Far be it from Thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”  So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.”  And Abraham answered and said, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am [but] dust and ashes. Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, wilt Thou destroy the whole city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy [it] if I find forty-five there” (Genesis 18:23-28).