AND, INDEED, there came unto Abraham Our [heavenly] messengers, bearing a glad tiding. They bade him peace; [and] he answered, "[And upon you be] peace!" - and made haste to place before them a roasted calf. 69 But when he saw that they made no move to eat, he found this strange and became afraid of them. They said, "Do not be afraid, for we have been sent to the people of Lot." 70 And his wife was standing (by), so she laughed, then We gave her the good news of Ishaq and after Ishaq of (a son's son) Yaqoub. 71 Said she: "Oh, woe is me! Shall I bear a child, now that I am an old woman and this husband of mine is an old man? Verily, that would be a strange thing indeed!" 72 They said, "Are you amazed at the decree of Allah? May the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, people of the house. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and Honorable." 73 And when the fear had left Abraham, and the glad tiding had been conveyed to him, he began to plead with Us for Lot's people: 74 Abraham was certainly a forbearing, compassionate, and tender-hearted person. 75 'O Abraham, turn away from this; thy Lord's command has surely come, and there is coming upon them a chastisement not to be turned back.' 76 AND WHEN Our messengers came unto Lot, he was sorely grieved on their account, seeing that it was beyond his power to shield them; and he exclaimed: "This is a woeful day!" 77 And his people came running towards him; and they were in the habit of committing evil deeds; he said, “O my people! These women of the tribe are my daughters* – they are purer for you – therefore fear Allah and do not disgrace me in the midst of my guests; is there not even a single righteous man among you?” (* The wives of those people.) 78 They answered: "Thou hast always known that we have no use whatever for thy daughters; and verily, well dost thou know what we want!" 79 He said: 'Would that I had the strength to set you straight, or could seek refuge in some powerful support.' 80 They said, 'Lot, we are messengers of thy Lord. They shall not reach thee; so set forth, thou with thy family, in a watch of the night, and let not any one of you turn round, excepting thy wife; surely she shall be smitten by that which smites them. Their promised time is the morning; is the morning not nigh?' 81 So when Our command came, We made the highest part [of the city] its lowest and rained upon them stones of layered hard clay, [which were] 82 Marked from your Lord. And Allah 's punishment is not from the wrongdoers [very] far. 83