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 And when he beheld that their hands reached it not he misliked them, and ccnceived a fear of them. They said fear not verily we are sent unto the people of Lut. 70 And his wife was standing. She laughed. Then We gave her the glad tidings of Is'haq, and after Is'haq, Ya'qub. 71 She said, 'Woe is me! Shall I bear, being an old woman, and this my husband is an old man? This assuredly is a strange thing.' 72 They said: Do you wonder at Allah's bidding? The mercy of Allah and His blessings are on you, O people of the house, surely He is Praised, Glorious. 73 Then when the alarm had departed from Ibrahim and the glad tidings had come home unto him, he took to disputing with us for the people of Lut 74 Abraham was clement, compassionate, penitent. 75 Thereupon (Our angels) said to him: 'O Abraham! Desist from this, for indeed your Lord's command has come; and a chastisement which cannot be averted is about to befall them.' words literally suggest; the purpose is merely to express a sense of wonder. 76 And when Our apostles came to Lut, he was grieved for them, and he lacked strength to protect them, and said: This is a hard day. 77 His people, who were used to committing foul deeds, came running to him. He said, "My people, here are my daughters. They are purer for you, [if you marry] so have some fear of God and do not disgrace me before my guests. Is there not a single right-minded man among you?" 78 They said, "You certainly know that we have no right to your daughters and you 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: O Lut! we are the apostles of your Lord; they shall by no means reach you; so remove your followers in a part of the night-- and let none of you turn back-- except your wife, for surely whatsoever befalls them shall befall her; surely their appointed time is the morning; is not the morning nigh? 81 And so, when Our judgment came to pass, We turned those [sinful towns] upside down, and rained down upon them stone-hard blows of chastisement pre-ordained, one upon another, 82 Marked (for punishment) with your Lord and it is not far off from the unjust. 83