And assuredly Our messengers came unto Ibrahim with the glad tidings. They said: peace! He said: peace! And he tarried not till he brought a calf roasted. 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 and she started laughing*, so We gave her glad tidings regarding Ishaq, and following Ishaq, regarding Yaqub.** (* She was glad that the disbelieving people of Lut would be destroyed.** The birth of these two.) 71 She said: "Alas for me! shall I bear a child, seeing I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man? That would indeed be a wonderful 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 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 for, behold, Abraham was most clement, most tender-hearted, intent upon turning to God again and again. 75 O Ibrahim! leave off this, surely the decree of your Lord has come to pass, and surely there must come to them a chastisement that cannot be averted. 76 And when Our Messengers came to Lout (Lot), he was grieved on their account and felt himself straitened for them (lest the town people should approach them to commit sodomy with them). He said: "This is a distressful day." 77 And his people came hastening to him, and before [this] they had been doing evil deeds. He said, "O my people, these are my daughters; they are purer for you. So fear Allah and do not disgrace me concerning my guests. Is there not among you a man of reason?" 78 They said: "Well dost thou know we have no need of thy daughters: indeed thou knowest quite well what we want!" 79 He said, "Would that I had the power (to overcome you) or could seek strong protection." 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 Then when Our decree came to pass, We turned the upside thereof downward, and We rained thereon stones of baked clay, piled up. 82 Marked from your Lord. And Allah 's punishment is not from the wrongdoers [very] far. 83