1 Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth, 3 and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don't go away from your servant. 4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant." They said, "Very well, do as you have said." 6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly prepare three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes." 7 Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it. 8 He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate. 9 They asked him, "Where is Sarah, your wife?" He said, "See, in the tent." 10 He said, "I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?" 13 Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?' 14 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son." 15 Then Sarah denied, saying, "I didn't laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh." 16 The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way. 17 Yahweh said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I do, 18 since Abraham has surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him? 19 For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him." 20 Yahweh said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, 21 I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know." 22 The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh. 23 Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Be it far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn't the Judge of all the earth do right?" 26 Yahweh said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake." 27 Abraham answered, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes. 28 What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?" He said, "I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there." 29 He spoke to him yet again, and said, "What if there are forty found there?" He said, "I will not do it for the forty's sake." 30 He said, "Oh don't let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?" He said, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." 31 He said, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake." 32 He said, "Oh don't let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?" He said, "I will not destroy it for the ten's sake." 33 Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
The Lord appears unto Abraham in Mamre, Genesis 18:1. Three angels, in human appearance, come towards his tent, Genesis 18:2. He invites them in to wash and refresh themselves, Genesis 18:3-5; prepares a calf, bread, butter, and milk, for their entertainment; and himself serves them, Genesis 18:6-8. They promise that within a year Sarah shall have a son, Genesis 18:9, Genesis 18:10. Sarah, knowing herself and husband to be superannuated, smiles at the promise, Genesis 18:11, Genesis 18:12. One of the three, who is called the Lord or Jehovah, chides her, and asserts the sufficiency of the Divine power to accomplish the promise, Genesis 18:13, Genesis 18:14. Sarah, through fear, denies that she had laughed or showed signs of unbelief, Genesis 18:15. Abraham accompanies these Divine persons on their way to Sodom, Genesis 18:16; and that one who is called Jehovah informs him of his purpose to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, because of their great wickedness, Genesis 18:17-21. The two former proceed toward Sodom, while the latter (Jehovah) remains with Abraham, Genesis 18:22. Abraham intercedes for the inhabitants of those cities, entreating the Lord to spare them provided fifty righteous persons should be found in them, Genesis 18:23-25. The Lord grants this request, Genesis 18:26. He pleads for the same mercy should only forty-five be found there; which is also granted, Genesis 18:27, Genesis 18:28. He pleads the same for forty, which is also granted, Genesis 18:29; for thirty, with the same success, Genesis 18:30; for twenty, and receives the some gracious answer, Genesis 18:31; for ten, and the Lord assures him that should ten righteous persons be found there, he will not destroy the place, Genesis 18:32. Jehovah then departs, and Abraham returns to his tent, Genesis 18:33.
INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 18
Another appearance of God to Abraham is here recorded; three persons are seen by him in an human form, whom he kindly invites to stop with him, and generously entertains them, Genesis 18:1; they inquire concerning Sarah his wife, and one of them renews the promise of her bearing a son to him, which occasions laughter in her, for which she is reproved, Genesis 18:9; upon their departure the Lord thought fit, for reasons given, to make known to Abraham his intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Genesis 18:16; when Abraham intercedes for the preservation of those cities in a most importunate and affectionate manner, Genesis 18:23.
(Genesis 18:1-8) The Lord appears to Abraham.
(Genesis 18:9-15) Sarah's unbelief reproved.
(Genesis 18:16-22) God reveals to Abraham the destruction of Sodom.
(Genesis 18:23-33) Abraham's intercession for Sodom.
Visit of Jehovah, With Two Angels, to Abraham's Tent - Genesis 18
Having been received into the covenant with God through the rite of circumcision, Abraham was shortly afterwards honoured by being allowed to receive and entertain the Lord and two angels in his tent. This fresh manifestation of God had a double purpose, viz., to establish Sarah's faith in the promise that she should bear a son in her old age (Genesis 18:1-15), and to announce the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah (vv. 16-33).
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