Genesis Chapter 18

From The Open Bible Project

18:1 Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.

18:2 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,

• (a) That is, three angels in the shape of men.

18:3 and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don't go away from your servant.

• (b) Speaking to the one who appeared to be most majestic, for he thought they were men.

18:4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

• (c) For men used to go bare footed in those parts because of the heat.

18:5 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."

• (d) As sent by God that I should do my duty to you.

18:6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, "Quickly make ready three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes."

18:7 Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.

18:8 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.

• (e) For as God gave them bodies for a time, so he gave them the abilities of them, to walk, to eat and drink, and such like.

18:9 They asked him, "Where is Sarah, your wife?" He said, "See, in the tent."

18:10 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.

• (f) That is, about this time when she shall be alive, or when the child shall come into this life.

18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. It had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

18:12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"

• (g) For she believed the order of nature, rather than believing the promise of God.

18:13 Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?'

18:14 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."

18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, "I didn't laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."

18:16 The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.

18:17 Yahweh said, "Will I hide from Abraham what I do,

• (h) Jehovah the Hebrew word we call Lord, shows that this angel was Christ: for this word is only applied to God.

18:18 seeing that Abraham has surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?

18:19 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."

• (i) He shows that fathers ought both to know God's judgments, and to declare them to their children.

18:20 Yahweh said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,

18:21 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."

• (k) God speaks after the fashion of men: that is, I will enter into judgment with good advise.
• (l) For our sins cry for vengeance, though no one accuses us.

18:22 The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh.

18:23 Abraham drew near, and said, "Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?

18:24 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?

18:25 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?"

18:26 Yahweh said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake."

• (m) God declares that his judgments were done with great mercy, even though all were so corrupt that not only fifty but ten righteous men could not be found there, and also that the wicked are spared for the sake of the righteous.

18:27 Abraham answered, "See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.

• (n) By this we learn, that the nearer we approach to God, the more our miserable estate appears, and the more we are humbled.

18:28 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."

18:29 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."

18:30 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."

18:31 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."

18:32 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."

• (o) If God did not refuse the prayer for the wicked Sodomites, even to the sixth request, how much more will he grant the prayers of the godly for the afflicted Church?

18:33 Yahweh went his way, as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.