Genesis 18

1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.

2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground

3 and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.

4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree;

5 and I will fetch a morsel of bread and comfort ye your hearts. After that ye shall pass on, for therefor are ye come to your servant." And they said, "So do, as thou hast said."

6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, "Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth."

7 And Abraham ran unto the herd and fetched a calf, tender and good, and gave it unto a young man, and he hastened to dress it.

8 And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they ate.

9 And they said unto him, "Where is Sarah thy wife?" And he said, "Behold, in the tent."

10 And he said, "I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son." And Sarah heard it from the tent door, which was behind him.

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age, and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"

13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, `Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old?'

14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."

15 Then Sarah denied, saying, "I laughed not," for she was afraid. And He said, "Nay, but thou didst laugh."

16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

17 And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do,

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

19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD to do justice and judgment, that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him."

20 And the LORD 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 they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which has come unto Me; and if not, I will know."

22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

23 And Abraham drew near and said, "Wilt Thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24 Perhaps there be fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

25 That be far from Thee to do in this manner -- to slay the righteous with the wicked; and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from Thee! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

26 And the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes."

27 And Abraham answered and said, "Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, I, who am but dust and ashes.

28 Perhaps there shall lack five of the fifty righteous; wilt Thou destroy all the city for lack of five?" And He said, "If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it."

29 And he spoke unto Him yet again and said, "Perhaps there shall be forty found there?" And He said, "I will not do it for forty's sake."

30 And he said unto Him, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Perhaps there shall thirty be found there." And He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."

31 And he said, "Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Perhaps there shall be twenty found there." And He said, "I will not destroy it for twenty's sake."

32 And he said, "Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Perhaps ten shall be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy it for ten's sake."

33 And the LORD went His way, as soon as He had finished communing with Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.

Genesis 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

The Lord appears to Abraham. (1-8) Sarah's unbelief reproved. (9-15) God reveals to Abraham the destruction of Sodom. (16-22) Abraham's intercession for Sodom. (23-33)

Verses 1-8 Abraham was waiting to entertain any weary traveller, for inns were not to be met with as among us. While Abraham was thus sitting, he saw three men coming. These were three heavenly beings in human bodies. Some think they were all created angels; others, that one of them was the Son of God, the Angel of the covenant. Washing the feet is customary in those hot climates, where only sandals are worn. We should not be forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares, ( Hebrews 13:2 ) ; nay, the Lord of angels himself; as we always do, when for his sake we entertain the least of his brethren. Cheerful and obliging manners in showing kindness, are great ornaments to piety. Though our condescending Lord vouchsafes not personal visits to us, yet still by his Spirit he stands at the door and knocks; when we are inclined to open, he deigns to enter; and by his gracious consolations he provides a rich feast, of which we partake with him, ( Revelation 3:20 ) .

Verses 9-15 Where is Sarah thy wife? was asked. Note the answer, In the tent. Just at hand, in her proper place, occupied in her household concerns. There is nothing got by gadding. Those are most likely to receive comfort from God and his promises, who are in their proper place, and in the way of their duty, Lu. 2:8 . We are slow of heart to believe, and need line upon line to the same purport. The blessings others have from common providence, believers have from the Divine promise, which makes them very sweet, and very sure. The spiritual seed of Abraham owe their life, and joy, and hope, and all, to the promise. Sarah thinks this too good news to be true; she laughed, and therefore cannot as yet find in her heart to believe it. Sarah laughed. We might not have thought there was a difference between Sarah's laughter and Abraham's, ch. 17:17 ; but He who searches the heart, saw that the one sprung from unbelief, and the other from faith. She denied that she had laughed. One sin commonly brings in another, and it is not likely we shall strictly keep to truth, when we question the Divine truth. But whom the Lord loves he will rebuke, convict, silence, and bring to repentance, and if they sin before him.

Verses 16-22 The two who are supposed to have been created angels went toward Sodom. The one who is called Jehovah throughout the chapter, continued with Abraham, and would not hide from him the thing he intended to do. Though God long forbears with sinners, from which they fancy that the Lord does not see, and does not regard; yet when the day of his wrath comes, he will look toward them. The Lord will give Abraham an opportunity to intercede with him, and shows him the reason of his conduct. Consider, as a very bright part of Abraham's character and example, that he not only prayed with his family, but he was very careful to teach and rule them well. Those who expect family blessings must make conscience of family duty. Abraham did not fill their heads with matters of doubtful dispute; but he taught them to be serious and devout in the worship of God, and to be honest in their dealings with all men. Of how few may such a character be given in our days! How little care is taken by masters of families to ground those under them in the principles of religion! Do we watch from sabbath to sabbath whether they go forward or backward?

Verses 23-33 Here is the first solemn prayer upon record in the Bible; and it is a prayer for the sparing of Sodom. Abraham prayed earnestly that Sodom might be spared, if but a few righteous persons should be found in it. Come and learn from Abraham what compassion we should feel for sinners, and how earnestly we should pray for them. We see here that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Abraham, indeed, failed in his request for the whole place, but Lot was miraculously delivered. Be encouraged then to expect, by earnest prayer, the blessing of God upon your families, your friends, your neighbourhood. To this end you must not only pray, but you must live like Abraham. He knew the Judge of all the earth would do right. He does not plead that the wicked may be spared for their own sake, or because it would be severe to destroy them, but for the sake of the righteous who might be found among them. And righteousness only can be made a plea before God. How then did Christ make intercession for transgressors? Not by blaming the Divine law, nor by alleging aught in extenuation or excuse of human guilt; but by pleading HIS OWN obedience unto death.

Chapter Summary

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, Ge 18:1-8; 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, Ge 18:9-15; upon their departure the Lord thought fit, for reasons given, to make known to Abraham his intention to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Ge 18:16-22; when Abraham intercedes for the preservation of those cities in a most importunate and affectionate manner, Ge 18:23-33.