Genesis18

The LORD appears to Abraham in Mamre with two angels, who are received with great hospitality. They announce that Sarah, despite her old age, will bear a son, causing her to laugh in disbelief. Subsequently, the LORD reveals His intent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, prompting Abraham to intercede for the cities, progressively lowering the number of righteous individuals required to spare them.
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The LORD Visits Abraham

1
And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; ​
2
And he lift 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 favour 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 therefore 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 fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted 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 did eat.

The Promise of a Son

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 in 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 am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? ​
13
And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which 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. ​

The LORD Reveals His Judgment

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 is 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. ​

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom

23
And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? ​
24
Peradventure 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 after 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, which am but dust and ashes:
28
Peradventure 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 spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure 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: Peradventure 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: Peradventure 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: Peradventure 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 left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place. ​

Study Notes for Genesis 18

Verse 1

The appearance of the LORD (likely accompanied by two angels who later visit Sodom) is a powerful example of divine condescension, often interpreted by scholars as a pre-incarnate manifestation (Christophany).

Verse 2

The immediate recognition and deference shown by Abraham ('ran to meet them') demonstrates the importance of profound hospitality in the ancient Near East, especially toward strangers who might be divine messengers.

Verse 3

Abraham addresses one figure as 'My Lord' (Adonai), suggesting he quickly recognized the divine or quasi-divine nature of at least one visitor, despite the human appearance.

Verse 7

Abraham’s lavish preparations—a calf, fine meal, butter, and milk—went far beyond typical polite custom, reflecting his deep honor for his guests.

Verse 10

The promise is made specific and time-bound: 'according to the time of life' means approximately one year from this date. This specificity removes all ambiguity regarding the divine plan.

Verse 12

Sarah's internal laughter (Hebrew *tzachaq*) expresses natural human skepticism regarding the promise, as both she and Abraham were biologically past childbearing age.

Verse 14

This rhetorical question is the theological centerpiece of the promise narrative, asserting God’s absolute power and ability to transcend natural limitations to fulfill His covenant.

Verse 15

Sarah’s denial out of fear highlights the tension between human doubt and the immediate presence of the divine. The LORD’s response confirms His omniscience.

Verse 17

The LORD chooses to reveal His intentions to Abraham because of their covenant relationship, treating Abraham as a trusted confidant rather than just a subject.

Verse 19

God justifies the revelation by affirming Abraham’s foundational role: he is chosen not just for blessing, but also to establish a moral legacy and ensure his descendants maintain justice and righteousness.

Verse 20

The 'cry of Sodom' suggests that their sin was so profound and widespread that it demanded divine attention and necessitated a visible judgment.

Verse 21

God uses anthropomorphic language ('I will go down now, and see') to assure Abraham that the judgment will be based on verifiable facts, emphasizing divine fairness and due process.

Verse 22

This verse distinguishes between the two angels who depart for Sodom (Chapter 19) and the LORD Himself, who remains behind to speak directly with Abraham.

Verse 23

Abraham begins his bold intercession, demonstrating the privilege of prayer granted through the covenant relationship (cf. James 5:16).

Verse 25

Abraham appeals to God's immutable character, relying on the conviction that the 'Judge of all the earth' must act in perfect moral consistency and justice.

Verse 26

God’s immediate willingness to compromise the judgment for the sake of the righteous highlights the power of intercession and the value God places on even a few faithful individuals.

Verse 32

The negotiation down to ten demonstrates God's profound patience and desire for mercy, indicating that had even a minimal number of righteous people been found, the city would have been spared.

Verse 33

The dialogue ends when Abraham stops asking, not when God refuses, underscoring the completeness of the interaction granted through Abraham's persistent faith.

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