TRV
Translation
King James Version
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Complete Jewish Bible
Avraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years; Sarah was past the age of childbearing.
Berean Standard Bible
And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
American Standard Version
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
World English Bible Messianic
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
Geneva Bible (1599)
(Nowe Abraham and Sarah were old and striken in age, and it ceased to be with Sarah after the maner of women)
Young's Literal Translation
And Sarah is hearkening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him;
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In the KJVVerse 436 of 31,102
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Commentary on Genesis 18 verses 9–15
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.
These heavenly guests (being sent to confirm the promise lately made to Abraham, that he should have a son by Sarah), while they are receiving Abraham's kind entertainment, they return his kindness. He receives angels, and has angels' rewards, a gracious message from heaven, Mat 10:41.
I. Care is taken that Sarah should be within hearing. She must conceive by faith, and therefore the promise must be made to her, Heb 11:11. It was the modest usage of that time that the women did not sit at meat with men, at least not with strangers, but confined themselves to their own apartments; therefore Sarah is here out of sight: but she must not be out of hearing. The angels enquire (Gen 18:9), Where is Sarah thy wife? By naming her, they gave intimation enough to Abraham that, though they seemed strangers, yet they very well knew him and his family. By enquiring after her, they showed a friendly kind concern for the family and relations of one whom they found respectful to them. It is a piece of common civility, which ought to proceed from a principle of Christian love, and then it is sanctified. And, by speaking of her (she over-hearing it), they drew her to listen to what was further to be said. Where is Sarah thy wife? say the angels. "Behold in the tent," says Abraham. "Where should she be else? There she is in her place, as she uses to be, and is now within call." Note, 1. The daughters of Sarah must learn of her to be chaste, keepers at home, Tit 2:5. There is nothing got by gadding. 2. Those are most likely to receive comfort from God and his promises that are in their place and in the way of their duty, Luk 2:8.
II. The promise is then renewed and ratified, that she should have a son (Gen 18:10): "I will certainly return unto thee, and visit thee next time with the performance, as now I do with the promise." God will return to those that bid him welcome, that entertain his visits: "I will return thy kindness, Sarah thy wife shall have a son;" it is repeated again, Gen 18:14. Thus the promises of the Messiah were often repeated in the Old Testament, for the strengthening of the faith of God's people. We are slow of heart to believe, and therefore have need of line upon line to the same purport. This is that word of promise which the apostle quotes (Rom 9:9) as that by the virtue of which Isaac was born. Note, 1. The same blessings which others have from common providence believers have from the promise, which makes them very sweet and very sure. 2. The spiritual seed of Abraham owe their life, and joy, and hope, and all, to the promise. They are born by the word of God, Pe1 1:23.
III. Sarah thinks this too good news to be true, and therefore cannot as yet find in her heart to believe it: Sarah laughed within herself, Gen 18:12. It was not a pleasing laughter of faith, like Abraham's (Gen 17:17), but it was a laughter of doubting and mistrust. Note, The same thing may be done from very different principles, of which God only, who knows the heart, can judge. The great objection which Sarah could not get over was her age: "I am waxed old, and past childbearing in the course of nature, especially having been hitherto barren, and (which magnifies the difficulty) my lord is old also." Observe here, 1. Sarah calls Abraham her lord; it was the only good word in this saying, and the Holy Ghost takes notice of it to her honour, and recommends it to the imitation of all Christian wives. Pe1 3:6, Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, in token of respect and subjection. Thus must the wife reverence her husband, Eph 5:33. And thus must we be apt to take notice of what is spoken decently and well, to the honour of those that speak it, though it may be mixed with that which is amiss, over which we should cast a mantle of love. 2. Human improbability often sets up in contradiction to the divine promise. The objections of sense are very apt to stumble and puzzle the weak faith even of true believers. It is hard to cleave to the first Cause, when second causes frown. 3. Even where there is true faith, yet there are often sore conflicts with unbelief, Sarah could say, Lord, I believe (Heb 11:11), and yet must say, Lord, help my unbelief.
IV. The angel reproves the indecent expressions of her distrust, Gen 18:13, Gen 18:14. Observe, 1. Though Sarah was now most kindly and generously entertaining these angels, yet, when she did amiss, they reproved her for it, as Christ reproved Martha in her own house, Luk 10:40, Luk 10:41. If our friends be kind to us, we must not therefore be so unkind to them as to suffer sin upon them. 2. God gave this reproof to Sarah by Abraham her husband. To him he said, Why did Sarah laugh? perhaps because he had not told her of the promise which had been given him some time before to this purport, and which, if he had communicated it to her with its ratifications, would have prevented her from being so surprised now. Or Abraham was told of it that he might tell her of it. Mutual reproof, when there is occasion for it, is one of the duties of the conjugal relation. 3. The reproof itself is plain, and backed with a good reason: Wherefore did Sarah laugh? Note, It is good to enquire into the reason of our laughter, that it may not be the laughter of the fool, Ecc 7:6. "Wherefore did I laugh?" Again, Our unbelief and distrust are a great offence to the God of heaven. He justly takes it ill to have the objections of sense set up in contradiction to his promise, as Luk 1:18. 4. Here is a question asked which is enough to answer all the cavils of flesh and blood: Is any thing too hard for the Lord? (Heb. too wonderful), that is, (1.) Is any thing so secret as to escape his cognizance? No, not Sarah's laughing, though it was only within herself. Or, (2.) Is any thing so difficult as to exceed his power? No, not the giving of a child to Sarah in her old age.
V. Sarah foolishly endeavours to conceal her fault (Gen 18:15): She denied, saying, I did not laugh, thinking nobody could contradict her: she told this lie, because she was afraid; but it was in vain to attempt concealing it from an all-seeing eye; she was told, to her shame, Thou didst laugh. Now, 1. There seems to be in Sarah a retraction of her distrust. Now she perceived, by laying circumstances together, that it was a divine promise which had been made concerning her, she renounced all doubting distrustful thoughts about it. But, 2. There was withal a sinful attempt to cover a sin with a lie. It is a shame to do amiss, but a greater shame to deny it; for thereby we add iniquity to our iniquity. Fear of a rebuke often betrays us into this snare. See Isa 57:11, Whom hast thou feared, that thou hast lied? But we deceive ourselves if we think to impose upon God; he can and will bring truth to light, to our shame. He that covers his sin cannot prosper, for the day is coming which will discover it.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 9–15. Public domain.
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Romans 9:1-18AD 56
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. [Genesis 18:10-14] And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron)
They were both old and advanced in years, and it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. To highlight the growth of heavenly power, he says that both were old, and moreover that Sarah, having been barren, was now also deprived of her menstrual blood, because of which she could no longer conceive, even if she had not been barren. Further, if a woman is of such an advanced age that the usual flow of women still occurs to her, she can conceive from a young man, but not from an old man; although the old man can still beget from a young woman, as Abraham, after Sarah's death, was able to beget from Keturah, because he found her age to be vigorous; this therefore is what the Apostle clearly commends when he says: "He believed against hope in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was said to him: Thus shall your offspring be; and not weakening in faith, he did not consider his own body already dead, being about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; in the promise of God he did not doubt" (Romans 4:18). For this reason he says that Abraham's body was already dead, because he could still beget from any woman who still had some final period of time left for bearing children at that age: we must understand the body as dead for some purposes, not for all; for if for all, then it is not the old age of the living, but the corpse of the dead.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 18:11 serves as a pivotal verse, meticulously detailing the advanced age and biological state of both Abraham and Sarah, specifically noting Sarah's cessation of menstruation. This precise contextual anchor establishes the absolute natural impossibility of conception for the elderly couple, thereby profoundly magnifying the miraculous nature of God's subsequent promise and its eventual, faithful fulfillment in the birth of Isaac.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Genesis 18:11 presents a stark statement of biological reality, meticulously setting the stage for a profound demonstration of divine power. The KJV text states, "Now Abraham and Sarah [were] old [and] well stricken in age; [and] it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women."
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Genesis 18:11 employs several powerful literary devices to underscore its theological significance. The phrase "well stricken in age" is an Idiom, a common biblical expression emphasizing extreme antiquity, which immediately communicates the physical limitations of Abraham and Sarah. Similarly, "it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women" is a delicate but clear Euphemism or Idiom for menopause, a culturally sensitive way of stating a biological reality without explicit medical terms. This verse functions as a profound act of Foreshadowing, setting the stage for the miraculous birth of Isaac by establishing the absolute natural impossibility of the event. By detailing the extreme natural limitations, the text creates a stark Contrast between human inability and divine omnipotence, intensifying the impact of the Lord's subsequent rhetorical question, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14).
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 18:11 profoundly illustrates God's omnipotence and sovereignty, demonstrating that His power is not bound by natural laws or human limitations. By explicitly stating the biological impossibility of Abraham and Sarah conceiving a child, the verse magnifies the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth, revealing God's ability to bring life from "deadness" and to fulfill His promises against all odds. This passage underscores that God's covenant faithfulness is independent of human capacity or favorable circumstances, resting solely on His divine character and power to accomplish His word. It serves as a foundational testament to the truth that with God, nothing is impossible, challenging believers to trust Him even when circumstances seem utterly hopeless or contrary to natural expectation.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 18:11 offers profound encouragement for believers today, reminding us that God is not limited by our circumstances, our perceived limitations, or by what seems naturally impossible. Just as He enabled Abraham and Sarah to conceive a child in their extreme old age, defying biological norms, He can work beyond all human limitations and perceived barriers in our lives. When faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, long-standing challenges, or situations that appear biologically, financially, or practically unfeasible, this passage encourages us to remember God's boundless ability to bring about the miraculous. It calls us to place our trust not in our own capabilities or the dictates of natural law, but in the unfailing power and faithfulness of the Almighty God, who specializes in doing the impossible and bringing life where there is "deadness."
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why is Sarah's age and physical condition so emphasized in this verse?
Answer: Sarah's advanced age and the explicit statement about her having ceased menstruation are emphasized to underscore the absolute natural impossibility of her conceiving a child. This detail is crucial because it magnifies the miraculous nature of God's intervention, demonstrating that the birth of Isaac was solely a work of divine power, not human capability or chance. It sets the stage for the theological truth that "with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). Without this emphasis, the subsequent birth would be less miraculous and the demonstration of God's power less profound.
What does 'it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women' mean?
Answer: This phrase is a delicate biblical idiom referring to menopause. It means that Sarah had passed the age of childbearing and her menstrual cycles had definitively stopped. This detail is significant because it confirms that her barrenness was not merely a lifelong condition but had become biologically irreversible, making the subsequent conception of Isaac a clear and undeniable miracle. It highlights that the life God was about to bring forth was entirely His doing, not a natural occurrence.
Does this verse imply a lack of faith from Sarah?
Answer: While Sarah's immediate reaction to the news in Genesis 18:12 is laughter, which stems from a natural human incredulity given her physical state, this verse itself primarily serves to establish the objective biological impossibility. Her laughter is a human response to an astonishing claim, highlighting the magnitude of the miracle required. The emphasis in Genesis 18:11 is less on her lack of faith and more on God's power to overcome such natural limitations, ultimately strengthening faith by showcasing His omnipotence.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The miraculous conception and birth of Isaac, against all natural odds as starkly highlighted in Genesis 18:11, serves as a profound type and shadow of the ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment. Isaac, the "child of promise," born through divine intervention from a "dead" womb and an aged body, powerfully foreshadows the even greater miracle of Christ's virgin birth, where life enters the world not by human will or natural means, but by the direct, creative power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:34-35). Furthermore, the power of God to bring life from "deadness"—Abraham's body and Sarah's womb—points directly to Christ's resurrection from the dead, conquering sin and death (Romans 6:9-11), and the spiritual new birth He offers to those who are spiritually dead in sin (Ephesians 2:1-5). Abraham's faith in the face of such impossibility, as recounted in Romans 4:19-21, becomes a model for our faith in Christ, who is able to do "exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). In Christ, God continues to bring life and hope where human limitations declare it impossible.