Genesis 18:5

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.

And I will fetch {H3947} a morsel {H6595} of bread {H3899}, and comfort ye {H5582} your hearts {H3820}; after that {H310} ye shall pass on {H5674}: for therefore are ye come {H5674} to {H5921} your servant {H5650}. And they said {H1696}, So do {H6213}, as thou hast said {H559}.

and I will bring a piece of bread. Now that you have come to your servant, refresh yourselves before going on.""Very well," they replied, "do what you have said."

And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servantโ€™s way. After that, you may continue on your way.โ€ โ€œYes,โ€ they replied, โ€œyou may do as you have said.โ€

and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and strengthen ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on: forasmuch as ye are come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

Commentary

Genesis 18:5 presents Abraham's immediate and humble offer of hospitality to three mysterious visitors who appear near his tent in the heat of the day. This verse encapsulates the essence of ancient Near Eastern hospitality, which was a sacred duty and a mark of honor.

Context

This verse is part of a pivotal narrative in the life of Abraham. Just after the Lord renewed His covenant with Abraham concerning his descendants and the land, three men appear. Unbeknownst to Abraham initially, one of these visitors is the Lord Himself, accompanied by two angels. Abraham, recognizing their need for rest and refreshment, rushes to greet them. His offer of "a morsel of bread" is a polite understatement, as the subsequent verses reveal he prepares a lavish meal, demonstrating extraordinary generosity and respect for his guests.

In the ancient world, offering hospitality to travelers was not merely an act of kindness but a vital social and religious obligation. Roads were dangerous, and inns were rare, making the provision of food, water, and shelter by local inhabitants crucial for survival. Abraham's swift and abundant response highlights his deep-seated righteousness and devotion, a characteristic often praised in the patriarchs.

Key Themes

  • Profound Hospitality: Abraham's immediate and generous offer, despite the visitors being strangers, exemplifies a core biblical value. His willingness to go above and beyond for his guests sets a powerful example of eagerly showing hospitality, a theme echoed throughout Scripture.
  • Humility and Service: Abraham refers to himself as "your servant," indicating his readiness to serve and his deference to his guests, even before fully knowing their identity. This humble posture is key to his character.
  • Divine Encounter: While Abraham might have initially seen them as ordinary travelers, his open heart and generous spirit positioned him to receive a profound divine revelation regarding Sarah's future child. The visitors' acceptance ("So do, as thou hast said") paves the way for this significant interaction.
  • Blessing Through Obedience and Service: Abraham's act of hospitality directly precedes the reaffirmation of God's promise concerning Isaac, demonstrating how service and obedience can open doors to divine blessings and insights.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "a morsel of bread" in Hebrew is ืคืช ืœื—ื (pat lechem), literally "a piece of bread." While seemingly humble, it was a customary and polite way to offer initial refreshment, even when a larger meal was intended or subsequently prepared. The phrase "comfort ye your hearts" translates the Hebrew ืกืขื“ื• ืœื‘ื‘ื›ื (sa'adu levavchem), which means "to sustain" or "to refresh your inner being," indicating the restorative power of food and rest after a journey.

Related Scriptures

  • The full account of Abraham's generous preparations can be found in Genesis 18:6-8.
  • This encounter highlights the importance of hospitality, a theme also discussed in Hebrews 13:2, which speaks of entertaining angels unawares.
  • Abraham's character as one who walks with God is foundational, established earlier in his call in Genesis 12:1-3.

Practical Application

Genesis 18:5 serves as a timeless reminder of the value of hospitality and the blessings that can flow from an open heart and a spirit of service. It encourages believers to be attentive to the needs of others, whether strangers or friends, and to be ready to offer comfort and provision. Sometimes, the seemingly ordinary act of kindness can lead to extraordinary divine encounters or opportunities to be a vessel for God's purposes. It challenges us to consider how we might "comfort hearts" in our own spheres of influence today.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Judges 13:15

    ยถ And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.

  • Judges 19:5

    And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and afterward go your way.

  • Genesis 19:8

    Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as [is] good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

  • Judges 6:18

    Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set [it] before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.

  • Psalms 104:15

    And wine [that] maketh glad the heart of man, [and] oil to make [his] face to shine, and bread [which] strengtheneth man's heart.

  • Genesis 33:10

    And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.

  • Isaiah 3:1

    ยถ For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water,
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