e² m 1,2. Appearance of Yahaveh. (Three men.)
n 3-8. Their reception by Abraham.
n 9-15. Their conference with Abraham.
m 16-. Departure of Yahaveh. (Three men.)
1897 B.C.Genesis 18)
1 And the Lord appeared to him among the oaks of Mamre (= strength, fatness): and he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked (see 13:14), and, lo, three men stood by him (Elohim and two angels called men here, but in 19:1,15 are called "angels". #3= the number of Divine perfection. When two departed, Elohim [the Divine presence] remained): and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
3 And said, "Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, pass not away, I pray You from Your servant:
4 Let a little water, I pray You, be fetched, and wash Your feet (a common practice to this day; needed from the use of sandals and bare feet; cp. 24:32; 43:24) and rest yourselves under the tree: (note "the tree", not "a tree")
5 And I will fetch a morsel of food, and comfort you all your hearts; after that you shall pass on: for therefore are you all come to your servant." And they said, "So do, as you have said."
6 And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said "Make ready quickly three (note the #3, and see v. 2) measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth." (evidently unleavened)
7 And Abraham ran (such speedy hospitality common in the East), to the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it to 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 oak, and they did eat. (We do not totally understand this mystery, but the spiritual body does have substance. We read of "angel's food"; and that Christ ate after His Resurrection.)
9 And they said to him, "And as to Sarah your wife...and he interrupting said, Lo! she is in the tent".
10 And He said, "I will certainly return to you according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah your wife shall have a son." And Sarah was listening in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age (This explains how Rebekah, a grand-daughter of Abraham's brother should be old enough to marry Isaac, Abraham's son); and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. (i.e. menopause)
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself (see 17:21), saying, "After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"
13 And the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh saying, 'Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am
old?'
14 Is anything to hard for the Lord? At the time appointed (see 17:21) I will return to you, according to the time of life (=280 days, gestation period), and Sarah shall have a son."
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, "I didn't laugh"; for she was afraid. And He said, "No; but you did laugh."
16 And the men rose up from there, and looked down on Sodom:
F o 18:-6-33. Abraham and Yahaveh. p 19:1-26. Lot and the Angels. o 19:27-29. Abraham and Yahaveh. p 19:30-38. Lot and his daughters.
o q¹ -16. Abraham before Yahaveh. r 17-21. Announcement of Sodom's destruction. q² 22. Yehovah before Abraham (see note). r 23-32. Intercession for Sodom's preservation. q³ 33. Yehovah's departure. Abraham's return.
and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17 And the Lord said, "Shall I hide from Abraham the 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? (Another proof that the mystery [Eph. 3] means more than Gentile blessing)
19 For I know him, how that he will command his children (cp. 22:18) 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 has spoken of him."
20 And the Lord said, "Because of the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah (things represented by people) is great, an because their sin is very grievous;
21 Let us now go down (always down in judgment), and see whether they have done altogether according to their outcry of it, which is come to Me; and if not, I will know." (Fig. ascribing to God that which is human)
22 And the two men turned their faces from there, and went toward Sodom: but the Lord stood yet before Abraham.
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, "Will You really destroy the righteous with the wicked? (note the 6 petitions in Abraham's prayer. #6 = the human number)
24 Perhaps there be 50 righteous within the city: will you also destroy and not spare the place for 50 righteous that are therein?
25 That be far from You to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked (in the sense of restless activity of the impious and ungodly, or robbers): and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from You: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (put for it's inhabitants)
26 And the Lord said, "If I find in Sodom 50 righteous within the city, them I will spare all the place for their sakes."
27 And Abraham answered and said, "Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
28 Perhaps there shall lack 5 of the 50 righteous: will You destroy all the city for lack of 5?" And He said, "If I find there be 45, I will not destroy it."
29 And he spake to Him yet again, and said, "Perhaps there shall be 40 found there." And He said, "I will not do it for 40's sake."
30 And he said to Him, "O let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Perhaps there shall be 30 found there." And He said, "I will not do it, if I find 30 there."
31: And he said, "Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak to the Lord: Perhaps there shall be found 20 there." And He said, "I will not destroy it for 20's sake."
32 And he said, "O let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but this once: Perhaps 10 shall be found there." And He said, "I will not destroy it for 10's sake."
33 And the Lord went His way (The same as the One who came in v. 1), as soon as He had left communing with Abraham: And Abraham returned to his place.