Genesis 18

King James Version

Full text for Genesis Chapter 18

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;

2And 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,

3And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

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

5And 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.

6And 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.

7And 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.

8And 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.

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

10And 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.

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

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

13And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

14Is 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.

15Then 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.

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

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

19For 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.

20And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

21I 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.

22And 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?

24Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that [are] therein?

25That 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?

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

27And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which [am but] dust and ashes:

28Peradventure 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].

29And 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.

30And 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.

31And 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.

32And 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.

33And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

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.

Medium Summary

Genesis 18 opens with the LORD appearing to Abraham in Mamre, accompanied by two angels disguised as men. Abraham demonstrates profound hospitality, urging them to rest, wash their feet, and partake of a lavish meal he quickly prepares. During their visit, the LORD reiterates the promise that Sarah, despite her advanced age and barrenness, will conceive and bear a son within the year. Sarah, overhearing from the tent, laughs inwardly at the prospect, prompting the LORD to question her disbelief and affirm His power. After this, the LORD reveals His intention to investigate and potentially destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah due to their grave wickedness. Abraham then boldly intercedes for Sodom, engaging in a remarkable dialogue with the LORD, pleading for the cities to be spared if a diminishing number of righteous inhabitants could be found, from fifty down to ten. The LORD agrees to spare the city for the sake of even ten righteous, before departing from Abraham.

Long Summary

In Genesis chapter 18, the LORD manifests Himself to Abraham in the plains of Mamre, accompanied by two angels who appear as men. Abraham, sitting at his tent door, immediately recognizes their importance and rushes to offer them generous hospitality, bowing himself to the ground. He insists they rest under a tree, wash their feet, and partake of a meal, quickly instructing Sarah to prepare fine cakes and having a young man dress a tender calf, which he serves with butter and milk. While they eat, one of the visitors, identified as the LORD, inquires about Sarah and then declares that he will return "according to the time of life," and Sarah, despite her advanced age and cessation of menstruation, will have a son. Sarah, overhearing this from the tent, laughs to herself, questioning how she could have pleasure and bear a child in her old age. The LORD directly confronts Abraham about Sarah's laughter, asking, "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?" and reiterating the promise. Sarah, out of fear, denies laughing, but the LORD confirms her disbelief. Following this, the men rise to depart towards Sodom, and the LORD deliberates whether to conceal His plans from Abraham, considering Abraham's future as a great nation and his role in teaching his household righteousness. The LORD then declares that the "cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great" and their "sin is very grievous," indicating His intent to go down and investigate their wickedness. Abraham remains before the LORD as the other two men proceed towards Sodom. Abraham then boldly approaches the LORD, interceding for Sodom, questioning if the righteous would be destroyed with the wicked and appealing to the "Judge of all the earth" to "do right." He begins by asking if the city would be spared for fifty righteous, and the LORD agrees. Abraham then progressively lowers the number, from fifty to forty-five, then to forty, thirty, twenty, and finally to ten, with the LORD agreeing to spare the city for each successive number. After this profound dialogue, the LORD departs, and Abraham returns to his dwelling place.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Appearance and HospitalityThe LORD, accompanied by two angels, appears to Abraham, who demonstrates exemplary hospitality by providing rest, water, and a lavish meal. This highlights Abraham's reverence and generosity towards his divine visitors.
  • The Promise of IsaacThe LORD reiterates the promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah, specifying that Sarah will conceive within the year despite her advanced age. This reaffirms God's covenant faithfulness and power to fulfill His word.
  • Sarah's Disbelief and God's OmnipotenceSarah's laughter at the prospect of bearing a child in old age reveals her human doubt, which the LORD confronts by asking, "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?" This emphasizes God's limitless power over natural limitations.
  • Divine Judgment and InvestigationThe LORD reveals His intention to investigate the grievous sin of Sodom and Gomorrah before executing judgment. This illustrates God's justice and His thoroughness in addressing wickedness.
  • Abraham's IntercessionAbraham boldly intercedes for Sodom, appealing to God's righteousness and mercy by progressively lowering the number of righteous people for whom the city would be spared. This demonstrates Abraham's compassionate character and his unique relationship with God.
  • Justice and MercyThe dialogue between Abraham and the LORD regarding Sodom showcases the tension between divine justice against sin and divine mercy towards the righteous. The LORD's willingness to spare the city for even ten righteous highlights His desire for justice tempered with mercy.