American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Genesis 18
1
And the LORD appeared to him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 14:13
Genesis 48:3
Acts 7:2
Genesis 17:22
2 Chronicles 1:7
References Lord
Genesis 13:18
Genesis 26:2
2
And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, see, 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,
Reference
3
And said, My 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, and rest yourselves under the tree:
Reference
5
And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort you your hearts; after that you shall pass on: for therefore are you come to your servant. And they said, So do, as you have said.
Reference
6
And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes on the hearth.
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 13:33
7
And Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it to a young man; and he hurried 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.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 19:3
10
And he said, I will certainly return to you according to the time of life; and, see, Sarah your wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
Reference
11
Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Reference
References Abraham
Genesis 17:17
12
Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Reference
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 any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 1:37
Matthew 19:26
Mark 10:27
Ephesians 3:20
Job 42:2
Philippians 4:13
Romans 4:21
References Lord
Jeremiah 32:27
Jeremiah 32:17
Numbers 11:23
15
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, No; but you did laugh.
Reference
16
And the men rose up from there, 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;
Reference
References Abraham
James 2:23
2 Chronicles 20:7
References Lord
Psalm 25:14
Amos 3:7
John 15:15
Genesis 19:24
2 Kings 4:27
18
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Reference
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 on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.
Reference
Judgment
Ephesians 6:4
Parallel theme
2 Timothy 3:15
Proverbs 22:6
1 Timothy 3:12
Deuteronomy 32:46
Job 1:5
References Lord
1 Chronicles 28:9
Joshua 24:15
Psalm 11:4
Righteousness
Psalm 34:15
20
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
Reference
21
I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come to me; and if not, I will know.
Reference
22
And the men turned their faces from there, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 19:1
Acts 7:55
Psalm 106:23
Ezekiel 22:30
Jeremiah 18:20
1 Timothy 2:1
References Lord
Jeremiah 15:1
23
And Abraham drew near, and said, Will you also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Reference
Evil
2 Samuel 24:17
Hebrews 10:22
Parallel theme
Numbers 16:22
Psalm 73:28
Jeremiah 30:21
Righteousness
Genesis 20:4
Job 34:17
Genesis 18:25
Job 8:3
24
Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: will you also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
Reference
25
That be far from you 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 you: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Reference
Evil
Job 8:20
Judgment
Psalm 94:2
2 Corinthians 5:10
Righteousness
Job 8:3
Psalm 58:11
Deuteronomy 32:4
Psalm 98:9
Malachi 3:18
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.
Reference
27
And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken on me to speak to the LORD, which am but dust and ashes:
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 3:19
Job 4:19
Job 30:19
Ecclesiastes 12:7
Luke 18:1
References Lord
Isaiah 6:5
Isaiah 64:8
Genesis 2:7
Luke 5:8
28
Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: will you 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 spoke to 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 to 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 on me to speak to 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.
Reference
33
And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned to his place.
Reference
References Lord
Genesis 18:22
Summary of Genesis 18
Genesis chapter eighteen is one of those chapters in which God seems to appear as an ordinary guest at Abraham's house, and then becomes more substantial by the end.
Genesis 18:1-5 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre, standing at the entrance to his tent. He looked up and saw three men standing there, and ran to meet them. He bowed down to them, and told them to come under the shade of the trees. He brought them some water to wash their feet, and offered them some food to eat, but they said they were hungry. So Abraham ran and told Sarah to make some bread, and then ran to get a tender calf for the servant to prepare. He brought them curds and milk, and they ate together.
While they were eating, the men asked Abraham where his wife was, and he told them she was in the tent. One of the men said, I will surely return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son. Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent behind Abraham, and she laughed to herself, saying, After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure? Now that I am old, my lord is grown very old. But the Lord said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh and say, After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure? Is anything too hard for the Lord? Sarah was afraid, and said she had not laughed, but the Lord told her she had. And the men rose up and went toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to see them off.
The Lord said to himself, Shall I hide from Abraham what I purpose to do? For I know that Abraham shall become a great nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. Therefore, I will show him what I purpose to do concerning Sodom and Gomorrah, for the outcry against them is great before me. Their sin is exceedingly grievous, and I will go down to see if what they have done is as bad as they say.
The men went towards Sodom, but Abraham stood before the Lord. And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I purpose to do? The men said, Yes. And Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of fifty righteous people?
The Lord said, If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the whole city for their sake. But Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are forty-five righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of forty-five righteous people?
The Lord said, For the sake of forty-five righteous people I will not destroy the city. But Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are forty righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of forty righteous people?
The Lord said, For the sake of forty righteous people I will not destroy the city. But Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are thirty righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of thirty righteous people?
The Lord said, For the sake of thirty righteous people I will not destroy the city. But Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are twenty righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of twenty righteous people?
The Lord said, For the sake of twenty righteous people I will not destroy the city. But Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are ten righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of ten righteous people?
And the Lord said, For the sake of ten righteous people I will not destroy the city. When Abraham finished speaking, the Lord departed, and Abraham returned home.
What a chapter! This chapter has it all; from the hospitality of Abraham and the shade of the trees to Sarah's laugh of disbelief, and Abraham's bold bargaining with God. Abraham is not portrayed in this chapter as someone who blindly accepts anything God says, but rather as someone who is willing to negotiate and question God's decrees. He appeals to God's mercy, and asks if God will do right by people, even if they are wicked. God does not rebuke Abraham for asking these questions, but rather meets him in a spirit of openness and allows him to negotiate. The chapter leaves us hanging, as it is still not clear whether there are ten righteous people in Sodom, and we must wait until the next chapter to find out if Abraham's nephew Lot will be one of them.
Genesis 18:1-5 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre, standing at the entrance to his tent. He looked up and saw three men standing there, and ran to meet them. He bowed down to them, and told them to come under the shade of the trees. He brought them some water to wash their feet, and offered them some food to eat, but they said they were hungry. So Abraham ran and told Sarah to make some bread, and then ran to get a tender calf for the servant to prepare. He brought them curds and milk, and they ate together.
While they were eating, the men asked Abraham where his wife was, and he told them she was in the tent. One of the men said, I will surely return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son. Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent behind Abraham, and she laughed to herself, saying, After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure? Now that I am old, my lord is grown very old. But the Lord said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh and say, After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure? Is anything too hard for the Lord? Sarah was afraid, and said she had not laughed, but the Lord told her she had. And the men rose up and went toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to see them off.
The Lord said to himself, Shall I hide from Abraham what I purpose to do? For I know that Abraham shall become a great nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. Therefore, I will show him what I purpose to do concerning Sodom and Gomorrah, for the outcry against them is great before me. Their sin is exceedingly grievous, and I will go down to see if what they have done is as bad as they say.
The men went towards Sodom, but Abraham stood before the Lord. And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I purpose to do? The men said, Yes. And Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of fifty righteous people?
The Lord said, If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the whole city for their sake. But Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are forty-five righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of forty-five righteous people?
The Lord said, For the sake of forty-five righteous people I will not destroy the city. But Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are forty righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of forty righteous people?
The Lord said, For the sake of forty righteous people I will not destroy the city. But Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are thirty righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of thirty righteous people?
The Lord said, For the sake of thirty righteous people I will not destroy the city. But Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are twenty righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of twenty righteous people?
The Lord said, For the sake of twenty righteous people I will not destroy the city. But Abraham said, Oh that the Lord would show mercy to Sodom and Gomorrah, for they are my countrymen! Will you destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are ten righteous people in the city, will you destroy it and not spare it for the sake of ten righteous people?
And the Lord said, For the sake of ten righteous people I will not destroy the city. When Abraham finished speaking, the Lord departed, and Abraham returned home.
What a chapter! This chapter has it all; from the hospitality of Abraham and the shade of the trees to Sarah's laugh of disbelief, and Abraham's bold bargaining with God. Abraham is not portrayed in this chapter as someone who blindly accepts anything God says, but rather as someone who is willing to negotiate and question God's decrees. He appeals to God's mercy, and asks if God will do right by people, even if they are wicked. God does not rebuke Abraham for asking these questions, but rather meets him in a spirit of openness and allows him to negotiate. The chapter leaves us hanging, as it is still not clear whether there are ten righteous people in Sodom, and we must wait until the next chapter to find out if Abraham's nephew Lot will be one of them.