Genesis 18
Big idea: Two scenes, one question each. In the first, three visitors arrive at the tent in the heat of the day and Abraham runs — for water, for bread, for a calf — and hospitality turns out to be the setting for a promise with a date on it. Sarah, listening at the tent door, laughs to herself, and is asked the question the chapter turns on: is anything too hard for Yahweh? In the second scene, God deliberately declines to hide from Abraham what he is about to do to Sodom, and Abraham stands before him and negotiates — fifty, forty-five, forty, thirty, twenty, ten — pressing not for mercy on the wicked but on the principle that the Judge of all the earth must do right. God agrees every time.
Chapter 18 ends with Abraham's bargain at ten righteous, and God going his way toward Sodom. Chapter 19 is the answer to whether ten were there — told from inside the city, at Lot's door.
18:1–8 — Three men at the tent door
Yahweh appears to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre in the heat of the day. Seeing three men standing near, the ninety-nine-year-old runs to meet them, bows, and begs them to stay — then understates the meal ("a piece of bread") while hurrying Sarah to bake three measures of fine meal and running to the herd for a tender calf. He serves them himself and stands by under the tree while they eat.
1 Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth, 3 and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant. 4 Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5 I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.” 6 Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.” 7 Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it. 8 He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
18:9–15 — Is anything too hard for Yahweh?
The visitors ask where Sarah is, then announce that at this time next year she will have a son. Sarah, listening at the tent door behind him, laughs within herself at the idea of pleasure at her age. Yahweh asks Abraham why she laughed, and puts the chapter's question: is anything too hard for Yahweh? Sarah, afraid, denies it — and is told plainly, no, but you did laugh.
9 They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, in the tent.” 10 He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. 12 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” 13 Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.” 15 Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
18:16–21 — Shall I hide from Abraham?
The men look toward Sodom, and Abraham walks with them. Yahweh deliberates aloud: shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, since he will become a great nation and all nations will be blessed in him, and since I have chosen him to command his children to keep the way of Yahweh by doing righteousness and justice? Then he states the case: the outcry against Sodom is great, and he will go down and see.
16 The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way. 17 Yahweh said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do, 18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him? 19 For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.” 20 Yahweh said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, 21 I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”
18:22–33 — Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?
The men go on toward Sodom, but Abraham stands before Yahweh and comes near. His argument is not for mercy but for justice: will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Far be it from you — will not the Judge of all the earth do right? He bargains from fifty down to ten, apologising as he goes, and God concedes every step. Then Yahweh goes his way, and Abraham returns home.
22 The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh. 23 Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked? 24 What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?” 26 Yahweh said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27 Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes. 28 What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29 He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.” 30 He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31 He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.” 32 He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.” 33 Yahweh went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).