Chapter Eighteen
Abraham welcomes the Lord and with Him two Angels in the form of three men
Genesis 18:1. The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, The replacement here of the proper name Abraham with the personal pronoun “to him” — bears witness to the fact that this chapter stands in the very closest connection with the preceding one and constitutes as it were its continuation. But the very opening words of the chapter leave no doubt that here there is speech of a new theophany, although it occurred soon after the preceding one (Gen 18:14; see also Gen 17:21). The place of this theophany was the very oak grove of the Amorite Mamre, a friend of Abraham, in which Abraham settled after his return from Egypt (Gen 13:18) and which was located in the vicinity of Hebron. as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. The mention of the time of this theophany, namely that it took place not in sleep and not at night, but during the day and even in the middle of the day, in the opinion of exegetes, establishes its complete reality. The very details of this picture accord perfectly with the customs and manners of the ancient East, whose inhabitants loved to go out in the afternoon hours of the day’s heat under the cool shade of their tents and wait here for guests, who were in need of refreshment and rest (Gen 19:1).
Genesis 18:2. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men stood in front of him. All these verbs — “lifted up,” “looked,” “saw” — further emphasize the highest reality of this appearance. Who were the “three men” that appeared to Abraham? To this, the ancients answer differently: some of the early interpreters wished to see in them a separate indication of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity (Justin the Philosopher, Ambrose, Cyril, etc.); but the majority of others thinks more soundly that only one of these strangers was a divine Person, while the other two were Angels (Gen 19:1). In all probability, the foremost guest of Abraham was the “Angel of Jehovah,” the Logos or the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, who on this occasion deigned to take the appearance of an angel, just as subsequently He took on the nature of man. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of his tent to meet them, and bowed himself to the earth, All of this are signs of the usual, though elevated, eastern hospitality, and by no means proof that Abraham recognized in the appearance of these simple strangers special heavenly guests, as some think. Against this, Saint John Chrysostom strongly protests: “let not anyone of the listeners diminish the virtue of the righteous one by supposing that he spoke thus because he knew who the travelers were. In that case, as I have said many times, there would be nothing great about it... But that is wonderful and unusual, that he speaks such words, addressing them as ordinary men” (Homily 41). Indeed, Abraham’s invitation to visit his tent, the washing of the feet of the strangers, and the offering of them food — all this are features of cordial hospitality, calculated for ordinary people. Similar examples can be found in other places of the Bible (Gen 23:7).
Genesis 18:3. and said, “My Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant; The text of the Russian Bible apparently presupposes an address by Abraham to one of the strangers as to the Lord. Likewise, the word standing here in the Hebrew text: “Adonai” (with the vowel “kametz”) commonly constitutes an address to God, and not to an ordinary man (like our — “my lord”). To the question, why Abraham, seeing three men, addresses only one with his greeting-invitation, answers beautifully Saint John Chrysostom, saying: “Do not wonder also that the righteous one, receiving three strangers, says: “Lord,” addressing as it were one. Perhaps one of the ones who came seemed more important than the others; and so the righteous one directs his request to him. But further he addresses his words to all in general” (see verses 4–5).
Genesis 18:4. Let me bring a little water, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, Genesis 18:5. and I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves; The washing of feet in the hot and dusty Palestine, where the footwear was merely light sandals, was a matter of necessity and the first duty of hospitality (Gen 24:32). “The heart” in the Bible is regarded as the center of all vital functions, and the expression — “refresh the heart” is equivalent to our “refresh the strength” (Judg 19:5; Ps 103:15, etc.).
Genesis 18:6. And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quick, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it, and make cakes. Three measures made up one “ephah,” approximately about thirty pounds of our weight; judging from other places in the Bible, one can think that this was the customary quantity of flour used by the Hebrews for the preparation of bread (Matt 13:33). By “unleavened cakes” here, obviously, are meant those thin cakes which are even now customarily made by the Arabs in a few minutes, at the reception of honored guests.
Genesis 18:7. And Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the young man, and he hastened to prepare it. Genesis 18:8. And he took butter and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them, while he stood by them under the tree. Regarding the small details with which are depicted the pictures of Abraham’s reception of his unexpected guests, Saint John Chrysostom remarks: “see how everything is done with speed, with fervent zeal, with good cheer, with joy and great pleasure!.. He does everything himself and offers it! He did not even deem himself worthy to sit together with them, but, when they ate, he stood before them under the tree. What a greatness of hospitality! What a depth of humility! What an elevation of a soul devoted to God!” And they ate. This is not a phantom or merely allegorical partaking of food, as some interpreters thought (Josephus, Philo, Jonathan, Justin the Philosopher), but an actual and real acceptance of it, similar to how the Lord Jesus Christ partook of food, appearing to the disciples after His resurrection (Luke 24:43) with His transfigured flesh, which even passed through locked doors (John 20:19).
Sarah receives a new revelation about the birth of a son from her and is convicted of the insufficiency of her faith
Genesis 18:9–10. They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent. Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you in the spring, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him. Still in the preceding verse the speech was of all three guests of Abraham; now the one who speaks comes forward, and from the 13th verse He is directly called Jehovah (see Gen 18:3). The fact that this wonderful guest of Abraham turned out to be one who knew his wife by name, and even more the fact that He spoke the promise about the birth of a son to her, already well known to Abraham from previous theophanies (Gen 15:4), was bound to open his eyes to the actual nature of this heavenly guest. The fulfillment of the words of the very promise to come the following year at the same time is rightly seen in the fact of the birth of Isaac, in which, obviously, the miraculous hand of God manifested itself, to which the subsequent context of the speech entitles us (Gen 21:1).
Genesis 18:11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. An introductory remark by the chronicler, serving to explain and justify the subsequent action of Sarah.
Genesis 18:12. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I have grown old, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure? “Sarah’s laughter,” says Metropolitan Philaret, “is not as innocent as the laughter of Abraham in a similar case (Gen 17:17); but in her defense it can be said that she did not yet recognize Jehovah” (Vlastov). and my lord is old. A beautiful expression of the voluntary submission and obedience in which a loving wife should stand toward her husband. For this high feature of her marital relations, Sarah was deemed worthy to become a model for imitation to Christian women as well (1 Pet 3:6; 1 Cor 11:3).
Genesis 18:13. The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ For the first time here the foremost guest of Abraham is clearly and distinctly called the Lord, or from the Hebrew — “Jehovah.” He addresses this question to Abraham, since Sarah was not there; but thereby even more clearly is revealed the all-knowing quality of the one speaking, who knew not only Sarah’s action, but also its hidden, internal motives.
Genesis 18:14. Is there anything too hard for the Lord? A beautiful expression of the idea of divine omnipotence, the best parallel to which can be found in the words of the Angel to the Most Holy Virgin Mary, spoken to her at the time of the Annunciation: “nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).
Genesis 18:15. Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. A feeling of some fright or fear, as a painful voice of conscience and the dread of punishment, is a natural consequence of sin (Gen 3:10) in the soul of people who have not yet succeeded in becoming morally hardened and are accessible to repentance. Such sincere repentance of her lack of faith, no doubt, was brought by Sarah as well, for the apostle later finds it possible to praise her for faith in the promise of the birth of a son to her (Heb 11:11).
Genesis 18:16. And the men set out from there, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to see them off. The second city is not in the Hebrew Bible, but it is in the Greek and Slavonic; the latter reading is more correct, as it is based on the context of the discourse (Gen 18:20). And Abraham walked with them to see them off. To accompany a guest to the boundaries of one’s land — this is the last duty of eastern hospitality, cordially fulfilled in this case by the aged patriarch Abraham. According to Jewish tradition, Abraham accompanied the Lord and the Angels along the way to Sodom to a place called “Kafar-Varukh,” from which one could see the Dead Sea and the surrounding five-cities region along the valley.
God reveals the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
Gen 18:17. Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,”
These words represent an expression, common in the Bible, of a certain thought in human terms; in this case — the thought of such closeness of the righteous one to God which places him in the position of a friend from whom there are no secrets or mysteries. The words “My servant” do not exist in the Hebrew text and have been added from the LXX translation. But Philo and the Apostle James (Jas 2:23) make a certain correction: instead of “My servant,” they have — “My friend,” which more responds to the inner character of those relationships which existed between God and the patriarchs (2 Chr 20:7; Isa 41:8, etc.).
Genesis 18:18–19. Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. No, for I have chosen him, that he may direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice; and the Lord will bring about for Abraham all that he has promised him.” These words of the Lord form a kind of introduction to the subsequent prophecy about the destruction of the wicked cities. In it the Lord repeats and reveals His previous promises to Abraham and his descendants (Gen 12:3), and at the same time points out both the purpose of the election of the Jewish people and the conditions or means to attain it, and consequently, and to receive all the promises on the part of the latter, which consisted in faithfulness to the Most High or in walking in His ways. The positive result of such conduct — is proximity to the Lord (in Hebrew — Jehovah) and the attainment of all the promises; and the negative, which could occur in the case of unfaithfulness to Him and the corruption of Israel, — is the sad fate that awaits the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Genesis 18:20. And the Lord said, “Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is very grave; This is the biblical image already known to us, expressing the thought that every violence and injustice committed on earth is not hidden from divine all-knowledge and receives from Him corresponding retribution (Gen 4:10; Exod 3:7; Isa 5:7). Especially often thus is depicted the sin of the oppression of the weak by the strong, joined with bloodshed and murder (Gen 4:10; Deut 24:14-15); the inhabitants of Sodom suffered from this, who were distinguished by extreme moral depravity and haughtily-disdainful treatment of the lower and weaker (Ezek 16:47-56).
Genesis 18:21. I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know. These words — are a condescension to our weakness, for the more understandable expression of the thought that the divine judgment is based on the most complete and immediate acquaintance with the very subject of this judgment. (Ps 72:20; Isa 11:3; Prov 18:13; Matt 7:1).
Genesis 18:22. And the men turned from there and went toward Sodom; It was not all three men who went to Sodom, but only the two Angels, as is clearly indicated below (Gen 19:1). while Abraham still stood before the Lord. The third, remaining with Abraham, companion is here directly called the Lord; “to stand before the face of the Lord” in the language of the scripture often means to intercede or pray to the Lord for someone (1 Sam 7:9; Ps 105:23).
Abraham intercedes for the preservation of these cities
The entire concluding section of this chapter represents a curious and instructive conversation of God with Abraham, bearing witness both to the great boldness of the righteous one and the extreme graciousness of God.
Genesis 18:23. Then Abraham came near and said, “Will You sweep away the righteous with the wicked? In Abraham’s very question is heard already the answer to it, an answer that is negative — namely, that the highest divine love and justice will not permit the destruction of His elect.
Genesis 18:24. Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You then sweep away the place and not spare it for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Having established in the foregoing words the general thought about the highest divine justice, which does not permit unjust destruction of the righteous, Abraham now makes its application to the given particular case, supposing that in the city destined for destruction, Sodom, there would be found a considerable quantity of such righteous ones. He even expresses here the hope that such a quantity of the righteous would, to a certain degree, redeem the transgression of the rest and save them as well from destruction.
Genesis 18:25. Far be it from You to do such a thing, to bring the righteous together with the wicked, so that the righteous should fare as the wicked! Far be that from You! Shall the Judge of all the earth not do what is just? This verse represents one of the most important members of the patriarchal religion, containing a solemn confession of faith in God as the almighty Judge of all the universe, judging the world according to the laws of the highest justice, strictly dividing the guilty from the innocent (see Deut 10:17; Job 34:19; Jer 31:29-30; Ezek 18:20; Matt 13:28-29; Rom 2:11; Eph 6:9).
Genesis 18:26. And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake. Yielding to Abraham’s request, God promises to show salvation to all the wicked as well for the sake of fifty righteous. Similar thoughts and even examples are not foreign to other places of the Bible (Prov 11:11; Isa 37:35; Matt 5:13, etc.).
Genesis 18:27–28. Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have presumed to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes: Suppose the fifty righteous lack five, will You destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there.” Encouraged by the success of his first request, Abraham continues his intercession with even greater boldness, though at the same time filled with high humility. Proof of such humility before the greatness of Jehovah is his comparison to dust and ashes, a comparison — full of profound internal significance, in the sense of indicating the beginning (“dust from the earth,” Gen 2:7) and the end (Eccl 12:7) of earthly human existence.
Genesis 18:29. And he spoke to Him again and said, “Suppose there are forty found there?” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it. Or, as one can further translate from the Hebrew: “he continued to speak, intensified his request.” In general, all this intercession of Abraham for the inhabitants of Sodom represents an example of fervent, persistent prayer, accompanied, usually, by the desired success, according to the word of the Savior: “ask and you will receive, ... knock and the door will be opened” (Matt 7:7; see Luke 11:8-9; Rom 15:30).
Genesis 18:30. Then he said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there?” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there. Parallel with the intensification of Abraham’s own request, his humility before God increases as well, whose patience he tests; but he tests it not for the sake of empty and idle curiosity, but from high motives of love and compassion toward his neighbors, for which reason the Lord benevolently receives his mediation.
Genesis 18:31. Abraham said, “Behold, I have presumed to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there?” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it. The willingness of the Lord increases Abraham’s boldness and he, though with great confusion, decides to lower the figure of the righteous already to two tens.
Genesis 18:32. And he said, “Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak one more time. Suppose ten are found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it. This is the highest degree of Abraham’s bold prayer, when he asked the Lord to spare the city only for the sake of ten supposed righteous ones in it, and God by His unspeakable mercy agrees even to such an extreme request of His faithful servant. But the inhabitants of the wicked cities became so steeped in wickedness and depravity that not ten righteous ones were preserved in them: such as is evident from the subsequent context, there were found only three persons — Lot and his two daughters, who were miraculously saved by God from the general destruction (chapter 19).
Genesis 18:33. And the Lord went away, after He had finished speaking to Abraham; Words pointing to the fact that the theophany had ended and the vision of Jehovah disappeared. and Abraham returned to his place. That is, he returned from the valley of Kafar-Varukh, the place of the theophany, to the oak grove of Mamre, near Hebron, which served as his place of chief residence.