And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day.
KJV And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Notes & Key Terms
2 terms
Key Terms
וַיֵּרָאvayyera
"appeared"—appeared, was seen, showed himself, let himself be seen
The Niphal of ra'ah — God 'lets himself be seen.' This is the leitwort of the chapter and gives the parashah its traditional name: Vayera. The passive-reflexive form suggests that divine appearance is always God's initiative — he chooses to be seen.
אֵלֹנֵי מַמְרֵאelonei Mamre
"oaks of Mamre"—oaks, terebinths, great trees of Mamre
A sacred site near Hebron where Abraham has dwelt and worshipped since 13:18. The trees provide shade and mark the location as a place of divine encounter.
Translator Notes
This theophany follows immediately after the covenant of circumcision in chapter 17. Abraham has just been circumcised at ninety-nine years old (17:24), and the LORD now appears — the verb vayyera ('appeared') is the same used in 12:7 and 17:1. The text states flatly that the LORD appeared; what Abraham sees in verse 2 are three men. The tension between divine appearance and human form is never resolved but held together throughout the narrative.
'By the oaks of Mamre' (be'elonei Mamre) — elonei can mean 'oaks' or 'terebinths,' large sacred trees associated with theophany sites. Mamre was Abraham's ally (14:13) and this location near Hebron has been Abraham's dwelling since 13:18, where he built an altar to the LORD.
'In the heat of the day' (kechom hayyom) — midday heat, when sensible people rest in shade. Abraham's sitting at the tent entrance suggests watchfulness for travelers, a mark of the hospitality culture of the ancient Near East. The detail also explains why the visitors would need water, rest, and refreshment.
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing before him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed himself to the ground.
KJV And 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,
Notes & Key Terms
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Key Terms
שְׁלֹשָׁה אֲנָשִׁיםsheloshah anashim
"three men"—three men, three persons, three individuals
The mysterious trio whose identity shifts throughout the narrative. They are called 'men' here, but one speaks as the LORD and two are later identified as angels (mal'akhim, 19:1). The number three has generated extensive theological reflection in both Jewish and Christian traditions.
Translator Notes
'Three men' (sheloshah anashim) — the narrative deliberately uses the ordinary word for 'men' (anashim). Abraham sees men, not angels, not divine beings. Yet verse 1 has told the reader that this is the LORD appearing. The interplay between the three visitors and the LORD who speaks creates one of the most theologically provocative passages in the Hebrew Bible. Two of these men will be identified as angels in 19:1; the third speaks as the LORD himself.
The verb ra'ah ('to see') appears twice: vayyar ('he looked') and vayyar ('he saw'). The first is observation; the second triggers action. Abraham does not merely notice — he perceives and responds instantly. His running (vayyarots) is remarkable for a ninety-nine-year-old man, recently circumcised. The urgency conveys both hospitality and perhaps an intuitive recognition of the visitors' significance.
'Bowed himself to the ground' (vayyishtachu artsah) — this prostration could be either reverent greeting of honored guests (as in 23:7, 12) or worship of the divine. The ambiguity is deliberate. Abraham may not yet know who these visitors are, but his response is fitting either way.
And he said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant.
KJV And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'My lord' (Adonai) — the Masoretic pointing here is debated. The form Adonai (with qamats under the nun) is typically reserved for addressing God, while adoni (with chiriq) would be a respectful address to a human superior. If the Masoretes intended the divine address, Abraham recognizes from the outset that he is speaking to the LORD. If the form is simply respectful address, Abraham is being hospitable to a stranger. The ambiguity mirrors the entire narrative's tension between human and divine.
'If I have found favor in your eyes' (im na matsati chen be'einekha) — a standard formula of deference in hospitality contexts (cf. 19:19; 33:10). The particle na ('please, I pray') intensifies the entreaty. Abraham begs these visitors not to pass him by — an extraordinary inversion, as it is normally the traveler who begs for hospitality.
Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
KJV Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Let a little water be brought' (yuqqach na me'at mayim) — the passive verb (Hophal of laqach) suggests Abraham has servants to carry out his instructions. 'A little water' is characteristic understatement; Abraham will provide far more than he promises. Foot-washing was the first act of hospitality in a dusty, sandaled world — refreshment and respect combined.
'Rest yourselves under the tree' (hisha'anu tachat ha'ets) — the Niphal imperative of sha'an means 'lean, recline, rest.' The singular tree (ha'ets) may be one of the great oaks mentioned in verse 1. Shade in the Negev heat was a precious gift.
"And let me bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts; afterward you may pass on — since you have come to your servant." They said, "So do, as you have said."
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'A morsel of bread' (pat lechem) — Abraham's offer is deliberately modest: just a scrap of bread. What he actually prepares (vv. 6–8) is a lavish feast of fine flour cakes, a choice calf, curds, and milk. This pattern of understating one's hospitality and then exceeding expectations is a hallmark of Near Eastern generosity. The gap between promise and performance reveals Abraham's character.
'Refresh your hearts' (sa'adu libbechem) — literally 'sustain your hearts.' The heart (lev) in Hebrew is the seat of strength and will, not merely emotion. Food sustains the inner person for the journey ahead. The verb sa'ad appears in Psalm 104:15: bread 'sustains the heart of man.'
'For therefore are ye come to your servant' (ki al ken avaretem al avdekhem) — Abraham sees their arrival as providential. They have not wandered by accident; they have 'passed by' his tent for a reason, and hospitality is the fitting response.
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quick! Three seahs of fine flour — knead it and make cakes."
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The urgency intensifies: Abraham 'hurried' (vayemaher), and his first word to Sarah is 'Quick!' (mahari, the feminine imperative of mahar). The entire hospitality scene is charged with haste — running, hurrying, hastening — not from anxiety but from eagerness to honor the guests.
'Three seahs of fine flour' (shelosh se'im qemach solet) — a seah is roughly seven quarts; three seahs would be about twenty-one quarts (nearly half a bushel) of the finest flour. This is an enormous quantity for three guests — enough to feed a large gathering. The extravagance of the provision far exceeds the 'morsel of bread' Abraham promised.
'Fine flour' (solet) — this is the premium grade, sifted and refined, the same flour prescribed for grain offerings in Leviticus 2:1. Abraham serves his guests what will later be offered to God.
And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it.
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Abraham himself runs (rats) to the herd — he does not delegate this task. A ninety-nine-year-old man, three days after circumcision, sprinting to select the best calf. The detail is both vivid and theologically charged: Abraham's physical vigor in service to his guests mirrors his spiritual readiness.
'A calf, tender and good' (ben baqar rakh vatov) — the adjectives rakh ('tender, young') and tov ('good, choice') indicate the finest animal. This is not ordinary fare but a feast-quality offering. The selection of a whole calf for three guests again signals extraordinary generosity.
'The servant' (hanna'ar) — literally 'the young man,' probably a household servant. Later rabbinic tradition identifies him as Ishmael, whom Abraham was training in hospitality. The text does not specify, but the household mobilization — Sarah kneading, the servant preparing meat, Abraham orchestrating — portrays a coordinated effort of lavish welcome.
Then he took curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
חֶמְאָהchem'ah
"curds"—curds, butter, curdled milk, cream
A rich dairy product, either butter or thick curdled milk. A luxury food offered to honored guests, associated with abundance and blessing (cf. Deut 32:14; Job 20:17).
Translator Notes
'Curds and milk' (chem'ah vechalab) — chem'ah refers to curdled milk or butter, a prized delicacy in the ancient Near East (cf. Judg 5:25; Isa 7:15). Combined with fresh milk, this represents the richest dairy hospitality. Later rabbinic discussion notes that Abraham served meat and dairy together — a practice the Mosaic law would later prohibit. The patriarchal narrative operates before Sinai.
'He stood by them under the tree while they ate' (vehu omed aleihem tachat ha'ets vayyokhelu) — Abraham does not sit and eat with his guests but stands attending them, taking the posture of a servant. The host becomes the waiter. This is the supreme expression of Near Eastern hospitality: the master of a great household serving strangers in person.
'And they ate' (vayyokhelu) — the text states without qualification that divine visitors ate human food. This remarkable detail has generated extensive theological discussion. Did they truly eat, or only appear to eat? The narrator makes no distinction; he simply reports that they ate.
They said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He said, "There, in the tent."
KJV And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The visitors ask for Sarah by name — a detail that should startle Abraham, since he has not introduced her. Strangers in the ancient Near East would not ordinarily ask about a man's wife by name; this knowledge signals something beyond ordinary travelers. Yet Abraham answers matter-of-factly: 'There, in the tent' (hinneh va'ohel).
The question 'Where is Sarah your wife?' (ayyeh Sarah ishtekha) serves a narrative purpose: it ensures Sarah is within earshot for the announcement that follows. The scene is carefully staged — the promise must reach Sarah's ears so that her response can be recorded.
The plural 'they said' (vayyomeru) shifts to a singular speaker in verse 10. This fluid movement between plural and singular reinforces the mysterious identity of the visitors — three men who somehow speak with one divine voice.
He said, "I will surely return to you at the appointed time, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
2 terms
Key Terms
שׁוֹב אָשׁוּבshuv ashuv
"I will surely return"—I will certainly return, I will indeed come back, returning I will return
The infinitive absolute construction expresses absolute certainty. The divine promise is unconditional and emphatic — God will return, and the son will come.
כָּעֵת חַיָּהka'et chayyah
"at the appointed time"—at the time of life, when the season revives, at this time next year
A difficult phrase variously interpreted. Most likely refers to the same season in the following year — roughly nine months for the promised pregnancy to be fulfilled.
Translator Notes
'I will surely return' (shuv ashuv) — the infinitive absolute construction (shuv ashuv) intensifies the verb: 'I will certainly, without fail, return.' This emphatic promise of a return visit anchors the fulfillment of the son's birth to a specific timeframe.
'At the appointed time' (ka'et chayyah) — this phrase is notoriously difficult. Literally 'at the time of life/living,' it likely means 'at this time next year' or 'when the season comes round again' — approximately nine months hence. The same phrase appears in 2 Kings 4:16-17, where Elisha makes a similar promise to the Shunammite woman.
'Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him' — the narrator shifts perspective to reveal Sarah's eavesdropping. The tent entrance is behind the speaker, so Sarah can hear without being seen. This staging is essential: the promise is directed to Abraham, but it is Sarah's body that must bear the son, and it is Sarah's response that the narrative wants to capture.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in days. The way of women had ceased for Sarah.
KJV Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Notes & Key Terms
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Key Terms
אֹרַח כַּנָּשִׁיםorach kannashim
"the way of women"—the way/manner of women, menstrual period, female cycle
A euphemistic expression for menstruation. Its cessation marks Sarah's post-menopausal state and underscores the biological impossibility of the promise.
Translator Notes
The narrator pauses the dialogue to state the biological facts plainly. 'Old' (zeqenim) is an understatement — Abraham is ninety-nine, Sarah eighty-nine. 'Advanced in days' (ba'im bayyamim, literally 'come into the days') is an idiom for extreme age, emphasizing not just years but the accumulated weight of a long life.
'The way of women had ceased for Sarah' (chadal lihyot leSarah orach kannashim) — a euphemism for menopause. The 'way of women' (orach kannashim) is the menstrual cycle. Sarah is not merely old; she is biologically past the capacity for conception. The narrator establishes this to make clear that any pregnancy would require divine intervention beyond natural possibility.
This verse functions as the narrative's own commentary: lest the reader think the promise is merely improbable, the text clarifies it is impossible. The stage is set for both Sarah's laughter and God's response about what is 'too wonderful' for the LORD.
So Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have grown worn out, shall I have pleasure — my lord being old also?"
KJV Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Notes & Key Terms
2 terms
Key Terms
וַתִּצְחַקvatitschaq
"laughed"—laughed, jested, played, mocked
From the root tsachaq, the etymological basis of Isaac's name (Yitschaq, 'he laughs'). Sarah's laughter of disbelief will be transformed into laughter of joy at Isaac's birth (21:6).
A hapax legomenon — occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible. Related to Eden (eden, 'delight'). It carries connotations of sensual pleasure and fertility, making Sarah's question both poignant and daringly intimate.
Translator Notes
'Sarah laughed' (vatitschaq Sarah) — the verb tsachaq is the root of Isaac's name (Yitschaq). Sarah's laughter here is incredulous, a reflex of disbelief. It echoes Abraham's own laughter in 17:17, though God's response to Sarah's laughter will be sharper than to Abraham's. The root tsachaq will thread through the Isaac narrative: laughter at the promise, laughter at the birth (21:6), and Ishmael's 'laughing/mocking' (21:9).
'Within herself' (beqirbah) — literally 'in her inner parts.' This is not audible laughter but an internal reaction, a private scoff. Yet the LORD perceives it (v. 13), demonstrating that nothing — not even unspoken thoughts — is hidden from God.
'After I have grown worn out, shall I have pleasure?' (acharei veloti hayetah li ednah) — veloti is from balah, 'to wear out, become old.' The word ednah ('pleasure, delight') occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible. It likely refers to sexual pleasure or the delight of bearing a child. Sarah's frank, earthy language reveals both her longing and her resignation.
'My lord being old also' (va'adoni zaqen) — Sarah refers to Abraham as 'my lord' (adoni), a term of respect for a husband. The New Testament cites this as an example of Sarah's submission (1 Pet 3:6). But in context, her words drip with irony: even if her body could conceive, her aged husband seems an unlikely partner in producing new life.
The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?'"
KJV And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Now the narrator identifies the speaker unambiguously: 'the LORD said' (vayyomer YHWH). The visitor who has been speaking since verse 10 is the LORD himself. The question is addressed to Abraham, not directly to Sarah — perhaps respecting the social conventions of the household, perhaps drawing Abraham into the matter of his wife's faith.
Significantly, the LORD edits Sarah's words. She had said, 'my lord being old also' (referring to Abraham's age), but the LORD quotes her as saying only 'I am old.' God diplomatically omits Sarah's reference to Abraham's aging to spare Abraham embarrassment. The rabbis (Yevamot 65b) derived from this that one may alter the truth for the sake of peace — a striking principle drawn from God's own speech.
'Shall I indeed bear a child?' (ha'af umnam eled) — the particles ha'af umnam express strong incredulity: 'Is it even really true that...?' The LORD exposes the depth of Sarah's doubt, bringing what was internal (beqirbah, v. 12) into the open.
"Is anything too wonderful for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."
KJV Is 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.
Notes & Key Terms
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Key Terms
הֲיִפָּלֵאhayippale
"too wonderful"—too wonderful, too difficult, too marvelous, beyond comprehension, extraordinary
From the root pala, 'to be extraordinary.' The Niphal form suggests something that surpasses understanding. Rendering as 'too wonderful' rather than merely 'too hard' preserves the sense of marvel and divine transcendence inherent in the word.
Translator Notes
'Is anything too wonderful for the LORD?' (hayippale meYHWH davar) — the verb pala means 'to be wonderful, extraordinary, surpassing, beyond comprehension.' It is the same root used for the 'wonderful' acts of God throughout Scripture (Exod 15:11; Ps 77:14; Isa 9:6). The question is rhetorical: nothing is beyond God's power. The word carries not just the sense of difficulty but of marvel — what God does exceeds not only human ability but human imagination.
This verse is one of the great theological declarations of the Hebrew Bible. It reframes Sarah's doubt not as a reasonable assessment of biology but as an inadequate reckoning of God's power. The same principle echoes in Jeremiah 32:17, 27 and Luke 1:37 (Gabriel's words to Mary).
'At the appointed time' (lammo'ed) — this word mo'ed means 'appointed time, fixed season, festival.' It suggests divine scheduling: God has set the moment for fulfillment. The birth of Isaac is not a random miracle but a precisely timed divine act.
But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."
KJV Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Sarah denied' (vattekhachesh Sarah) — the verb kachash means 'to deny, deceive, be false.' It is a strong word, used elsewhere of lying to God (Josh 7:11; Hos 9:2). Sarah's denial is born of fear (ki yare'ah), but it is still a falsehood. The text does not excuse it.
'For she was afraid' (ki yare'ah) — fear, not defiance, motivates the lie. Sarah's internal laughter has been exposed by a visitor who can read unspoken thoughts. The realization that she is transparent to this stranger triggers primal fear.
'No, but you did laugh' (lo ki tsachaqt) — the LORD's gentle but firm correction closes this exchange. He does not rage or punish; he simply insists on the truth. The brief, decisive response — just three words in Hebrew — carries the weight of divine omniscience confronting human evasion. The laughter has been noted, and it will be remembered: the child's very name, Isaac (Yitschaq, 'he laughs'), will forever encode this moment.
Then the men rose up from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham walked with them to see them on their way.
KJV And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The scene pivots sharply. The hospitality episode concludes and the narrative turns toward Sodom. 'The men rose up' (vayyaqumu ha'anashim) — they are still called 'men' (anashim), maintaining the veil over their identity even as the reader knows one is the LORD.
'Looked toward Sodom' (vayyashqifu al penei Sedom) — the verb shaqaph means 'to look down upon, gaze out over.' It often implies looking from a height. The hills near Hebron offer a view eastward toward the Dead Sea region where Sodom lay. The gaze is ominous: they look toward a city whose judgment is about to be announced.
'Abraham walked with them to see them on their way' (veAvraham holekh immam leshallecham) — even the final act of hospitality — escorting departing guests — Abraham performs. The verb shalach in the Piel means 'to send off, escort.' Walking guests part of the way was a standard courtesy in the ancient world.
And the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
KJV And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
This divine soliloquy (vv. 17–19) is one of the most remarkable passages in Genesis. The LORD deliberates aloud — or the narrator reveals God's inner reasoning — about whether to disclose his plans to Abraham. The question 'Shall I hide?' (hamekhasseh ani) expects a negative answer: No, I will not hide this from Abraham.
The verb kasah ('to hide, conceal, cover') is a Piel participle: 'Am I one who conceals?' God reflects on the nature of his relationship with Abraham. The question implies that the relationship has reached a level of intimacy that requires transparency — God treats Abraham not as a subject but as a confidant.
This passage anticipates Amos 3:7: 'Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his counsel to his servants the prophets.' Abraham is here implicitly cast in a prophetic role — one to whom God discloses his purposes before acting.
"seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
KJV Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Shall surely become' (hayo yihyeh) — another infinitive absolute construction expressing certainty. Abraham's becoming a great nation is not contingent; it is divinely assured.
'Great and mighty nation' (goy gadol ve'atsum) — the addition of 'mighty' (atsum) to the original promise of 12:2 ('great nation') intensifies the scope. Atsum means 'powerful, numerous, vast' — suggesting not just size but strength.
'All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him' (venivrekhu vo kol goyei ha'arets) — this echoes the foundational promise of 12:3. The Niphal form venivrekhu can mean either 'shall be blessed' (passive) or 'shall bless themselves' (reflexive). If passive, Abraham is the conduit of universal blessing; if reflexive, Abraham becomes the standard by which peoples invoke blessing. Either way, Abraham's significance is global, not parochial. God's reason for not hiding his plans from Abraham is that Abraham's destiny is intertwined with the fate of all nations — including Sodom.
"For I have known him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what he has spoken concerning him."
KJV 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 upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Notes & Key Terms
2 terms
Key Terms
דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָהderekh YHWH
"the way of the LORD"—way, path, road, conduct, manner of life
The LORD's 'way' is his moral character expressed as a pattern of life to be followed. It encompasses both what God does and what God requires — a path of ethical conduct reflecting divine character.
צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּטtsedaqah umishpat
"righteousness and justice"—righteousness, right conduct, justice, judgment, equity, fairness
This word-pair, appearing here for the first time in Scripture, becomes the foundational ethical vocabulary of the prophets. Tsedaqah is relational rightness; mishpat is procedural fairness. Together they describe the full scope of ethical obligation.
Translator Notes
'For I have known him' (ki yeda'tiv) — the verb yada ('to know') here carries its fullest covenantal sense: intimate, relational knowledge, election, and purposeful choosing. God 'knows' Abraham not merely with intellectual awareness but with the knowledge of chosen relationship (cf. Amos 3:2, 'You only have I known of all the families of the earth'). This is arguably the most concise statement of divine election in Genesis.
'Keep the way of the LORD' (shameru derekh YHWH) — derekh ('way, path, road') is both literal and metaphorical. The 'way of the LORD' is God's characteristic pattern of conduct, his moral will expressed in action. To 'keep' (shamar) this way is to guard it, observe it, and walk in it faithfully.
'Righteousness and justice' (tsedaqah umishpat) — this pairing, which becomes one of the most important word-pairs in prophetic literature (Isa 5:7; Amos 5:24; Mic 6:8), appears here for the first time in Scripture. Tsedaqah is right relationship — acting rightly toward God and neighbor. Mishpat is just governance — rendering fair decisions and upholding the rights of others. Together they constitute the ethical core of the covenant. Abraham's intercession for Sodom (vv. 23–32) will be precisely an exercise in tsedaqah umishpat.
The verse presents a chain of purpose: God chose Abraham → so that Abraham would teach his descendants → who would keep God's way → by practicing righteousness and justice → so that God's promises to Abraham would be fulfilled. Election is not arbitrary privilege but purposeful responsibility.
Then the LORD said, "Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very heavy,
KJV And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
זַעֲקַתza'aqat
"outcry"—cry, outcry, shriek, cry for help, cry of distress
The cry of victims of oppression and injustice. This is the cry that ascends to God and demands a response (cf. 4:10, Abel's blood crying from the ground). God hears the cry of the afflicted.
Translator Notes
'The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah' (za'aqat Sedom va'Amorah) — za'aqah is the cry of the oppressed, the anguished shriek of those suffering injustice (cf. Exod 3:7, the cry of Israel in Egypt). It is not the noise of sin itself but the cry of sin's victims rising to heaven. Sodom's sin, as later texts make clear (Ezek 16:49), included arrogance, excess, and neglect of the poor — not merely sexual transgression.
'Their sin is very heavy' (chattata'm ki khavedah me'od) — the verb kavad ('to be heavy, weighty, grievous') is the same root as kavod ('glory'). Sin has weight; it presses down. The adverb me'od ('very, exceedingly') intensifies the assessment. The divine evaluation of Sodom is not casual but measured — and the measure is dire.
"I will go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know."
KJV I 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'I will go down and see' (eredah na ve'er'eh) — the language of divine descent echoes the Tower of Babel narrative (11:5, 7), where God also 'came down' to investigate human conduct. The anthropomorphism is deliberate: God does not judge from a distance but comes near, examines, and renders judgment based on firsthand observation. This models the very mishpat ('justice') that verse 19 commands.
'Whether they have done altogether according to the outcry' (hakketsa'aqatah habba'ah elai asu khalah) — the word khalah means 'complete destruction, annihilation.' The question is whether Sodom's conduct has reached the point of no return — total moral corruption that matches the extremity of the outcry. God presents himself as conducting an inquiry before rendering judgment.
'And if not, I will know' (ve'im lo eda'ah) — a startling statement. Does the omniscient God need to investigate? The text presents divine judgment as deliberate, careful, and evidence-based — not impulsive or arbitrary. This careful divine procedure becomes the backdrop for Abraham's own appeal to divine justice in the verses that follow.
So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD.
KJV And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'The men turned from there and went toward Sodom' — two of the three visitors now depart toward Sodom, where they will arrive in 19:1 as the two angels (mal'akhim). The third figure remains — and the narrator identifies him as the LORD. The threefold company divides: two go to investigate Sodom; one stays to receive Abraham's intercession.
'Abraham still stood before the LORD' (veAvraham odenu omed lifnei YHWH) — this is one of the tiqqunei soferim ('corrections of the scribes'), according to rabbinic tradition. The original reading may have been 'the LORD still stood before Abraham,' which was reversed because it seemed to place God in a posture of deference. Whether or not this tradition is accurate, the effect is profound: Abraham remains in God's presence, and the stage is set for one of the most daring prayers in all Scripture.
The spatial arrangement is significant: the two angels move toward Sodom for investigation; Abraham stands before God for intercession. The two actions — divine inquiry and human prayer — proceed simultaneously.
The verb saphah implies indiscriminate destruction — the righteous being swept up in judgment meant for the wicked. Abraham's concern is precisely this: that divine judgment might be undiscriminating.
Translator Notes
'Abraham drew near' (vayyiggash Avraham) — the verb nagash means 'to approach, draw near, come close.' Abraham does not flee from the divine presence; he steps closer. This is the posture of intercession — approaching God boldly on behalf of others. The same verb is used of approaching an altar (Exod 30:20) and approaching a king to petition (Esth 5:2).
'Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?' (ha'af tispeh tsaddiq im rasha) — the verb saphah means 'to sweep away, destroy, snatch away' indiscriminately. Abraham's question cuts to the heart of divine justice: does God practice collective punishment? Is the fate of the righteous bound to the fate of the wicked in their midst? The question is not theological abstraction but urgent moral concern — Abraham's nephew Lot lives in Sodom.
This is the first intercession recorded in Scripture. Abraham does not merely pray for himself but for others, including people he has never met. The intercession establishes a pattern followed by Moses (Exod 32:11–14), Samuel (1 Sam 7:5–9), and the prophets.
"Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?
KJV Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Suppose' (ulai) — literally 'perhaps.' Abraham begins with the most generous assumption: perhaps there are fifty righteous in Sodom. The word ulai carries both hope and uncertainty. Abraham does not claim knowledge of Sodom's moral state; he poses hypotheticals and lets God respond.
'Spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous' (velo tissa lamaqom lema'an chamishim hatsaddiqim) — the verb nasa means 'to lift, carry, bear, forgive.' To 'spare' the place is to 'bear with it,' to 'carry' it past judgment. The key theological principle emerges: the presence of righteous people can shelter an entire community from judgment. The merit of the few can protect the many.
Abraham begins at fifty — a substantial number that establishes the principle before negotiating downward. The number may reflect an assumption about Sodom's size or may simply be a starting point for the bargaining pattern that follows.
"Far be it from you to do such a thing — to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous are treated as the wicked. Far be it from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do justice?"
KJV That 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?
Notes & Key Terms
2 terms
Key Terms
חָלִלָהchalilah
"far be it from you"—far be it, God forbid, profanation, sacrilege
An exclamation expressing moral impossibility — the very idea is a desecration. Abraham treats unjust divine action not as a distant possibility but as a moral impossibility given God's nature.
הֲשֹׁפֵט כָּל־הָאָרֶץhashofet kol ha'arets
"the Judge of all the earth"—judge, ruler, governor of the whole earth
The first occurrence of this title for God. As universal Judge, God is bound by the very justice he administers. Abraham's appeal assumes that divine sovereignty and divine justice are inseparable.
Translator Notes
'Far be it from you' (chalilah lekha) — the word chalilah is an exclamation of moral horror: 'profanation! sacrilege! God forbid!' Abraham is saying that for God to destroy the righteous with the wicked would be a desecration of God's own character. The repetition of chalilah (twice in this verse) intensifies the moral urgency.
'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do justice?' (hashofet kol ha'arets lo ya'aseh mishpat) — this is one of the most audacious statements a human being has ever addressed to God. Abraham appeals to God's own nature as the universal Judge: if God judges all the earth, then God must himself act justly. Abraham holds God to God's own standard. The word mishpat here means 'justice, right judgment, equity' — the same word used in verse 19.
The theological daring of this verse cannot be overstated. Abraham does not merely ask God for mercy; he argues that justice itself — God's own justice — requires distinguishing between the righteous and the wicked. Abraham becomes an advocate, a defense attorney standing before the cosmic Judge, and his argument is not sentiment but principle.
And the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake."
KJV And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
The LORD accepts Abraham's premise without dispute. If fifty righteous are found, the entire city will be spared — not just the righteous extracted, but 'the whole place' (kol hamaqom) preserved. The principle is extraordinary: the merit of a righteous minority can preserve a sinful majority.
'For their sake' (ba'avuram) — the preposition ba'avur means 'for the sake of, on account of.' The righteous do not merely escape judgment; they become the reason the wicked are spared. This theology of vicarious merit — the few bearing the weight that saves the many — threads through Scripture to its culmination in the Suffering Servant (Isa 53).
Abraham answered and said, "Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
KJV And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes.
Notes & Key Terms
1 term
Key Terms
עָפָר וָאֵפֶרafar va'efer
"dust and ashes"—dust and ashes, earth and cinder, dirt and residue
A merism expressing total insignificance. Dust is what humans are made from (2:7); ashes are what remains after destruction. Together they bracket human existence between origin and dissolution — and yet this dust-and-ashes creature dares to petition God.
Translator Notes
'I have undertaken to speak' (ho'alti ledabber) — the verb ya'al in the Hiphil means 'to venture, undertake, dare.' Abraham acknowledges the audacity of what he is doing. He is a creature daring to argue with the Creator, and he knows it.
'Dust and ashes' (afar va'efer) — this is not false modesty but genuine ontological awareness. Afar ('dust') recalls the creation of humanity from the ground (2:7; 3:19); efer ('ashes') suggests complete combustion, total reduction to nothing. Abraham stands at the intersection of two realities: he is dust, yet he speaks to God. He is ashes, yet he reasons about justice with the Judge of all the earth. The juxtaposition of human frailty and spiritual boldness is one of the great paradoxes of biblical faith.
"Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" He said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."
KJV Peradventure 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
Abraham's negotiation begins with the smallest possible reduction: five. From fifty to forty-five — a cautious first step that tests whether God's patience extends to bargaining. The strategy is shrewd: Abraham does not leap to a drastically lower number but inches downward, establishing each concession before requesting the next.
'Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?' (hatashhchit bachamishah et kol ha'ir) — the verb shachat ('to destroy, ruin, corrupt') is the same word used for the corruption before the Flood (6:11-12). Abraham reframes the question: would five missing righteous persons tip the balance from mercy to destruction? The implicit argument is that near-sufficiency should count for something.
God's answer is immediate and affirmative: 'I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.' No hesitation, no qualification. Each divine concession reveals that God is not looking for reasons to destroy but for reasons to spare.
He spoke to him yet again and said, "Suppose forty are found there." He said, "I will not do it, for the sake of the forty."
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'He spoke to him yet again' (vayyosef od ledabber elav) — the formula vayyosef ('he added, continued') marks each new round of negotiation. Abraham presses forward despite the asymmetry of the conversation. Each step requires renewed courage.
The jump from forty-five to forty is bolder — a reduction of five again, but now representing a larger proportional decrease. God's answers grow shorter as the pattern establishes itself: each response is a simple assurance. The LORD does not begrudge the asking; he does not grow impatient with the process.
He said, "Please let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He said, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Please let not the Lord be angry' (al na yichar la'Adonai) — for the first time, Abraham expresses concern about divine displeasure. The verb charah ('to burn, be kindled') refers to anger as heat. Abraham senses that he is pressing the boundary of propriety. Yet he presses on. This pattern of apologetic boldness — acknowledging the risk of offense while continuing to speak — characterizes the greatest intercessors in Scripture.
The jump from forty to thirty is the largest yet — a reduction of ten. Abraham is accelerating, perhaps sensing that time or divine patience is finite. Each round follows the same structure: petition with 'suppose' (ulai), God's gracious answer, then another petition.
He said, "Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He said, "I will not destroy it, for the sake of the twenty."
KJV And 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'I have undertaken to speak' (ho'alti ledabber) — Abraham repeats his earlier acknowledgment of audacity (v. 27), reinforcing his awareness of the chasm between himself and the one he addresses. The repetition is not formulaic but genuinely felt — each new petition requires renewed courage.
From thirty to twenty: another reduction of ten. The numbers are dwindling rapidly, and the tension rises. Each affirmative answer from God reveals that divine mercy operates on a scale far more generous than human expectation.
He said, "Please let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak just this once more. Suppose ten are found there." He said, "I will not destroy it, for the sake of the ten."
KJV 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.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'Just this once more' (akh happa'am) — Abraham signals that this is his final petition. The particle akh ('only, surely, just') and happa'am ('this time') convey both determination and resignation. Abraham has pushed as far as he dares.
'Suppose ten are found there' — Abraham stops at ten. Why not five? Why not one? The rabbis (Sanhedrin 74b) suggest that ten represents the minimum viable community — a minyan, the quorum for communal worship. Others note that Lot's extended family in Sodom may have numbered roughly ten (Lot, his wife, two married daughters with husbands, and two unmarried daughters). Abraham may have calculated that with Lot's household, ten righteous should be attainable.
God agrees without hesitation: 'I will not destroy it, for the sake of the ten.' The negotiation reveals that God's threshold of mercy is extraordinarily low — he would spare an entire wicked city for the sake of ten righteous people. Yet even ten will not be found (19:1–29). Abraham's intercession, though ultimately unable to save Sodom, is not wasted: God 'remembered Abraham' (19:29) and rescued Lot from the destruction.
The progression 50 → 45 → 40 → 30 → 20 → 10 follows a deliberate rhetorical pattern. The first step is cautious (five less); subsequent steps grow bolder (ten less each time). The entire exchange reveals both the extravagance of divine mercy and the depth of Sodom's corruption — a city that cannot produce even ten righteous inhabitants.
And the LORD went his way when he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
KJV And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
Notes & Key Terms
Translator Notes
'The LORD went his way' (vayyelekh YHWH) — the theophany ends as abruptly as it began. God departs. The verb halakh ('to go, walk') is simple and final. There is no dramatic exit, no cloud or fire — God simply leaves.
'When he had finished speaking' (ka'asher killah ledabber) — the verb kalah ('to finish, complete, bring to an end') suggests that the conversation reached its natural conclusion. God did not cut Abraham off; the dialogue was completed. Abraham stopped at ten, and God honored his final request.
'Abraham returned to his place' (veAvraham shav limqomo) — Abraham goes home. The intercession is over. He has done what he could; the rest belongs to God. The phrase 'his place' (meqomo) suggests both his physical dwelling at Mamre and his proper station — a mortal who has spoken with God and now resumes the ordinary life of faith.
The chapter closes with elegant symmetry: it began with Abraham sitting at his tent (v. 1) and ends with him returning to his place. Between the sitting and the returning, Abraham has hosted God, received a promise, confronted doubt, and argued for justice. The scope of one afternoon's events encompasses hospitality, prophecy, theology, and moral philosophy — the fullness of covenantal life.