# Genesis 18.12

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Genesis](/codex/genesis/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 10. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him. 11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
>
> **12. And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?**
>
> 13. And Jehovah said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old? 14. Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son. (Genesis 18:10-14, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 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, yet I am old?’ 14. Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son.” (Genesis 18:10-14, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 10. 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. 11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
>
> **12. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?**
>
> 13. And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore 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 unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. (Genesis 18:10-14, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 10. and he saith, 'returning I return unto thee, about the time of life, and lo, to Sarah thy wife a son.' 11. And Sarah is hearkening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him;
>
> **12. and Abraham and Sarah [are] aged, entering into days, the way of women hath ceased to be to Sarah;**
>
> 13. and Sarah laugheth in her heart, saying, 'After I have waxed old I have had pleasure!, my lord also [is] old!' 14. And Jehovah saith unto Abraham, 'Why [is] this? Sarah hath laughed, saying, Is it true really, I bear, and I am aged? Is any thing too wonderful for Jehovah? at the appointed time I return unto thee, about the time of life, and Sarah hath a son.' (Genesis 18:10-14, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from the Anomalous Humor Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-anomalous-humor-convergence/)
- [Argument from the Hospitality-Stranger Convergence](/codex/argument-from-the-hospitality-stranger-convergence/), via [Genesis 18.1-15](/codex/genesis-18-1-15/)

**Lexicon:**

- [H0113 - adon](/codex/h0113-adon/)
- [H0136 - adonai](/codex/h0136-adonai/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.
