Passage

Genesis 18

Genesis 18 is one of the densest theophany-and-theodicy chapters in the Hebrew Bible. Three visitors appear to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre and are received with patriarchal hospitality; the LORD is identified as one of the three, and Abraham addresses Him directly as "my Lord." The visitors announce the long-promised son to elderly Sarah, then two of them move on to Sodom (cf. Gen 19), while the LORD remains and discloses His intention to judge Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham then conducts what is arguably the most remarkable intercessory exchange in scripture, bargaining the threshold of mercy from fifty righteous down to ten, on the principle "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" Christian and Jewish exegetes have read the chapter for millennia as the meeting-place of revelation (God speaks face-to-face), incarnation-prefiguration (a divine visitor in human form), and theodicy (the moral character of divine judgment).

Key verses

v. 1 "And the LORD appeared unto him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day."
v. 14 "Is anything too hard for the LORD?"
v. 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 the LORD, to do righteousness and justice."
v. 25 "That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked... shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
v. 32 "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 the ten's sake."

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. And Jehovah appeared unto him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2. and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood over against him: and 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 thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4. let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5. and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and strengthen ye your heart; after that ye shall pass on: forasmuch as ye are come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. 6. And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes. 7. And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hasted 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. 9. And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 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. 15. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. 16. And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17. And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do; 18. seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall 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 Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20. And Jehovah 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 they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22. And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before Jehovah. 23. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou consume the righteous with the wicked? 24. Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25. That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26. And Jehovah said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake. 27. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes: 28. peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five. 29. 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 the forty's sake. 30. And he said, 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 upon me to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for the 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 the ten's sake. 33. And Jehovah went his way, as soon as he had left off communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place." (Genesis 18:1-33, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"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 opposite 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 morsel 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. 9. They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “See, 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, 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.” 15. Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.” 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.” 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. Be it 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." (Genesis 18:1-33, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 2. 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, 3. And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 4. Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 5. 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. ^{comfort: Heb. stay} ^{are: Heb. you have passed} 6. 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. ^{Make ready: Heb. Hasten} 7. 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. 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. 9. And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 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. 15. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. 16. And the men rose up from thence, 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; 18. Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 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 upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20. And the LORD 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 they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. 23. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24. Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25. 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? 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. 27. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: 28. 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. 29. 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. 30. 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. 31. 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. 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. 33. And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place." (Genesis 18:1-33, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. And Jehovah appeareth unto him among the oaks of Mamre, and he is sitting at the opening of the tent, about the heat of the day; 2. and he lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, three men standing by him, and he seeth, and runneth to meet them from the opening of the tent, and boweth himself towards the earth, 3. And he saith, 'My Lord, if, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, do not, I pray thee, pass on from thy servant; 4. let, I pray thee, a little water be accepted, and wash your feet, and recline under the tree; 5. and I bring a piece of bread, and support ye your heart; afterwards pass on, for therefore have ye passed over unto your servant;' and they say, 'So mayest thou do as thou has spoken.' 6. And Abraham hasteth towards the tent, unto Sarah, and saith, 'Hasten three measures of flour-meal, knead, and make cakes;' 7. and Abraham ran unto the herd, and taketh a son of the herd, tender and good, and giveth unto the young man, and he hasteth to prepare it; 8. and he taketh butter and milk, and the son of the herd which he hath prepared, and setteth before them; and he is standing by them under the tree, and they do eat. 9. And they say unto him, 'Where [is] Sarah thy wife?' and he saith, 'Lo, in the tent;' 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.' 15. And Sarah denieth, saying, 'I did not laugh;' for she hath been afraid; and He saith, 'Nay, but thou didst laugh.' 16. And the men rise from thence, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away; 17. and Jehovah said, 'Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing, 18. and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth? 19. for I have known him, that he commandeth his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of Jehovah), to do righteousness and judgment, that Jehovah may bring on Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him.' 20. And Jehovah saith, 'The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because great; and their sin, because exceeding grievous: 21. I go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming unto Me they have done completely, and if not, I know;' 22. and the men turn from thence, and go towards Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before Jehovah. 23. And Abraham draweth nigh and saith, 'Dost Thou also consume righteous with wicked? 24. peradventure there are fifty righteous in the midst of the city; dost Thou also consume, and not bear with the place for the sake of the fifty, the righteous who [are] in its midst? 25. Far be it from Thee to do according to this thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked; that it hath been, as the righteous so the wicked, far be it from Thee; doth the Judge of all the earth not do justice?' 26. And Jehovah saith, 'If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne with all the place for their sake.' 27. And Abraham answereth and saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord, and I, dust and ashes; 28. peradventure there are lacking five of the fifty righteous, dost Thou destroy for five the whole of the city?' and He saith, 'I destroy [it] not, if I find there forty and five.' 29. And he addeth again to speak unto Him and saith, 'Peradventure there are found there forty?' and He saith, 'I do [it] not, because of the forty.' 30. And he saith, 'Let it not be, I Pray thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak: peradventure there are found there thirty?' and He saith, 'I do [it] not, if I find there thirty.' 31. And he saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, I have willed to speak unto the Lord: peradventure there are found there twenty?' and He saith, 'I do not destroy [it], because of the twenty.' 32. And he saith, 'Let it not be, I pray Thee, displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: peradventure there are found there ten?' and He saith, 'I do not destroy [it], because of the ten.' 33. And Jehovah goeth on, when He hath finished speaking unto Abraham, and Abraham hath turned back to his place." (Genesis 18:1-33, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: narrative voice (traditionally Moses) plus the LORD and two angelic companions in direct discourse with Abraham and Sarah
Audience: the patriarch Abraham (with Sarah listening from the tent), with implied audience the post-Sinai Israel reading the patriarchal narrative
Location: the oaks of Mamre near Hebron, in southern Canaan; the bargaining likely on the ridge overlooking the Dead Sea plain
Time period: patriarchal narrative, c. 2000-1900 BC by traditional chronology; the day before Sodom's destruction recounted in Genesis 19

Theological reading

The chapter establishes several themes that ramify across the rest of scripture. First, divine self-revelation through visible manifestation. The LORD is one of the "three men" who eat with Abraham, and Abraham addresses Him as Adonai throughout. The chapter's literary structure refuses to distinguish neatly between the LORD and the visitors at the meal, then names two of them as angels in the next chapter (Gen 19:1). Christian exegetes from Justin Martyr through Augustine read the visible LORD here as a pre-incarnate appearance of the divine Son, the one who later took flesh. Whether that identification is read maximally (a full appearance of the second person of the Trinity) or minimally (a visible glory or angel-of-the-LORD figure who speaks as the LORD), the text presents God as personally present, embodied enough to share a meal, and directly addressable.

Second, theodicy. v. 25's "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" is the foundational scriptural challenge to any view that makes divine sovereignty bypass moral reasoning. Abraham, the chosen one, does not bow silently before judgment; he reasons with God on the principle that God's own justice forbids slaying the righteous with the wicked. The LORD does not rebuke the question; He answers it ten times, each concession granting Abraham's premise. The text presupposes that God's judgments are morally intelligible and morally answerable, and that intercessory reasoning is a legitimate part of covenantal relationship.

Third, election as vocation. v. 19 unfolds why God has set Abraham apart: not as bare favoritism but "to the end that he may command his children... to do righteousness and justice." Election is for moral formation that propagates to the nations.

Fourth, intercession as Christian template. Abraham's reasoning ("Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?") prefigures the New Testament's intercessor-priest theology and is one of the clearest Old Testament warrants for pleading with God on behalf of those under judgment.

Key words

H3068 - YHWH, YHWH (Strong's H3068), the divine name; the visitor is identified as Yahweh from v. 1.
H0136 - adonai, adonai (Strong's H136), Lord; Abraham's title for the visitor.
H4941 - mishpat, mishpat (Strong's H4941), justice / judgment; the keyword of vv. 19 and 25.

Theological themes

Theophany at Mamre. A visible divine appearance, eating with Abraham, prefiguring later embodied revelation.
Three visitors typology. Patristic readings range from "the LORD plus two angels" to early Trinitarian readings; both presuppose the chapter's unusual ontological density.
Judge of all the earth. v. 25 grounds theodicy in God's character; divine justice is not arbitrary.
Intercession. Abraham's bargaining establishes intercessory prayer as part of covenantal life.
Election for blessing. v. 18-19 frames Abraham's chosenness as conduit, not privilege.
Hospitality to strangers. The patriarchal hospitality scene anchors a recurring biblical motif (cf. Heb 13:2).

Cross-references

Genesis 19, the parallel destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by the two angelic visitors.
Genesis 3.15, the protoevangelium and the larger Genesis covenant trajectory.
Exodus 20.5, the visiting-iniquity passage Abraham's "shall not the Judge of all the earth do right" implicitly engages.
Hebrews 11.8, the New Testament memorial of Abraham's covenant faith.
Romans 1.20, general revelation grounded in created order, parallel to direct revelation here.

Quoted in

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 (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
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 for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.