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Genesis 18

YHWH promises a son beyond human ability, then hears Abraham's appeal for mercy grounded in God's justice.

Abraham is sitting at his tent door near the oaks of Mamre when three men arrive. He prepares a meal for them, and Sarah hears the promise that she will bear a son despite her age. YHWH confronts her laughter, then speaks of the grave outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah. As the visitors turn toward Sodom, Abraham stands before YHWH and asks whether the city might be spared for the righteous within it.

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1The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
2He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,
3and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
4Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
5I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”
6Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
7Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.
8He 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.
10He 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.
11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
13The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’
14Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”
15Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
16The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
18since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
19For 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; to the end that the LORD may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
20The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
21I 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.”
22The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
23Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked?
24What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?
25May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?”
26The LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.”
27Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes.
28What 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.”
29He 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.”
30He 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.”
31He 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.”
32He 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.”
33The LORD went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Genesis 18:14YHWH answers Sarah's laughter by grounding the promised birth in his power and reaffirming its appointed time.
Genesis 18:19God links his purpose for Abraham with teaching his household to keep YHWH’s way through righteousness and justice.
Genesis 18:25Abraham bases his plea for Sodom on the conviction that the Judge of all the earth must do right.
Where this chapter reaches

Luke shares the theme of a promised birth beyond human expectation and God's power to accomplish his word. Jeremiah echoes the question about anything being too hard for God, while Job also wrestles with God's justice as ruler and judge.

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Notice

After reading the whole chapter

What stands out to you about Sarah's laughter and YHWH’s response to it?

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How does Abraham's appeal for Sodom shape the way you think about justice and mercy?

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Questions people ask about Genesis 18

Who are the three visitors in Genesis 18?

The chapter opens by saying that YHWH appeared to Abraham, then describes three men. As the scene unfolds, YHWH speaks, while the men later go toward Sodom. The chapter does not explain the identity of each visitor or identify the three as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Why does Sarah laugh in Genesis 18?

Sarah hears that she will have a son, although she and Abraham are old and she has passed childbearing age. Her inward words express disbelief that such pleasure could still be hers. YHWH challenges her laughter and repeats the promise. She denies laughing because she is afraid.

Why does Abraham stop at ten righteous people?

The text gives no reason for stopping at ten. Abraham lowers his request from fifty through several smaller numbers, and YHWH agrees each time to spare the city if that many righteous people are found. After the request concerning ten, the conversation ends and Abraham returns home.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).