Genesis 12:5

12:5 And Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew ¹  Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired ²  in Haran, and they left for ³  the land of Canaan. They entered the land of Canaan.

Genesis 12:1

The Obedience of Abram

12:1 Now the Lord said ⁴  to Abram, ⁵ 

“Go out ⁶  from your country, your relatives, and your father’s household

to the land that I will show you. ⁷ 

Genesis 15:1-21

The Cutting of the Covenant

15:1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram! I am your shield ⁸  and the one who will reward you in great abundance.” ⁹ 

15:2 But Abram said, “O sovereign Lord, ¹⁰  what will you give me since ¹¹  I continue to be ¹²  childless, and my heir ¹³  is ¹⁴  Eliezer of Damascus?” ¹⁵  15:3 Abram added, ¹⁶  “Since ¹⁷  you have not given me a descendant, then look, one born in my house will be my heir!” ¹⁸ 

15:4 But look, ¹⁹  the word of the Lord came to him: “This man ²⁰  will not be your heir, ²¹  but instead ²²  a son ²³  who comes from your own body will be ²⁴  your heir.” ²⁵  15:5 The Lord ²⁶  took him outside and said, “Gaze into the sky and count the stars – if you are able to count them!” Then he said to him, “So will your descendants be.”

15:6 Abram believed ²⁷  the Lord, and the Lord ²⁸  considered his response of faith ²⁹  as proof of genuine loyalty. ³⁰ 

15:7 The Lord said ³¹  to him, “I am the Lord ³²  who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans ³³  to give you this land to possess.” 15:8 But ³⁴  Abram ³⁵  said, “O sovereign Lord, ³⁶  by what ³⁷  can I know that I am to possess it?”

15:9 The Lord ³⁸  said to him, “Take for me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, along with a dove and a young pigeon.” 15:10 So Abram ³⁹  took all these for him and then cut them in two ⁴⁰  and placed each half opposite the other, ⁴¹  but he did not cut the birds in half. 15:11 When birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

15:12 When the sun went down, Abram fell sound asleep, ⁴²  and great terror overwhelmed him. ⁴³  15:13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain ⁴⁴  that your descendants will be strangers ⁴⁵  in a foreign country. ⁴⁶  They will be enslaved and oppressed ⁴⁷  for four hundred years. 15:14 But I will execute judgment on the nation that they will serve. ⁴⁸  Afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15:15 But as for you, ⁴⁹  you will go to your ancestors ⁵⁰  in peace and be buried at a good old age. ⁵¹  15:16 In the fourth generation ⁵²  your descendants ⁵³  will return here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its limit.” ⁵⁴ 

15:17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking firepot with a flaming torch ⁵⁵  passed between the animal parts. ⁵⁶  15:18 That day the Lord made a covenant ⁵⁷  with Abram: “To your descendants I give ⁵⁸  this land, from the river of Egypt ⁵⁹  to the great river, the Euphrates River – 15:19 the land ⁶⁰  of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 15:20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 15:21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.” ⁶¹ 

Genesis 18:1-33

Three Special Visitors

18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham ⁶²  by the oaks ⁶³  of Mamre while ⁶⁴  he was sitting at the entrance ⁶⁵  to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 18:2 Abraham ⁶⁶  looked up ⁶⁷  and saw ⁶⁸  three men standing across ⁶⁹  from him. When he saw them ⁷⁰  he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low ⁷¹  to the ground. ⁷² 

18:3 He said, “My lord, ⁷³  if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant. ⁷⁴  18:4 Let a little water be brought so that ⁷⁵  you may all ⁷⁶  wash your feet and rest under the tree. 18:5 And let me get ⁷⁷  a bit of food ⁷⁸  so that you may refresh yourselves ⁷⁹  since you have passed by your servant’s home. After that you may be on your way.” ⁸⁰  “All right,” they replied, “you may do as you say.”

18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take ⁸¹  three measures ⁸²  of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.” ⁸³  18:7 Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, ⁸⁴  who quickly prepared it. ⁸⁵  18:8 Abraham ⁸⁶  then took some curds and milk, along with the calf that had been prepared, and placed the food ⁸⁷  before them. They ate while ⁸⁸  he was standing near them under a tree.

18:9 Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, ⁸⁹  in the tent.” 18:10 One of them ⁹⁰  said, “I will surely return ⁹¹  to you when the season comes round again, ⁹²  and your wife Sarah will have a son!” ⁹³  (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. ⁹⁴  18:11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; ⁹⁵  Sarah had long since passed menopause.) ⁹⁶  18:12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, ⁹⁷  “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, ⁹⁸  especially when my husband is old too?” ⁹⁹ 

18:13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why ¹⁰⁰  did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really ¹⁰¹  have a child when I am old?’ 18:14 Is anything impossible ¹⁰²  for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.” ¹⁰³  18:15 Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.” ¹⁰⁴ 

Abraham Pleads for Sodom

18:16 When the men got up to leave, ¹⁰⁵  they looked out over ¹⁰⁶  Sodom. (Now ¹⁰⁷  Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.) ¹⁰⁸  18:17 Then the Lord said, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? ¹⁰⁹  18:18 After all, Abraham ¹¹⁰  will surely become ¹¹¹  a great and powerful nation, and all the nations on the earth will pronounce blessings on one another ¹¹²  using his name. 18:19 I have chosen him ¹¹³  so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep ¹¹⁴  the way of the Lord by doing ¹¹⁵  what is right and just. Then the Lord will give ¹¹⁶  to Abraham what he promised ¹¹⁷  him.”

18:20 So the Lord said, “The outcry against ¹¹⁸  Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so blatant ¹¹⁹  18:21 that I must go down ¹²⁰  and see if they are as wicked as the outcry suggests. ¹²¹  If not, ¹²²  I want to know.”

18:22 The two men turned ¹²³  and headed ¹²⁴  toward Sodom, but Abraham was still standing before the Lord. ¹²⁵  18:23 Abraham approached and said, “Will you sweep away the godly along with the wicked? 18:24 What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare ¹²⁶  the place for the sake of the fifty godly people who are in it? 18:25 Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge ¹²⁷  of the whole earth do what is right?” ¹²⁸ 

18:26 So the Lord replied, “If I find in the city of Sodom fifty godly people, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

18:27 Then Abraham asked, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord ¹²⁹  (although I am but dust and ashes), ¹³⁰  18:28 what if there are five less than the fifty godly people? Will you destroy ¹³¹  the whole city because five are lacking?” ¹³²  He replied, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

18:29 Abraham ¹³³  spoke to him again, ¹³⁴  “What if forty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.”

18:30 Then Abraham ¹³⁵  said, “May the Lord not be angry ¹³⁶  so that I may speak! ¹³⁷  What if thirty are found there?” He replied, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”

18:31 Abraham ¹³⁸  said, “Since I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty.”

18:32 Finally Abraham ¹³⁹  said, “May the Lord not be angry so that I may speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

18:33 The Lord went on his way ¹⁴⁰  when he had finished speaking ¹⁴¹  to Abraham. Then Abraham returned home. ¹⁴² 

[12:5]  ¹ tn Heb “the son of his brother.”

[12:5]  ² tn For the semantic nuance “acquire [property]” for the verb עָשָׂה (’asah), see BDB 795 s.v. עָשָׂה.

[12:5]  ³ tn Heb “went out to go.”

[12:1]  ⁴ sn The Lord called Abram while he was in Ur (see Gen 15:7; Acts 7:2); but the sequence here makes it look like it was after the family left to migrate to Canaan (11:31-32). Genesis records the call of Abram at this place in the narrative because it is the formal beginning of the account of Abram. The record of Terah was brought to its end before this beginning.

[12:1]  ⁵ tn The call of Abram begins with an imperative לֶךְ־לְךָ (lekh-lÿkha, “go out”) followed by three cohortatives (v. 2a) indicating purpose or consequence (“that I may” or “then I will”). If Abram leaves, then God will do these three things. The second imperative (v. 2b, literally “and be a blessing”) is subordinated to the preceding cohortatives and indicates God’s ultimate purpose in calling and blessing Abram. On the syntactical structure of vv. 1-2 see R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 37. For a similar sequence of volitive forms see Gen 45:18.

[12:1]  ⁶ tn The initial command is the direct imperative (לֶךְ, lekh) from the verb הָלַךְ (halakh). It is followed by the lamed preposition with a pronominal suffix (לְךָ, lÿkha) emphasizing the subject of the imperative: “you leave.”

[12:1]  ⁷ sn To the land that I will show you. The call of Abram illustrates the leading of the Lord. The command is to leave. The Lord’s word is very specific about what Abram is to leave (the three prepositional phrases narrow to his father’s household), but is not specific at all about where he is to go. God required faith, a point that Heb 11:8 notes.

[15:1]  ⁷ sn The noun “shield” recalls the words of Melchizedek in 14:20. If God is the shield, then God will deliver. Abram need not fear reprisals from those he has fought.

[15:1]  ⁸ tn Heb “your reward [in] great abundance.” When the phrase הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ (harbeh mÿod) follows a noun it invariably modifies the noun and carries the nuance “very great” or “in great abundance.” (See its use in Gen 41:49; Deut 3:5; Josh 22:8; 2 Sam 8:8; 12:2; 1 Kgs 4:29; 10:10-11; 2 Chr 14:13; 32:27; Jer 40:12.) Here the noun “reward” is in apposition to “shield” and refers by metonymy to God as the source of the reward. Some translate here “your reward will be very great” (cf. NASB, NRSV), taking the statement as an independent clause and understanding the Hiphil infinitive absolute as a substitute for a finite verb. However, the construction הַרְבּה מְאֹדֵ is never used this way elsewhere, where it either modifies a noun (see the texts listed above) or serves as an adverb in relation to a finite verb (see Josh 13:1; 1 Sam 26:21; 2 Sam 12:30; 2 Kgs 21:16; 1 Chr 20:2; Neh 2:2).

[15:2]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew text has אֲדֹנָי יֱהוִה (’adonay yehvih, “Master, Lord”). Since the tetragrammaton (YHWH) usually is pointed with the vowels for the Hebrew word אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “master”) to avoid pronouncing the divine name, that would lead in this place to a repetition of אֲדֹנָי. So the tetragrammaton is here pointed with the vowels for the word אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “God”) instead. That would produce the reading of the Hebrew as “Master, God” in the Jewish textual tradition. But the presence of “Master” before the holy name is rather compelling evidence that the original would have been “Master, Lord,” which is rendered here “sovereign Lord.”

[15:2]  ¹¹ tn The vav (ו) disjunctive at the beginning of the clause is circumstantial, expressing the cause or reason.

[15:2]  ¹² tn Heb “I am going.”

[15:2]  ¹³ tn Heb “the son of the acquisition of my house.”

[15:2]  ¹⁴ tn The pronoun is anaphoric here, equivalent to the verb “to be” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 23, §115).

[15:2]  ¹⁵ sn The sentence in the Hebrew text employs a very effective wordplay on the name Damascus: “The son of the acquisition (בֶּן־מֶשֶׁק, ben-mesheq) of my house is Eliezer of Damascus (דַּמֶּשֶׁק, dammesheq).” The words are not the same; they have different sibilants. But the sound play gives the impression that “in the nomen is the omen.” Eliezer the Damascene will be Abram’s heir if Abram dies childless because “Damascus” seems to mean that. See M. F. Unger, “Some Comments on the Text of Genesis 15:2-3,” JBL 72 (1953): 49-50; H. L. Ginsberg, “Abram’s ‘Damascene’ Steward,” BASOR 200 (1970): 31-32.

[15:3]  ¹³ tn Heb “And Abram said.”

[15:3]  ¹⁴ tn The construction uses הֵן (hen) to introduce the foundational clause (“since…”), and וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh) to introduce the main clause (“then look…”).

[15:3]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “is inheriting me.”

[15:4]  ¹⁶ tn The disjunctive draws attention to God’s response and the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, translated “look”) mirrors Abram’s statement in v. 3 and highlights the fact that God responded to Abram.

[15:4]  ¹⁷ tn The subject of the verb is the demonstrative pronoun, which can be translated “this one” or “this man.” That the Lord does not mention him by name is significant; often in ancient times the use of the name would bring legitimacy to inheritance and adoption cases.

[15:4]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “inherit you.”

[15:4]  ¹⁹ tn The Hebrew כִּי־אִם (ki-’im) forms a very strong adversative.

[15:4]  ²⁰ tn Heb “he who”; the implied referent (Abram’s unborn son who will be his heir) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:4]  ²¹ tn The pronoun could also be an emphatic subject: “whoever comes out of your body, he will inherit you.”

[15:4]  ²² tn Heb “will inherit you.”

[15:5]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:6]  ²² tn The nonconsecutive vav (ו) is on a perfect verbal form. If the composer of the narrative had wanted to show simple sequence, he would have used the vav consecutive with the preterite. The perfect with vav conjunctive (where one expects the preterite with vav consecutive) in narrative contexts can have a variety of discourse functions, but here it probably serves to highlight Abram’s response to God’s promise. For a detailed discussion of the vav + perfect construction in Hebrew narrative, see R. Longacre, “Weqatal Forms in Biblical Hebrew Prose: A Discourse-modular Approach,” Biblical Hebrew and Discourse Linguistics, 50-98. The Hebrew verb אָמַן (’aman) means “to confirm, to support” in the Qal verbal stem. Its derivative nouns refer to something or someone that/who provides support, such as a “pillar,” “nurse,” or “guardian, trustee.” In the Niphal stem it comes to mean “to be faithful, to be reliable, to be dependable,” or “to be firm, to be sure.” In the Hiphil, the form used here, it takes on a declarative sense: “to consider something reliable [or “dependable”].” Abram regarded the God who made this promise as reliable and fully capable of making it a reality.

[15:6]  ²³ tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:6]  ²⁴ tn Heb “and he reckoned it to him.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix refers back to Abram’s act of faith, mentioned in the preceding clause. On third feminine singular pronouns referring back to verbal ideas see GKC 440-41 §135.p. Some propose taking the suffix as proleptic, anticipating the following feminine noun (“righteousness”). In this case one might translate: “and he reckoned it to him – [namely] righteousness.” See O. P. Robertson, “Genesis 15:6: A New Covenant Exposition of an Old Covenant Text,” WTJ 42 (1980): 259-89.

[15:6]  ²⁵ tn Or “righteousness”; or “evidence of steadfast commitment.” The noun is an adverbial accusative. The verb translated “considered” (Heb “reckoned”) also appears with צְדָקָה (tsÿdaqah, “righteousness”) in Ps 106:31. Alluding to the events recorded in Numbers 25, the psalmist notes that Phinehas’ actions were “credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.” Reference is made to the unconditional, eternal covenant with which God rewarded Phinehas’ loyalty (Num 25:12-13). So צְדָקָה seems to carry by metonymy the meaning “loyal, rewardable behavior” here, a nuance that fits nicely in Genesis 15, where God responds to Abram’s faith by formally ratifying his promise to give Abram and his descendants the land. (See R. B. Chisholm, “Evidence from Genesis,” A Case for Premillennialism, 40.) In Phoenician and Old Aramaic inscriptions cognate nouns glossed as “correct, justifiable conduct” sometimes carry this same semantic nuance (DNWSI 2:962).

[15:7]  ²⁵ tn Heb “And he said.”

[15:7]  ²⁶ sn I am the Lord. The Lord initiates the covenant-making ceremony with a declaration of who he is and what he has done for Abram. The same form appears at the beginning of the covenant made at Sinai (see Exod 20:1).

[15:7]  ²⁷ sn The phrase of the Chaldeans is a later editorial clarification for the readers, designating the location of Ur. From all evidence there would have been no Chaldeans in existence at this early date; they are known in the time of the neo-Babylonian empire in the first millennium b.c.

[15:8]  ²⁸ tn Here the vav carries adversative force and is translated “but.”

[15:8]  ²⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:8]  ³⁰ tn See note on the phrase “sovereign Lord” in 15:2.

[15:8]  ³¹ tn Or “how.”

[15:9]  ³¹ tn Heb “He”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:10]  ³⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[15:10]  ³⁵ tn Heb “in the middle.”

[15:10]  ³⁶ tn Heb “to meet its neighbor.”

[15:12]  ³⁷ tn Heb “a deep sleep fell on Abram.”

[15:12]  ³⁸ tn Heb “and look, terror, a great darkness was falling on him.”

[15:13]  ⁴⁰ tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, with the Qal infinitive absolute followed by the imperfect from יָדַע (yada’, “know”). The imperfect here has an obligatory or imperatival force.

[15:13]  ⁴¹ tn The Hebrew word גֵּר (ger, “sojourner, stranger”) is related to the verb גּוּר (gur, “to sojourn, to stay for awhile”). Abram’s descendants will stay in a land as resident aliens without rights of citizenship.

[15:13]  ⁴² tn Heb “in a land not theirs.”

[15:13]  ⁴³ tn Heb “and they will serve them and they will oppress them.” The verb עִנּוּ, (’innu, a Piel form from עָנָה, ’anah, “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly”), is used in Exod 1:11 to describe the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt.

[15:14]  ⁴³ tn The participle דָּן (dan, from דִּין, din) is used here for the future: “I am judging” = “I will surely judge.” The judgment in this case will be condemnation and punishment. The translation “execute judgment on” implies that the judgment will certainly be carried out.

[15:15]  ⁴⁶ tn The vav with the pronoun before the verb calls special attention to the subject in contrast to the preceding subject.

[15:15]  ⁴⁷ sn You will go to your ancestors. This is a euphemistic expression for death.

[15:15]  ⁴⁸ tn Heb “in a good old age.”

[15:16]  ⁴⁹ sn The term generation is being used here in its widest sense to refer to a full life span. When the chronological factors are considered and the genealogies tabulated, there are four hundred years of bondage. This suggests that in this context a generation is equivalent to one hundred years.

[15:16]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “they”; the referent (“your descendants”) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[15:16]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “is not yet complete.”

[15:17]  ⁵² sn A smoking pot with a flaming torch. These same implements were used in Mesopotamian rituals designed to ward off evil (see E. A. Speiser, Genesis [AB], 113-14).

[15:17]  ⁵³ tn Heb “these pieces.”

[15:18]  ⁵⁵ tn Heb “cut a covenant.”

[15:18]  ⁵⁶ tn The perfect verbal form is understood as instantaneous (“I here and now give”). Another option is to understand it as rhetorical, indicating certitude (“I have given” meaning it is as good as done, i.e., “I will surely give”).

[15:18]  ⁵⁷ sn The river of Egypt is a wadi (a seasonal stream) on the northeastern border of Egypt, not to the River Nile.

[15:19]  ⁵⁸ tn The words “the land” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[15:21]  ⁶¹ tn Each of the names in the list has the Hebrew definite article, which is used here generically for the class of people identified.

[18:1]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “terebinths.”

[18:1]  ⁶⁶ tn The disjunctive clause here is circumstantial to the main clause.

[18:1]  ⁶⁷ tn The Hebrew noun translated “entrance” is an adverbial accusative of place.

[18:2]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:2]  ⁶⁸ tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”

[18:2]  ⁶⁹ tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to what he saw. The drawn-out description focuses the reader’s attention on Abraham’s deliberate, fixed gaze and indicates that what he is seeing is significant.

[18:2]  ⁷⁰ tn The Hebrew preposition עַל (’al) indicates the three men were nearby, but not close by, for Abraham had to run to meet them.

[18:2]  ⁷¹ tn The pronoun “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.

[18:2]  ⁷² tn The form וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ (vayyishtakhu, “and bowed low”) is from the verb הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (hishtakhavah, “to worship, bow low to the ground”). It is probably from a root חָוָה (khavah), though some derive it from שָׁחָה (shakhah).

[18:2]  ⁷³ sn The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the Lord and two angels (see Gen 19:1). It is not certain how soon Abraham recognized the true identity of the visitors. His actions suggest he suspected this was something out of the ordinary, though it is possible that his lavish treatment of the visitors was done quite unwittingly. Bowing down to the ground would be reserved for obeisance of kings or worship of the Lord. Whether he was aware of it or not, Abraham’s action was most appropriate.

[18:3]  ⁷⁰ tc The MT has the form אֲדֹנָי (’adonay, “Master”) which is reserved for God. This may reflect later scribal activity. The scribes, knowing it was the Lord, may have put the proper pointing with the word instead of the more common אֲדֹנִי (’adoni, “my master”).

[18:3]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “do not pass by from upon your servant.”

[18:4]  ⁷³ tn The imperative after the jussive indicates purpose here.

[18:4]  ⁷⁴ tn The word “all” has been supplied in the translation because the Hebrew verb translated “wash” and the pronominal suffix on the word “feet” are plural, referring to all three of the visitors.

[18:5]  ⁷⁶ tn The Qal cohortative here probably has the nuance of polite request.

[18:5]  ⁷⁷ tn Heb “a piece of bread.” The Hebrew word לֶחֶם (lekhem) can refer either to bread specifically or to food in general. Based on Abraham’s directions to Sarah in v. 6, bread was certainly involved, but v. 7 indicates that Abraham had a more elaborate meal in mind.

[18:5]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “strengthen your heart.” The imperative after the cohortative indicates purpose here.

[18:5]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “so that you may refresh yourselves, after [which] you may be on your way – for therefore you passed by near your servant.”

[18:6]  ⁷⁹ tn The word “take” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the sentence lacks a verb other than the imperative “hurry.” The elliptical structure of the language reflects Abraham’s haste to get things ready quickly.

[18:6]  ⁸⁰ sn Three measures (Heb “three seahs”) was equivalent to about twenty quarts (twenty-two liters) of flour, which would make a lot of bread. The animal prepared for the meal was far more than the three visitors needed. This was a banquet for royalty. Either it had been a lonely time for Abraham and the presence of visitors made him very happy, or he sensed this was a momentous visit.

[18:6]  ⁸¹ sn The bread was the simple, round bread made by bedouins that is normally prepared quickly for visitors.

[18:7]  ⁸² tn Heb “the young man.”

[18:7]  ⁸³ tn The construction uses the Piel preterite, “he hurried,” followed by the infinitive construct; the two probably form a verbal hendiadys: “he quickly prepared.”

[18:8]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:8]  ⁸⁶ tn The words “the food” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.

[18:8]  ⁸⁷ tn The disjunctive clause is a temporal circumstantial clause subordinate to the main verb.

[18:9]  ⁸⁸ tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) often accompanies a gesture of pointing or a focused gaze.

[18:10]  ⁹¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (one of the three men introduced in v. 2) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Some English translations have specified the referent as the Lord (cf. RSV, NIV) based on vv. 1, 13, but the Hebrew text merely has “he said” at this point, referring to one of the three visitors. Aside from the introductory statement in v. 1, the incident is narrated from Abraham’s point of view, and the suspense is built up for the reader as Abraham’s elaborate banquet preparations in the preceding verses suggest he suspects these are important guests. But not until the promise of a son later in this verse does it become clear who is speaking. In v. 13 the Hebrew text explicitly mentions the Lord.

[18:10]  ⁹² tn The Hebrew construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the imperfect tense.

[18:10]  ⁹³ tn Heb “as/when the time lives” or “revives,” possibly referring to the springtime.

[18:10]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “and there will be (הִנֵּה, hinneh) a son for Sarah.”

[18:10]  ⁹⁵ tn This is the first of two disjunctive parenthetical clauses preparing the reader for Sarah’s response (see v. 12).

[18:11]  ⁹⁴ tn Heb “days.”

[18:11]  ⁹⁵ tn Heb “it had ceased to be for Sarah [after] a way like women.”

[18:12]  ⁹⁷ tn Heb “saying.”

[18:12]  ⁹⁸ tn It has been suggested that this word should be translated “conception,” not “pleasure.” See A. A. McIntosh, “A Third Root ‘adah in Biblical Hebrew,” VT 24 (1974): 454-73.

[18:12]  ⁹⁹ tn The word “too” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[18:13]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “Why, this?” The demonstrative pronoun following the interrogative pronoun is enclitic, emphasizing the Lord’s amazement: “Why on earth did Sarah laugh?”

[18:13]  ¹⁰¹ tn The Hebrew construction uses both הַאַף (ha’af) and אֻמְנָם (’umnam): “Indeed, truly, will I have a child?”

[18:14]  ¹⁰³ tn The Hebrew verb פָּלָא (pala’) means “to be wonderful, to be extraordinary, to be surpassing, to be amazing.”

[18:14]  ¹⁰⁴ sn Sarah will have a son. The passage brings God’s promise into clear focus. As long as it was a promise for the future, it really could be believed without much involvement. But now, when it seemed so impossible from the human standpoint, when the Lord fixed an exact date for the birth of the child, the promise became rather overwhelming to Abraham and Sarah. But then this was the Lord of creation, the one they had come to trust. The point of these narratives is that the creation of Abraham’s offspring, which eventually became Israel, is no less a miraculous work of creation than the creation of the world itself.

[18:15]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “And he said, ‘No, but you did laugh.’” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:16]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “And the men arose from there.”

[18:16]  ¹¹⁰ tn Heb “toward the face of.”

[18:16]  ¹¹¹ tn The disjunctive parenthetical clause sets the stage for the following speech.

[18:16]  ¹¹² tn The Piel of שָׁלַח (shalakh) means “to lead out, to send out, to expel”; here it is used in the friendly sense of seeing the visitors on their way.

[18:17]  ¹¹² tn The active participle here refers to an action that is imminent.

[18:18]  ¹¹⁵ tn Heb “And Abraham.” The disjunctive clause is probably causal, giving a reason why God should not hide his intentions from Abraham. One could translate, “Should I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation?”

[18:18]  ¹¹⁶ tn The infinitive absolute lends emphasis to the finite verb that follows.

[18:18]  ¹¹⁷ tn Theoretically the Niphal can be translated either as passive or reflexive/reciprocal. (The Niphal of “bless” is only used in formulations of the Abrahamic covenant. See Gen 12:2; 18:18; 28:14.) Traditionally the verb is taken as passive here, as if Abram were going to be a channel or source of blessing. But in later formulations of the Abrahamic covenant (see Gen 22:18; 26:4) the Hitpael replaces this Niphal form, suggesting a translation “will bless [i.e., “pronounce blessings upon”] themselves [or “one another”].” The Hitpael of “bless” is used with a reflexive/reciprocal sense in Deut 29:18; Ps 72:17; Isa 65:16; Jer 4:2. Gen 18:18 (like 12:2) predicts that Abraham will be held up as a paradigm of divine blessing and that people will use his name in their blessing formulae. For examples of blessing formulae utilizing an individual as an example of blessing see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11.

[18:19]  ¹¹⁸ tn Heb “For I have known him.” The verb יָדַע (yada’) here means “to recognize and treat in a special manner, to choose” (see Amos 3:2). It indicates that Abraham stood in a special covenantal relationship with the Lord.

[18:19]  ¹¹⁹ tn Heb “and they will keep.” The perfect verbal form with vav consecutive carries on the subjective nuance of the preceding imperfect verbal form (translated “so that he may command”).

[18:19]  ¹²⁰ tn The infinitive construct here indicates manner, explaining how Abraham’s children and his household will keep the way of the Lord.

[18:19]  ¹²¹ tn Heb “bring on.” The infinitive after לְמַעַן (lÿma’an) indicates result here.

[18:19]  ¹²² tn Heb “spoke to.”

[18:20]  ¹²¹ tn Heb “the outcry of Sodom,” which apparently refers to the outcry for divine justice from those (unidentified persons) who observe its sinful ways.

[18:20]  ¹²² tn Heb “heavy.”

[18:21]  ¹²⁴ tn The cohortative indicates the Lord’s resolve.

[18:21]  ¹²⁵ tn Heb “[if] according to the outcry that has come to me they have done completely.” Even the Lord, who is well aware of the human capacity to sin, finds it hard to believe that anyone could be as bad as the “outcry” against Sodom and Gomorrah suggests.

[18:21]  ¹²⁶ sn The short phrase if not provides a ray of hope and inspires Abraham’s intercession.

[18:22]  ¹²⁷ tn Heb “And the men turned from there.” The word “two” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied here for clarity. Gen 19:1 mentions only two individuals (described as “angels”), while Abraham had entertained three visitors (18:2). The implication is that the Lord was the third visitor, who remained behind with Abraham here. The words “from there” are not included in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[18:22]  ¹²⁸ tn Heb “went.”

[18:22]  ¹²⁹ tc An ancient Hebrew scribal tradition reads “but the Lord remained standing before Abraham.” This reading is problematic because the phrase “standing before” typically indicates intercession, but the Lord would certainly not be interceding before Abraham.

[18:24]  ¹³⁰ tn Heb “lift up,” perhaps in the sense of “bear with” (cf. NRSV “forgive”).

[18:25]  ¹³³ tn Or “ruler.”

[18:25]  ¹³⁴ sn Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right? For discussion of this text see J. L. Crenshaw, “Popular Questioning of the Justice of God in Ancient Israel,” ZAW 82 (1970): 380-95, and C. S. Rodd, “Shall Not the Judge of All the Earth Do What Is Just?” ExpTim 83 (1972): 137-39.

[18:27]  ¹³⁶ tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here and in vv. 30, 31, 32 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[18:27]  ¹³⁷ tn The disjunctive clause is a concessive clause here, drawing out the humility as a contrast to the Lord.

[18:28]  ¹³⁹ tn The Hebrew verb שָׁחַת (shakhat, “to destroy”) was used earlier to describe the effect of the flood.

[18:28]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Heb “because of five.”

[18:29]  ¹⁴² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:29]  ¹⁴³ tn The construction is a verbal hendiadys – the preterite (“he added”) is combined with an adverb “yet” and an infinitive “to speak.”

[18:30]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:30]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Heb “let it not be hot to the Lord.” This is an idiom which means “may the Lord not be angry.”

[18:30]  ¹⁴⁷ tn After the jussive, the cohortative indicates purpose/result.

[18:31]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:32]  ¹⁵¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:33]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Heb “And the Lord went.”

[18:33]  ¹⁵⁵ tn The infinitive construct (“speaking”) serves as the direct object of the verb “finished.”

[18:33]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Heb “to his place.”