181 Now the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre , while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day . 2 When he lifted up his eyes and looked , behold , three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth , 3 and said , "My Lord , if now I have found favor in Your sight , please do not pass your servant by. 4 "Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet , and rest yourselves under the tree ; 5 and I will bring a piece of bread , that you may refresh yourselves ; after that you may go on, since e e you have visited your servant ." And they said , "So do , as you have said ." 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah , and said , "Quickly , prepare three measures of fine flour e , knead it and make bread cakes ." 7 Abraham also ran to the herd , and took a tender and choice calf e and gave it to the servant , and he hurried to prepare it. 8 He took curds and milk and the calf e which he had prepared , and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate .
9 Then they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife ?" And he said , "There , in the tent ." 10 He said , " I will surely return to you at this time next year ; and behold , Sarah your wife will have a son ." And Sarah was listening at the tent door , which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old , advanced in age ; Sarah was past childbearing e . 12 Sarah laughed to herself , saying , " After I have become old , shall I have pleasure , my lord being old also?" 13 And the Lord said to Abraham , "Why did Sarah laugh , saying , 'Shall I indeed e bear a child, when I am so old ?' 14 " Is anything too difficult for the Lord ? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year , and Sarah will have a son ." 15 Sarah denied it however, saying , "I did not laugh "; for she was afraid . And He said , "No , but you did laugh ."
16 Then the men rose up from there , and looked down toward e Sodom ; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off. 17 The Lord said , "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do , 18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation , and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed ? 19 "For I have chosen 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 about him." 20 And the Lord said , " The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great , and their sin is exceedingly grave . 21 "I will go down now , and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry , which has come to Me; and if not, I will know ." 22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom , while Abraham was still standing before the Lord .
23 Abraham came near and said , " Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked ? 24 "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? 25 "Far be it from You to do such a thing , to slay the righteous with the wicked , so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly ?" 26 So the Lord said , " If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city , then I will spare the whole place on their account ." 27 And Abraham replied , "Now behold , I have ventured to speak to the Lord , although I am but dust and ashes . 28 "Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five , will You destroy the whole city because of five ?" And He said , "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five e there ." 29 He spoke to Him yet again and said , "Suppose forty are found there ?" And He said , "I will not do it on account of the forty ." 30 Then he said , "Oh may the Lord not be angry , and I shall speak ; suppose thirty are found there ?" And He said , "I will not do it if I find thirty there ." 31 And he said , "Now behold , I have ventured to speak to the Lord ; suppose twenty are found there ?" And He said , "I will not destroy it on account of the twenty ." 32 Then he said , " Oh may the Lord not be angry , and I shall speak only this once ; suppose ten are found there ?" And He said , "I will not destroy it on account of the ten ." 33 As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the Lord departed , and Abraham returned to his place .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 18:1-330
Commentary on Genesis 18:1-8
(Read Genesis 18:1-8)
Abraham was waiting to entertain any weary traveller, for inns were not to be met with as among us. While Abraham was thus sitting, he saw three men coming. These were three heavenly beings in human bodies. Some think they were all created angels; others, that one of them was the Son of God, the Angel of the covenant. Washing the feet is customary in those hot climates, where only sandals are worn. We should not be forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares, Revelation 3:20.
Commentary on Genesis 18:9-15
(Read Genesis 18:9-15)
Where is Sarah thy wife? was asked. Note the answer, In the tent. Just at hand, in her proper place, occupied in her household concerns. There is nothing got by gadding. Those are most likely to receive comfort from God and his promises, who are in their proper place, and in the way of their duty, 17; but He who searches the heart, saw that the one sprung from unbelief, and the other from faith. She denied that she had laughed. One sin commonly brings in another, and it is not likely we shall strictly keep to truth, when we question the Divine truth. But whom the Lord loves he will rebuke, convict, silence, and bring to repentance, and if they sin before him.
Commentary on Genesis 18:16-22
(Read Genesis 18:16-22)
The two who are supposed to have been created angels went toward Sodom. The one who is called Jehovah throughout the chapter, continued with Abraham, and would not hide from him the thing he intended to do. Though God long forbears with sinners, from which they fancy that the Lord does not see, and does not regard; yet when the day of his wrath comes, he will look toward them. The Lord will give Abraham an opportunity to intercede with him, and shows him the reason of his conduct. Consider, as a very bright part of Abraham's character and example, that he not only prayed with his family, but he was very careful to teach and rule them well. Those who expect family blessings must make conscience of family duty. Abraham did not fill their heads with matters of doubtful dispute; but he taught them to be serious and devout in the worship of God, and to be honest in their dealings with all men. Of how few may such a character be given in our days! How little care is taken by masters of families to ground those under them in the principles of religion! Do we watch from sabbath to sabbath whether they go forward or backward?
Commentary on Genesis 18:23-33
(Read Genesis 18:23-33)
Here is the first solemn prayer upon record in the Bible; and it is a prayer for the sparing of Sodom. Abraham prayed earnestly that Sodom might be spared, if but a few righteous persons should be found in it. Come and learn from Abraham what compassion we should feel for sinners, and how earnestly we should pray for them. We see here that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Abraham, indeed, failed in his request for the whole place, but Lot was miraculously delivered. Be encouraged then to expect, by earnest prayer, the blessing of God upon your families, your friends, your neighbourhood. To this end you must not only pray, but you must live like Abraham. He knew the Judge of all the earth would do right. He does not plead that the wicked may be spared for their own sake, or because it would be severe to destroy them, but for the sake of the righteous who might be found among them. And righteousness only can be made a plea before God. How then did Christ make intercession for transgressors? Not by blaming the Divine law, nor by alleging aught in extenuation or excuse of human guilt; but by pleading HIS OWN obedience unto death.