Genesis 18:1-15

Visit of three Angels to Abraham, and the Promise of a Son to Sarah (J)

1. the Lord appeared The personal Theophany of Jehovah (cf. Genesis 16:13) was evidently at first not recognized by Abraham.

the oaks of Mamre Better, as R.V. marg., terebinths. See note on Genesis 13:18. Mamre is here the name of a place, not of a chieftain (Genesis 14:24).

in the heat of the day i.e. at noontide, as in 2 Samuel 4:5. Cf. 1 Samuel 11:9, "by the time the sun is hot"; Nehemiah 7:3. For "the cool of the day," see Genesis 3:8.