Genesis 18:3

My lord R.V. marg. O Lord. The Heb. word so rendered has received three different translations.

(1) "O Lord," as in Genesis 18:27; Genesis 18:30, Adonâi, addressed to God. So the Massoretic Heb. text, adding the word "holy," as a note, to safeguard the meaning and the pronunciation.

(2) "my lords," adonâi, as if Abraham addressed his three visitors together: compare the plural in Genesis 18:4.

(3) "my lord" (with change of vocalization), adônî(cf. Genesis 23:6; Genesis 23:11). The sing. is used in Genesis 18:3 (" thyservant"). This third rendering seems the most probable: (a) there is no sign of Abraham's recognizing the real character of the strangers; (b) it would seem probable that he instinctively recognized one of them as the superior in position, though he does not perceive in him the manifestation of Jehovah until after Genesis 18:15.