CHAPTER XVIII _The Lord appears unto Abraham in Mamre_, 1. _Three angels, in human appearance, come towards his tent_, 2. _He invites them in to wash and refresh themselves_, 3-5; _prepares a calf, bread, butter, and milk, for their_ _entertainment; and himself serves them_, 6-8. _They promise... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:2. _THREE MEN STOOD BY HIM_] נצבים עליו _nitstsabim alaiv_, were _standing over against him_; for if they had been _standing by_ _him_, as our translation says, he needed not to have "run from the tent door to meet them." To Abraham these appeared at first as _men_; but he _entertai... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:3. _AND SAID, MY LORD, C._] The word is אדני _Adonai_, not יהוה _Yehovah_, for as yet Abraham did not know the quality of his guests. For an explanation of this word, Genesis 15:8.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:4. _LET A LITTLE WATER - BE FETCHED, AND WASH YOUR FEET, C._] In these verses we find a delightful picture of primitive hospitality. In those ancient times shoes such as ours were not in use and the foot was protected only by _sandals_ or _soles_, which fastened round the foot with... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:5. _I WILL FETCH A MORSEL OF BREAD_] This was the _third_ requisite, and is introduced in its proper order; as eating immediately after exertion or fatigue is very unwholesome. The strong action of the lungs and heart should have time to diminish before any food is received into the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:6. _THREE MEASURES OF FINE MEAL_] The סאה _seah_, which is here translated _measure_, contained, according to Bishop Cumberland, about two gallons and a half; and Mr. Ainsworth translates the word _peck_. On this circumstance the following observations of the judicious and pious Ab... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:8. _AND HE STOOD BY THEM UNDER THE TREE, AND THEY DID EAT._] Nothing is more common in _Hindostan_ than to see travellers and guests _eating under the shade of trees_. Feasts are scarcely ever held in _houses_. The house of a Hindoo serves for _sleeping_ and _cooking_, and for _shut... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:10. _I WILL CERTAINLY RETURN_] Abraham was now _ninety-nine_ years of age, and this promise was fulfilled when he was a _hundred_; so that the phrase _according to the time of life_ must mean either a _complete year_, or _nine months_ from the present time, the ordinary time of preg... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:11. _IT CEASED TO BE WITH SARAH AFTER THE MANNER OF WOMEN._] And consequently, naturally speaking, conception could not take place; therefore if she have a son it must be in a _supernatural_ or _miraculous_ way.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:12. _SARAH LAUGHED_] Partly through pleasure at the bare idea of the _possibility_ of the thing, and partly from a conviction that it was extremely _improbable_. She appears to have been in the same spirit, and to have had the same feelings of those who, unexpectedly hearing of some... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:13. _AND THE_ LORD (Jehovah) _SAID, C._] So it appears that one of those three persons was _Jehovah_, and as this name is never given to any created being, consequently the ever-blessed God is intended and as he was never seen in any bodily shape, consequently the great Angel of the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:14. _IS ANY THING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?_] היפלא מיהוה דבר _hayippale meihovah dabar_, shall a word (or thing) be wonderful from the Lord? i.e., Can any thing be too great a miracle for _him_ to effect? The Septuagint translate the passage, Μη αδυνατησει παρα τῳ Θεῳ ῥημα; which... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:16. _ABRAHAM WENT WITH THEM TO BRING THEM ON THE WAY._] This was another piece of primitive hospitality - to direct strangers in the way. Public roads did not then exist and guides were essentially necessary in countries where villages were seldom to be met with, and where solitary... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:17. _SHALL I HIDE FROM ABRAHAM_] That is, I will not hide. A common mode of speech in Scripture - a question asked when an affirmative is designed. _Do men gather grapes of thorns_? Men do not gather grapes of thorns, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:18. _SHALL SURELY BECOME A GREAT AND MIGHTY NATION_] The revelation that I make to him shall be preserved among his posterity; and the exact fulfilment of my promises, made so long before, shall lead them to believe in my name and trust in my goodness.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:19. _AND THEY SHALL KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD_] The true religion; God's WAY; that in which God walks himself, and in which, of course, his _followers_ walk also; _to do justice and_ _judgment_; not only to preserve the truth in their _creed_, but maintain it in their _practice_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:20. _BECAUSE THE CRY OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH_] Genesis 13:13, Genesis 13:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:21. _I WILL GO DOWN NOW, C._] A lesson to magistrates, teaching them not to judge according to report, but accurately to inquire into the facts themselves. - _Jarchi_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:22. _AND THE MEN TURNED THEIR FACES_] That is, the two angels who accompanied Jehovah were now sent towards Sodom; while the third, who is called the LORD or _Jehovah_, remained with Abraham for the purpose of teaching him the great usefulness and importance of faith and prayer.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:23. _WILT THOU ALSO DESTROY THE RIGHTEOUS WITH THE WICKED?_] A form of speech similar to that in Genesis 18:17, an invariable principle of justice, that the righteous shall not be punished for the crimes of the impious. And this Abraham lays down as the _foundation_ of his supplicat... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:25. _SHALL NOT THE JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH DO RIGHT?_] God alone is the Judge of all men. Abraham, in thus addressing himself to the person in the text, considers him either as the Supreme Being or his representative.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:27. _WHICH_ AM BUT _DUST AND ASHES_] עפר ואפר _aphar_ _vaepher_, words very similar in sound, as they refer to matters which so much resemble each other. _Dust _- the lightest particles of earth. _Ashes _- the residuum of consumed substances. By these expressions he shows how deeply... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Genesis 18:32. _PERADVENTURE TEN SHALL BE FOUND THERE_] Knowing that in the family of his nephew the true religion was professed and practised, he could not suppose there could be less than ten righteous persons in the city, he did not think it necessary to urge his supplication farther; he th... [ Continue Reading ]