Genesis 18:1-15

Genesis 18:1-15

[1] And the LORD  appeared  unto him in the plains  of Mamre:  and he sat  in the tent  door  in the heat  of the day;  [2] And he lift up  his eyes  and looked,  and, lo, three  stood  by him: and when he saw  them, he ran  to meet  them from the tent  door,  and bowed  himself toward the ground,  [3] And said,  if now I have found  favour  in thy sight,  pass not away,  I pray thee, from thy servant:  [4] Let a little  water,  I pray you,  be fetched,  and wash  your feet,  and rest yourselves  under the tree:  [5] And I will fetch  a morsel  of bread,  and comfort ye  your hearts;  after that  ye shall pass on:  to  your servant.  And they said,  So do,  as thou hast said.  [6] And Abraham  hastened  into the tent  unto Sarah,  and said,  Make ready quickly  three  measures  of fine  meal,  knead  cakes  upon the hearth.  [7] And Abraham  ran  unto the herd,  and fetcht  a calf  tender  and good,  and gave  it unto a young man;  and he hasted  to dress  [8] And he took  butter,  and milk,  and the calf  which he had dressed,  and set  it before them;  and he stood  by them under the tree,  and they did eat.  [9] And they said  unto him, Where  is Sarah  thy wife?  And he said,  Behold, in the tent.  [10] And he said,  I will certainly  unto thee according to the time  of life;  and, lo, Sarah  thy wife  shall have a son.  And Sarah  heard  it in the tent  door,  which was behind him.  [11] Now Abraham  and Sarah  were old  and well stricken  in age;  and it ceased  to be with Sarah  after the manner  of women.  [12] Therefore Sarah  laughed  within herself,  saying,  After  I am waxed old  shall I have pleasure,  my lord  being old also?  [13] And the LORD  said  unto Abraham,  Wherefore  did Sarah  laugh,  saying,  Shall I of a surety  bear  a child, which  am old?  [14] any thing  too hard  for the LORD?  At the time appointed  I will return  unto thee, according to the time  of life,  and Sarah  shall have a son.  [15] Then Sarah  denied,  saying,  I laughed  not; for she was afraid.  And he said,  Nay;  but thou didst laugh. 

What does Genesis 18:1-15 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Chapters18,19 constitute one integrated story, but we shall consider this episode in the Abraham narrative section by section. Like the Flood story, it has a chiastic structure, this time focusing on the announcement of the destruction of Sodom ( Genesis 19:12-13). [1] Again there is a mass destruction with only one man and his family escaping. Both stories end with intoxication and shameful treatment by children that have consequences for future generations. [2]
We perceive the Lord"s gracious initiative toward Abraham in His visit to eat with the patriarch in his tent. This was a sign of intimate fellowship in Abraham"s culture. On the basis of that close relationship God guaranteed the soon arrival of the promised heir. In response to Sarah"s laugh of unbelief the Lord declared that nothing would be too difficult for Him.
This chapter and the next may seem at first reading to be extraneous to the purpose of the Abraham narrative, which is to demonstrate God"s faithfulness to His promises to the patriarch, but they are not. Chapter18 contributes the following.
1.It records another revelation (the sixth) in which God identified for the first time when the heir would appear ( Genesis 18:10; Genesis 18:14). With this revelation God strengthened Abraham"s, and especially Sarah"s, faith.2.It fortifies Moses" emphasis on God"s supernatural power at work to fulfill His divine promises in spite of apparently impossible circumstances ( Genesis 18:9-15).3.As a literary device it provides an interlude in the story line and heightens suspense by prolonging the climax. We anticipate the arrival of the heir with mounting interest.4.It presents Abraham as an intercessor, one of the roles of the prophets of whom Abraham was one of the first (cf. Genesis 20:7).5.It records God"s announcement of judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah ( Genesis 18:16-33), which follows in chapter19.
"The noon encounter in this chapter and the night scene at Sodom in the next are in every sense a contrast of light and darkness. The former, quietly intimate and full of promise, is crowned by the intercession in which Abraham"s faith and love show a new breadth of concern. The second scene is all confusion and ruin, moral and physical, ending in a loveless squalor which is even uglier than the great overthrow of the cities." [3]
"There is also a blatant contrast between how Abraham hosted his visitors (ch18) and how the Sodomites hosted the same delegation (ch19)." [4]