The Meaning of Genesis 18:2 Explained

Genesis 18:2

KJV: And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

YLT: and he lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, three men standing by him, and he seeth, and runneth to meet them from the opening of the tent, and boweth himself towards the earth,

Darby: And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men standing near him. And when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent-door, and bowed himself to the earth,

ASV: and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood over against him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he lift up  his eyes  and looked,  and, lo, three  men  stood  by him: and when he saw  [them], he ran  to meet  them from the tent  door,  and bowed  himself toward the ground, 

What does Genesis 18:2 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The "three men" were "the LORD" (the Angel of Yahweh, Genesis 18:13; Genesis 18:17; Genesis 18:20; Genesis 18:33) and "two angels" ( Genesis 19:1; Genesis 18:22) who later visited Lot. If Abraham had previously met the Angel of the Lord it seems likely that he would have recognized Him at once (cf. Genesis 17:1; Genesis 17:22). If he had not, Abraham became aware of who this Angel was during this interview (cf. Genesis 18:25).

Context Summary

Genesis 18:1-15 - Abraham Entertains Heavenly Visitors
The Son of God is the central figure here. He loves the homes of men. It has ever been His wont to visit the homes and hearts of those who love him. See Proverbs 8:31. Abraham knew well that the High and Lofty One, who inhabits eternity, had come to dwell with him. Others might see only three men, but he recognized his divine friend, addressing Him as "My Lord;" and when the two angels went forward alone to do their awful work in Sodom, he entered into close converse with the wondrous central figure, who remained with him still. He gave personal service, and so did Sarah. They gave their very best, fine, tender, and good. And in their love the Lord found satisfaction and rest. But remember that He still stands at the door and knocks. Ponder John 14:23; Revelation 3:20. Christ tells His secrets to those He loves. His proposals and promises are so great that we can almost laugh with incredulity, but the question of Genesis 18:14 is answered by Jeremiah 32:17. Reckon on God's faithfulness; He cannot fail those who trust Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 18

1  The Lord appears to Abraham, who entertains angels
9  Sarah is reproved for laughing at the promise of a son
16  The destruction of Sodom is revealed to Abraham
23  Abraham makes intercession for its inhabitants

What do the individual words in Genesis 18:2 mean?

So he lifted his eyes and looked and behold three men were standing by him and when he saw [them] and he ran to meet them from the door of the tent and he bowed himself to the ground
וַיִּשָּׂ֤א עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה֙ שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה אֲנָשִׁ֔ים נִצָּבִ֖ים עָלָ֑יו וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֤רָץ לִקְרָאתָם֙ מִפֶּ֣תַח הָאֹ֔הֶל וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ אָֽרְצָה

וַיִּשָּׂ֤א  So  he  lifted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
עֵינָיו֙  his  eyes 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וַיַּ֔רְא  and  looked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְהִנֵּה֙  and  behold 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
שְׁלֹשָׁ֣ה  three 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
אֲנָשִׁ֔ים  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
נִצָּבִ֖ים  were  standing 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
עָלָ֑יו  by  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
וַיַּ֗רְא  and  when  he  saw  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וַיָּ֤רָץ  and  he  ran 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רוּץ 
Sense: to run.
לִקְרָאתָם֙  to  meet  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
מִפֶּ֣תַח  from  the  door 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּתַח  
Sense: opening, doorway, entrance.
הָאֹ֔הֶל  of  the  tent 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ  and  he  bowed  himself 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁחָה  
Sense: to bow down.
אָֽרְצָה  to  the  ground 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.