Genesis Chapter 18

The Promise of Isaac Confirmed

Abraham Welcomes Important Visitors

Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “Do as you have said.” (Genesis 18:1–5, NKJV)

Apparently, this visitation took place shortly after the covenant reaffirmation in Genesis 17. In that prior encounter, God had promised Abraham that Sarah would bear a son “at this set time next year” (Genesis 17:21). Since Sarah had not yet conceived, this event must have occurred within a few months of that promise. The LORD again appeared to Abraham by the terebinth trees of Mamre, manifesting Himself in human form. This theophany is a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, often referred to as a Christophany.

Scripture confirms that no one has ever seen God the Father directly. The Gospel of John declares, “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18). Likewise, the Apostle Paul affirms that God the Father “alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see” (1 Timothy 6:16). Therefore, every Old Testament instance in which God appears in human form must be understood as the eternal Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, revealing Himself prior to His incarnation in Bethlehem.

The terebinth trees of Mamre were a significant location in Abraham’s life. It was at Mamre that Abraham had first settled after returning from Egypt and where he built an altar to the LORD (Genesis 13:18). Later, Abraham was residing there when he rescued Lot and encountered Melchizedek (Genesis 14:13). The area became a lasting memorial in Abraham’s family, for he purchased a field and cave there as a burial place for Sarah (Genesis 23:17–19), and both he and his descendants Isaac and Jacob were later buried in that same place (Genesis 25:9; Genesis 49:30; Genesis 50:13).

When Abraham saw the three men standing nearby, he immediately ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the ground, demonstrating deep reverence and humility. Although he may not have fully recognized who they were at first, Abraham addressed one as “My Lord,” suggesting that he perceived at least one of the visitors as divine. Whether this recognition came from previous encounters or by spiritual discernment, Abraham’s response was one of submission and worship.

Abraham’s conduct was also a model of ancient Near Eastern hospitality. Running to meet the visitors, he invited them to rest and refresh themselves. He requested to bring them “a morsel of bread,” which in Hebrew idiom signified a full meal, and he spoke humbly of himself as their servant. This eagerness and reverence show Abraham’s godly character and his readiness to serve the LORD.

“So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, ‘Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.’ And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.” (Genesis 18:6–8, NKJV)

Abraham’s actions demonstrate urgency and personal involvement. Though he had many servants, he and Sarah themselves took the lead in preparing the meal. Abraham hurried to Sarah, asking her to bake bread from fine flour, and then ran to the herd to select a tender and good calf, ensuring that only the best would be served to these guests. Even the sequence of actions—running, hastening, and preparing—reveals Abraham’s reverent excitement.

It is significant that Abraham stood by them as they ate, serving them personally rather than sitting down as an equal. This gesture of humility shows Abraham’s understanding that he was in the presence of One far greater than himself. The meal of bread, milk, butter, and meat would have taken considerable time to prepare, yet Abraham’s dedication and service convey his heart of worship and his recognition that he was hosting the LORD Himself.

Summary: In this passage, we see Abraham’s faith expressed not only in belief but in action. His hospitality, humility, and reverence toward his heavenly guests show the heart of a man who truly knew God. This encounter marks a profound moment in Scripture, as the pre-incarnate Christ fellowshipped with Abraham and prepared to reaffirm the promise of Isaac, the son of promise through whom the covenant blessings would come.

God Reconfirms His Promise of a Son

Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.” And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) (Genesis 18:9–10, NKJV)

When the visitors asked, “Where is Sarah your wife?” they intentionally used her new name, which had been given only a short time earlier when God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s to Sarah (Genesis 17:15–16). This subtle but deliberate detail confirms that these visitors were not ordinary men but divine messengers fully aware of the covenant details established in the prior chapter.

The LORD then declared, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” The phrase “according to the time of life” refers to the normal period of human gestation, roughly nine months, meaning that by the next year Sarah would give birth. The promise of regeneration and conception was directly made to Abraham, but it implied miraculous restoration in both Abraham and Sarah. Though Sarah had long been barren and Abraham’s own body was “already dead” in terms of fertility, God’s promise of new life demonstrated His power to bring vitality where there was none.

This reaffirmation came only months after the earlier promise recorded in Genesis 17:17–22, showing how the LORD often repeats His promises to strengthen faith. Just as Abraham had previously fallen on his face and laughed at the idea of bearing a child at one hundred years old, Sarah would now respond in the same way. Yet the repetition of divine assurance was not in vain, for as Paul wrote, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). God was building the faith of His chosen couple, reminding them again that His word never fails and that He alone determines the time of fulfillment.

Sarah’s Reaction to God’s Promise

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” (Genesis 18:11–12, NKJV)

The Scripture plainly tells us that Sarah “had passed the age of childbearing,” meaning she was long past menopause. The Hebrew text conveys that “the manner of women had ceased to be with Sarah,” signifying that her body was no longer capable of producing a child through natural means. Considering that Abraham was about one hundred years old and Sarah about ninety, their situation was biologically impossible. Even though people of that era lived longer lives, both were far beyond the typical childbearing years. The fulfillment of God’s promise would therefore require a miracle that defied all human reasoning and physical limitations.

Sarah laughed “within herself,” indicating that her disbelief was internal and silent. The laughter was not outward mockery but the inward amusement of one who had long desired a child yet had abandoned all natural hope. This moment reveals both her longing and her weakness. What she and Abraham had yearned for all their lives now seemed beyond belief. The very thing they had prayed for and waited on was finally being promised, but unbelief clouded her response.

It is a recurring pattern in human nature to believe God through long seasons of trial, only to stumble in doubt when the promise is close to fulfillment. We can endure years of waiting with faith, yet when God’s word begins to come to pass, our limited reasoning challenges His power. Nevertheless, as Paul declared, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). God’s promises do not depend on the constancy of human belief but on the unchanging reliability of His character.

Sarah’s words, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” reveal the natural reasoning that stood in contrast to divine revelation. She laughed at the idea of having “pleasure,” referring to the physical intimacy that would lead to conception. Leupold renders the verse, “After I have become worn out, have I enjoyed sexual delight and my lord too is an old man?” Her tone was incredulous and unrefined, yet it captures the realism of her doubt. She could not fathom that God’s promise would come through ordinary physical means.

Even after the dramatic revelation in Genesis 17, Abraham and Sarah may have still spiritualized God’s promise, imagining that perhaps it would be fulfilled figuratively or through Ishmael. But here, God made His meaning unmistakably clear: Abraham and Sarah themselves, through natural marital union, would conceive and bear a son. The miraculous element was not in bypassing the physical process, but in God’s divine empowerment of it. In this, the LORD reaffirmed that His covenant blessings would flow through a supernatural work accomplished by natural means, ensuring that all glory would belong to Him alone.

God Answers Sarah’s Laugh

And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!” (Genesis 18:13–15, NKJV)

The LORD exposed the hidden movement of Sarah’s heart, for though she laughed within herself, the omniscient God heard it. Nothing is concealed from Him, and His question to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh,” brought unbelief into the light so that it could be corrected rather than indulged. God did not revoke His promise when met with doubt, instead He reaffirmed it with precision, “At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” The issue was not divine power but human unbelief, which is why the LORD pressed the decisive challenge, “Is anything too hard for the LORD.” Scripture anchors this point in the immutability of God’s character, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, He cannot deny Himself” (Second Timothy 2:13, NKJV). Even Sarah’s fearful denial could not overturn what God had ordained. The Hebrew word rendered hard in Genesis 18:14 also carries the sense of wonderful, which aligns with the Messianic title, “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6, NKJV). The LORD’s question therefore teaches that what is wonderful to us is never too hard for Him. Notably, God addressed Abraham as head of his household, holding him responsible to lead and to shepherd faith within his tent, and He promised fulfillment at His appointed time.

Abraham Intercedes for Sodom and Gomorrah

Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way. And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.” (Genesis 18:16–19, NKJV)

As a gracious host, Abraham accompanied his visitors as they looked toward Sodom, and in this departure scene the narrative shifts from promise to impending judgment. The LORD disclosed His intent not because He lacked certainty, but to bring Abraham into His confidence and to shape him as a covenant leader. The rhetorical question, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,” reveals divine pedagogy, the LORD teaches Abraham how to think and how to lead by granting him insight into the moral governance of God. The reasons given are covenantal and pastoral, Abraham is chosen to become a great and mighty nation, all nations will be blessed in him, and therefore he must command his children and his household to keep the way of the LORD, to practice righteousness and justice. Revelation, responsibility, and righteousness are interwoven, God discloses His ways so that His servant will disciple his house, and through that ordered household the promised blessing will advance. In short, Abraham is not made a spectator of judgment for curiosity, he is prepared as an intercessor and a teacher, a patriarch who will model and mandate the fear of the LORD within his domain so that what God has spoken will indeed come to pass.

God Reveals His Intention to Judge Sodom and Gomorrah

And the LORD said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.” (Genesis 18:20–21, NKJV)

The LORD declared that the “outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great,” revealing that the moral corruption of these cities had reached a point demanding divine attention. The Hebrew term for outcry (za‘aqah) conveys the anguished cry of injustice or the cry of victims who have suffered grievous wrongs. This expression implies that Sodom’s depravity was not merely personal sin but systemic, reaching beyond immorality to societal violence and corruption that had defiled the entire region. Their “sin was very grave,” suggesting flagrant rebellion against God’s created order.

The outcry likely arose from multiple sources. God’s own holiness cried out against their evil, for His very nature is offended by sin. Angelic beings who observe the affairs of men likely lamented the moral decay of Sodom and Gomorrah. The victims of their depravity and cruelty cried out for justice. Even creation itself, which “groans and labors with birth pangs together until now” (Romans 8:22, NKJV), cried out under the weight of their unnatural and violent corruption.

When God said, “I will go down now and see,” it was not because He lacked knowledge. The LORD is omniscient; He knows all things at all times. Rather, this declaration demonstrates His perfect justice and transparency. God does not judge based on hearsay or assumption, but on firsthand and absolute truth. His actions are always righteous, as declared in the Psalms: “The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” (Psalm 19:9, NKJV). The same truth is affirmed in the final judgment of Revelation: “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments” (Revelation 16:7, NKJV). By expressing His intention to “go down and see,” the LORD provided a model for human justice—judgment must be based upon evidence, not speculation. This is the divine demonstration of integrity before action.

Abraham’s Intercession for Sodom

Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.” (Genesis 18:22–26, NKJV)

When the two men departed toward Sodom, they were in fact the two angels who would soon enter the city in Genesis 19. The One who remained with Abraham was the LORD Himself, the pre-incarnate Christ. Abraham’s lingering presence before the LORD shows both reverence and courage. Scripture says, “Abraham still stood before the LORD,” portraying the image of a man interceding, standing in the gap between divine judgment and human destruction.

Then Abraham “came near.” This phrase reveals the essence of intercession. True prayer is not merely speaking words into the air; it is drawing near to the presence of God to align one’s heart with His. James 4:8 declares, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Abraham approached the LORD with both humility and boldness, the mark of one who knows God personally.

His question, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?” reveals Abraham’s understanding of God’s moral nature. He appealed to God’s justice, not on the basis of human sentiment, but on the basis of divine righteousness: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Abraham reasoned that the righteous Judge of all creation would not punish the innocent alongside the guilty. His prayer was a bold yet reverent reminder of God’s own attributes.

This is the essence of effective prayer—knowing who God is and appealing to His revealed character. Prayer that aligns with God’s nature carries weight in heaven. As believers, we do not seek to change God’s will through prayer but to participate in it through intercession.

Abraham’s compassion is also remarkable. He could have prayed only for Lot’s safety, but instead he interceded for the entire city, including its wicked inhabitants. This shows a heart transformed by grace. He understood the gravity of judgment and pleaded for mercy. This compassion mirrors the heart of Christ, who intercedes continually for the undeserving.

The LORD’s answer revealed His mercy: “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.” God was willing to show mercy to the many because of the faithfulness of the few. This principle echoes throughout Scripture—God often preserves entire groups, nations, or generations for the sake of the righteous remnant within them. The same principle applies today, as God’s people serve as “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13, NKJV), preserving society from total decay through their presence and prayer.

Abraham Bargains with God for Sodom and Gomorrah

Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?” So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.” And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?” So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.” Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.” Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place. (Genesis 18:27–33, NKJV)

Abraham, humbled before the LORD, described himself as “dust and ashes,” recognizing his mortality and unworthiness to speak in the presence of the Almighty. Yet, his reverence did not prevent him from pleading boldly. Beginning with the request for fifty righteous, he carefully reasoned downward—first to forty-five, then forty, then thirty, then twenty, and finally ten. This persistent intercession established a clear principle: that God, the righteous Judge, would not destroy the righteous along with the wicked. Once that principle was affirmed, it became only a question of how many righteous people were needed to avert judgment.

Abraham’s intercession was both humble and specific. Rather than offering vague petitions, he spoke directly, using precise numbers. This teaches us a critical lesson about prayer. God is honored when His people pray with faith and clarity, asking in accordance with His revealed nature and will. James 4:2 reminds us, “You do not have because you do not ask.” Many prayers today are ineffective because they are indistinct, more like wishes than petitions. Abraham, however, prayed with purpose and precision, and the LORD listened.

Throughout the dialogue, Abraham’s humility remained evident. He did not question God’s justice or demand explanations for His actions. Instead, he approached with the phrase, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak.” This reverent posture shows that boldness in prayer does not mean irreverence; the one who truly knows God prays both courageously and respectfully. Abraham recognized that intercession is not about manipulating God but about aligning with His compassion and justice.

Abraham’s persistence was remarkable. He did not stop after the first or second request but pressed onward, revealing the depth of his concern for human souls. He negotiated down from fifty to ten, demonstrating perseverance in intercession. This persistence is not evidence of doubt but of faith—faith that God listens, and that mercy might triumph over judgment. Effective intercession does not quit easily but continues, often wrestling in prayer for others as though eternity itself depends on it.

Through this exchange, God was shaping Abraham’s heart. The LORD desired to form in him the compassion and burden of a true spiritual leader—one who would care deeply even for the lost and the wicked. Abraham’s prayer foreshadowed the intercessory ministry of Jesus Christ, who “always lives to make intercession” for His people (Hebrews 7:25, NKJV). This was part of Abraham’s transformation into the image of the Son, as Paul wrote, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29, NKJV).

Abraham’s prayer ended at ten, perhaps because he assumed that Lot’s influence would have reached at least that many in Sodom—his family, servants, and a few converts. Sadly, as the following chapter reveals, there were not ten righteous in the entire city. Only four were brought out, and even among those, one turned back. God already knew this, yet He allowed the conversation to unfold to reveal His mercy and Abraham’s compassion.

Finally, “the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.” The divine visitation ended, but the lesson remained. This event demonstrates that intercession is not merely a religious act but the expression of a heart conformed to God’s own love for the lost.

It is also notable that in Genesis 19, the two angels could not execute judgment until Lot and his family were safely out of the city. This pattern has prophetic significance for the Church. Just as judgment could not fall upon Sodom until the righteous were removed, so too the Tribulation cannot begin until the Church—the Bride of Christ—is taken out of the way. This aligns with the promise that believers “wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come” (First Thessalonians 1:10, NKJV). The removal of Lot before judgment serves as a typological picture of the pretribulational Rapture, emphasizing that God does not destroy the righteous with the wicked.