18 And the Lord appeared to him by the (A)oaks[a] of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. (B)When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, “O Lord,[b] if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a (C)little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, while I bring a morsel of bread, that (D)you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—(E)since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs[c] of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is (F)in the tent.” 10 The Lord said, “I will surely return to you (G)about this time next year, and (H)Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now (I)Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. 12 (J)So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, (K)“After I am worn out, and (L)my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” 13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ 14 (M)Is anything too hard[d] for the Lord? (N)At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” 15 But Sarah denied it,[e] saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 18:1 Or terebinths
  2. Genesis 18:3 Or My lord
  3. Genesis 18:6 A seah was about 7 quarts or 7.3 liters
  4. Genesis 18:14 Or wonderful
  5. Genesis 18:15 Or acted falsely

The Three Visitors

18 The Lord appeared to Abraham(A) near the great trees of Mamre(B) while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent(C) in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up(D) and saw three men(E) standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.(F)

He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes,(G) my lord,[a] do not pass your servant(H) by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet(I) and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat,(J) so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”

“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs[b] of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”(K)

Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf(L) and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds(M) and milk(N) and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them.(O) While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

“Where is your wife Sarah?”(P) they asked him.

“There, in the tent,(Q)” he said.

10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year,(R) and Sarah your wife will have a son.”(S)

Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old,(T) and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.(U) 12 So Sarah laughed(V) to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord(W) is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’(X) 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord?(Y) I will return to you at the appointed time next year,(Z) and Sarah will have a son.”(AA)

15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”

But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 18:3 Or eyes, Lord
  2. Genesis 18:6 That is, probably about 36 pounds or about 16 kilograms

17 So (A)the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over 18 to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, before all who went in at the gate of his city. 19 After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20 The field and the cave that is in it (B)were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites.

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17 So Ephron’s field in Machpelah(A) near Mamre(B)—both the field and the cave in it, and all the trees within the borders of the field—was deeded 18 to Abraham as his property(C) in the presence of all the Hittites(D) who had come to the gate(E) of the city. 19 Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah(F) near Mamre (which is at Hebron(G)) in the land of Canaan.(H) 20 So the field and the cave in it were deeded(I) to Abraham by the Hittites as a burial site.(J)

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