Yahweh Appears to Abraham as a Man

18 And Yahweh appeared to him^[a] by the oaks of Mamre. And he was sitting in the doorway of the tent at the heat of the day. ² And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing near^[b] him. And he saw them and ran from the doorway of the tent to meet them. And he bowed down to the ground. ³ And he said, “My lord, if I have found favor in your eyes do not pass by your servant. ⁴ Let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest under the tree. ⁵ And let me bring a piece of bread, then^[c] refresh yourselves.^[d] Afterward you can pass on, once^[e] you have passed by with your servant.” Then they said, “Do so as you have said.” ⁶ Then^[f] Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and he said, “Quickly—make three seahs of fine flour for kneading and make bread cakes!” ⁷ And Abraham ran to the cattle and took a calf,^[g] tender and good, and gave it to the servant, and he made haste to prepare it. ⁸ Then he took curds and milk, and the calf which he prepared, and set it before them. And he was standing by them under the tree while^[h] they ate. ⁹ And they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “Here, in the tent.” ¹⁰ And he^[i] said, “I will certainly return to you in the spring,^[j] and look, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the doorway of the tent, and which was behind him. ¹¹ Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age;^[k] the way of women^[l] had ceased to be for Sarah. ¹² So^[m] Sarah laughed to herself saying, “After I am worn out and my husband is old, shall this pleasure be to me?” ¹³ Then Yahweh said to Abraham, “What is this that Sarah laughed, saying, ‘Is it indeed true that I will bear a child, now that I have grown old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything too difficult for Yahweh? At the appointed time I will return to you in the spring^[n] and Sarah shall have a son.” ¹⁵ But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. He^[o] said, “No, but you did laugh.”