Genesis 18:1-15
Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh Appears to Abraham
18 Then (A)Yahweh appeared to him by the [a](B)oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three (C)men were standing nearby; he saw, and he ran from the tent door to meet them, and he bowed himself to the earth, 3 and he said, “[b]My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not [c]pass Your servant by. 4 Please let a little water be brought and (D)wash your feet, and [d]rest yourselves under the tree; 5 and let me [e](E)bring a piece of bread, that you may [f]refresh your hearts; after that you may pass on, since in such a manner you have passed by your servant.” And they said, “So you shall do, as you have said.” 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “[g]Hurry, prepare [h]three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and make bread cakes.” 7 Abraham also ran to the herd and took a tender and [i]choice calf and gave it to his young man, and he hurried to prepare it. 8 Then he took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree, and they ate.
9 Then they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “There, in the tent.” 10 And He said, “(F)I will surely return to you [j]at this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door which was behind him. 11 Now (G)Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; Sarah was (H)past [k]childbearing. 12 And Sarah laughed [l]to herself, saying, “(I)After I am worn out, shall I have pleasure, my (J)lord being old also?” 13 And Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed [m]bear a son, when I am so old?’ 14 (K)Is anything too [n]difficult for Yahweh? At the (L)appointed time I will return to you, [o]at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.” 15 Then Sarah denied it however, saying, “I did not laugh”; for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 18:1 Or terebinths
- Genesis 18:3 Or O Lord
- Genesis 18:3 Lit pass away from Your servant
- Genesis 18:4 Lit support
- Genesis 18:5 Lit take
- Genesis 18:5 Lit sustain your heart
- Genesis 18:6 Lit Hasten 3 measures
- Genesis 18:6 Approx. 21 qt. or 23 l, a seah was approx. 7 qt. or 7.7 l
- Genesis 18:7 Lit good
- Genesis 18:10 Lit when the time revives
- Genesis 18:11 Lit the manner of women
- Genesis 18:12 Lit within
- Genesis 18:13 Lit surely bear
- Genesis 18:14 Or marvelous
- Genesis 18:14 Lit when the time revives
Genesis 18:1-15
New Living Translation
A Son Is Promised to Sarah
18 The Lord appeared again to Abraham near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. One day Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent during the hottest part of the day. 2 He looked up and noticed three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran to meet them and welcomed them, bowing low to the ground.
3 “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. 4 Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. 5 And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.”
“All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”
6 So Abraham ran back to the tent and said to Sarah, “Hurry! Get three large measures[a] of your best flour, knead it into dough, and bake some bread.” 7 Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it. 8 When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.
9 “Where is Sarah, your wife?” the visitors asked.
“She’s inside the tent,” Abraham replied.
10 Then one of them said, “I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!”
Sarah was listening to this conversation from the tent. 11 Abraham and Sarah were both very old by this time, and Sarah was long past the age of having children. 12 So she laughed silently to herself and said, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?”
13 Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘Can an old woman like me have a baby?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
15 Sarah was afraid, so she denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh.”
But the Lord said, “No, you did laugh.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 18:6 Hebrew 3 seahs, about half a bushel or 22 liters.
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