Abraham’s Three Visitors

18 Then the Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre^(A) while he was sitting in the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. ² He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him.^(B) When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed to the ground. ³ Then he said, “My lord,^[a] if I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant. ⁴ Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree. ⁵ I will bring a bit of bread so that you may strengthen yourselves.^[b] This is why you have passed your servant’s way. Later, you can continue on.”

“Yes,” they replied, “do as you have said.”

⁶ So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Knead three measures^[c] of fine flour and make bread.”^{[d] 7} Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd and got a tender, choice calf. He gave it to a young man, who hurried to prepare it. ⁸ Then Abraham took curds^[e] and milk, and the calf that he had prepared, and set them before the men. He served^[f] them as they ate under the tree.

Sarah Laughs

⁹ “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.

“There, in the tent,” he answered.

¹⁰ The Lord said, “I will certainly come back to you in about a year’s time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!”^(C) Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.

¹¹ Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years.^[g] Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.^{[h](D) 12} So she laughed to herself: “After I have become shriveled up and my lord is old, will I have delight?”^(E)

¹³ But the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Can I really have a baby when I’m old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything impossible for the Lord?^(F) At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.”

¹⁵ Sarah denied it. “I did not laugh,” she said, because she was afraid.

But He replied, “No, you did laugh.”