Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Genesis Chapter 18 mean?

The events of Genesis 18 take place not long after God’s visit with Abraham in chapter 17. This visit from the Lord is quite different, however. It’s not clear, at first, if Abraham even recognizes the three men who appear outside of his tent as the Lord and two angels in human form. In either case, Abraham runs to show them deep respect and hospitality. He tells Sarah to bake them bread and has a young calf slaughtered for them to eat as they rest in the heat of the day.

Once the meal is over, the Lord fully reveals Himself, in a conversation He conducts with Sarah through Abraham while she remains hidden and listening in the tent. First, the Lord asks where Sarah is and then reveals to her what He had said to Abraham in the previous chapter: by this time a year from now she will have a son.

Sarah’s response is much the same as Abraham’s in the previous chapter: she laughs to herself. Not only was she around 90 years old, we’re told that the “way of women” had ceased for her. The phrasing here might suggest the idea of menopause: Sarah is literally “beyond” a woman’s normal ability to conceive. She describes herself as worn out and her husband as old. She cannot imagine having the “pleasure” of a new birth in their season of life.

The Lord knows both that Sarah laughed and what she thought about His revelation. He asks Abraham why she laughed. “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” Then He repeats the promise of a son at the appointed time. Sarah, likely realizing now that this is God, is afraid. She lies and says that she did not laugh. The Lord corrects her once more, but He does not punish her. In another instance of divine humor, He has already named her child Isaac, which means laughter.

The three men then set out on their journey, walking from Abraham’s home near Hebron toward the city of Sodom. Abraham walks with them for a time, until they arrive at a high vantage point from which they can look across and see Sodom. From there, the Lord reveals to Abraham His plan regarding the grave sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. The implication is that God will bring judgment on those people if their sins were as wicked as He had heard. This, of course, is a figure of speech, since God already knows exactly how sinful these cities are. The reason for this human perspective is revealed in the conversation with Abraham, as Abraham tries to specify just “how wicked” these cities must be to earn God’s wrath.

As the two angels walk on toward the city, Abraham begins a kind of negotiation with the Lord. His nephew Lot and his family live in Sodom. Abraham seems to be concerned for them. He boldly challenges the Lord: Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Abraham insists that such an action would not be consistent with the Lord’s character.

The Lord is patient with Abraham as he begins to ask for assurances. Will you destroy the city if you find 50 righteous people there? The Lord agrees that He will not. Abraham keeps asking though, lowering the number at which the Lord would willingly destroy righteous people to judge the wicked. 45? 40? 30? 20? Finally, Abraham asks, with a request that the Lord not be angry, if He would spare the city for the sake of 10 righteous people. Once more, the Lord agrees that He would do so if He finds that many.

With that, the Lord heads toward the city, and Abraham walks back home.

Chapter Context
God appeared to Abraham in the previous chapter revealing, in part, that Sarah would bear Abraham a son within a year’s time. Now the Lord appears again, this time in human form and accompanied by two disguised angels. He reveals to Sarah the same promise. She laughs, and the Lord insists that even her age isn’t too hard for Him to overcome. Next the Lord reveals to Abraham that He will investigate the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham receives the Lord’s promise not to destroy Sodom (where Abraham’s nephew lives) if He finds 10 righteous people in the city. Unfortunately, the city is beyond saving, and the next chapter details its utter destruction.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.

An unexpected encounter between Abraham and the Lord begins with this verse. It is very different from God’s appearance to Abraham in the previous chapter. This time, Abraham may not even be aware, at first, that one of the three men standing near his tent is the Lord in human form.

When the Lord takes human form to interact with people on earth, Bible scholars call it a theophany. Given the second revelation about the birth of Isaac the Lord will give, this appearance cannot have come long after the one in Genesis 17.

Abram is living near Hebron, by the oaks of Mamre, the area first mentioned in Genesis 13. The heat of the day, the middle of the afternoon, would have been a time of rest for most people living in this desert region. Abraham was sitting at the door of his tent, likely waiting for the sun to grow less intense before continuing his day.

Context Summary
Genesis 18:1–8 describes Abraham’s initial reaction to three unexpected guests at this tent. These men are actually God, in a temporary human form, and two similarly-formed angels. Abraham rushes to offer an extravagant meal of bread, meat, and cheeses. Whether Abraham is merely expressing common Bedouin hospitality, or knows that he is in the presence of God, his actions are both humble and gracious. In the next passage, the identity of his visitors will become clear.

Verse 2. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth

Abraham, sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day, looks up and suddenly notices three men standing nearby. He seems startled to see them. Given who these three men are, it’s possible they appeared out of thin air. Or, more simply, they were simply not noticed until they’d gotten fairly close. In any case, Abraham had not noticed them before.

This passage indicates that these men are God, in a temporary human form, as well as two angels (Genesis 18:1). This kind of physical appearance of God is referred to as a theophany. It’s not clear whether Abraham immediately understood one of these men to be the Lord or simply saw them as strangers. He hurried toward them and bowed low, a sign of great respect, especially coming from a wealthy and important man. Whomever he thought these men to be, Abraham saw it as his responsibility to greet them warmly and offer them hospitality.

Verse 3. and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.

Abraham, seeing three unexpected strangers standing near his tent in the heat of the day, rushes toward them, bows low before them, and earnestly asks them not to pass by. He practically begs the leader of the group to stop and spend time with him.

According to earlier verses, these three men are actually God, in a physical form, and a pair of angels. It remains unclear, still, if Abraham understands that the leader of these three is indeed the Lord. His language would certainly be appropriate for addressing God. He calls Him Lord, asking Him to stop if Abraham has found favor in His eyes.

However, Abraham’s respectful language may also represent the appropriate and gracious standard for welcoming strangers in his part of the ancient world. That culture placed an enormous value on social graces, including respect. This style of modest speech would have been the norm when dealing with strangers.

Verse 4. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree,

Abraham, sitting in the door to his tent in the heat of the day, is startled to see three men standing not far from him. One of the men was the Lord in human form, an event referred to as a theophany. The other two are angels. In prior verses, Abraham ran out to greet them, bowed low with great respect, and asked the Lord not to pass by.

Here, Abraham urges them to rest under the shade of the tree, to have some water and have their feet washed. Foot washing was not only a sign of politeness and respect, but also of hospitality. Depending on who did the actual washing—usually a servant—it could also carry a sense of submission.

Abraham’s eager hospitality may have been representative of the common attitude towards strangers in his culture, but he was also showing appropriate hospitality to the Lord who had given him the covenant promises and commands of the previous chapter.

Verse 5. while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on — since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.”

Abraham continues to plead with the three men who appeared near his tent not to leave too quickly. One of the men is the Lord in human form. The other two are angels also disguised as humans.

After asking them to receive rest and water and the washing of their feet in the previous verse, Abraham now includes the offer of a morsel of bread before they pass on. As the following verses will reveal, Abraham is vastly understating the meal he plans to provide.

Abraham, a wealthy and powerful man with many servants, refers to himself as the servant of these men. Indeed, he acts as if he were a servant eager to please his master. This might have been Abraham’s way of expressing his culture’s typical approach to hospitality. Or, his extravagant response might have been because he knew, immediately, with whom he was speaking.

Finally, the strangers agree to wait while Abraham provides for their refreshment.

Verse 6. And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.”

When God assumes a temporary human form, it is referred to as a theophany. This incident is an example: God, appearing as a man, has arrived with two angels—who also appear to be human—near Abraham’s tent. Abraham has responded by bowing before them and urging them to stay while he provides some water and a “morsel of bread” for their refreshment. Abraham’s behavior might be the usual ancient eastern approach to hospitality. Or, possibly, he quickly realized that the men he was speaking to were not ordinary men.

Now he runs back to the tent and tells Sarah to quickly make cakes, meaning loaves of bread, for the three visitors. However, he tells her to use with three seahs of fine flour. In modern measurements, this would be approximately 21 quarts or liters! That would make an extravagant amount of bread for just three men. But the cakes / loaves are just the beginning. Abraham is engineering a royal feast.

Verse 7. And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly.

The text here makes clear that Abraham is hurrying. Having convinced three unexpected visitors, including God in human form, to stay and allow Abraham to provide them water and a bit of bread, Abraham now rushes to provide them with a feast.

In the previous verse, Abraham told Sarah to quickly make cakes of bread for them. He specified that she should use more than five gallons, some 21 liters, of fine flour; this would have made a very large banquet of bread. Now, the wealthy and powerful Abraham hurries to his herd of cattle and grabs a tender calf to give to a young male servant to quickly prepare for the meal.

Abraham is both eager to serve the Lord and eager for them not to leave. Abraham behaves as the Lord’s servant, exhibiting both the warm hospitality of a good host and an attitude of submission. His passion is revealed in the terms used in this passage: Abraham “went quickly” (Genesis 18:6), he “ran,” and the young man prepared the meat “quickly.”

Verse 8. 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.

Finally the meal is ready for Abraham’s three visitors, one of whom is the Lord in human form. In the previous verses, Abraham rushed to prepare a royal feast. This included an enormous amount of bread made from fine flour (Genesis 18:6) and a young calf quickly slaughtered and prepared (Genesis 18:7). Now Abraham presents the food, along with some curds and milk, likely a kind of yogurt.

Acts of generous hospitality, along with the contents of the meal, would have been standard among the Bedouin people of the time. It would also have been normal for the host to stand back and allow his guests to eat in peace without him. For this reason, some scholars suggest Abraham may not have known, yet, that this stranger was actually the Lord. According to this view, Abraham was merely exhibiting the qualities of a generous and kind-hearted host. At the same time, Abraham’s hospitality here is extravagant.

In either case, Abraham will clearly come to understand who his guest is in the following verses.

Verse 9. They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.”

In the prior verses, Abraham arranged a large meal for three unexpected visitors. His actions exhibit generosity, humility, and grace. Whether or not Abraham knew these men were God and two angels in human form is unknown. However, that fact will become obvious as they continue their conversation.

Starting here, in verse 9, Abraham’s visitors have finished the meal, and begin to reveal the purpose of their visit. Their first question shows they know more about Abraham than they have let on. They know of his wife Sarah, and they ask where she is. Abraham replies that Sarah is in the tent. We will soon learn that she is listening intently to this interaction.

As with other questions asked by God or His messengers, the purpose is not to gain information. God and His companions know exactly where Sarah is. And yet, just as parents often “ask” children questions in order to clarify ideas, God has a habit of using questions, rather than statements, in order to force man to acknowledge his situation (Genesis 3:9; Acts 9:4).

Context Summary
Genesis 18:9–15 describes the moment when Sarah overhears a prediction that she will soon bear a child. Given that she is 90 years old, and her husband is approaching 100, Sarah’s first response to this is to laugh in disbelief. The person speaking, however, is actually God in human form, and He gently reminds her that such things are well within His awesome power.

Verse 10. The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.

Abraham has been entertaining three strangers who arrived mysteriously outside of his tent. He hurried to provide a royal feast for them. It’s unclear whether Abraham understood clearly that one of the men was the Lord in human form before this moment, but now the Lord will reveal Himself completely. In the prior verse, the visitors asked where Sarah was. Knowing that these men are God and two angels, this question is really for Abraham’s benefit, not their own.

Here, God speaks to Abraham about Sarah with the full knowledge that she is listening. The Lord repeats what He has said to Abraham in the previous chapter. This time, though, He speaks in a way that Sarah will be sure to hear. God announces, and Sarah clearly hears, that she will have a son by this time next year, when the Lord plans a return visit. Hearing such an announcement would clearly confirm for Abraham that this was the Lord who had made the same promise to him in the previous chapter.

Sarah, though, seems to be hearing this promise for the first time. Most likely, Abraham had not told her what God had revealed to him in the prior encounter. Sarah’s initial reaction will be similar to Abraham’s. Given her lifelong barrenness and advanced age, she will laugh at the suggestion of having a natural-born child.

Verse 11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.

Abraham and Sarah were around 100 and 90 years old, respectively. Given the long lifespans of early mankind (Genesis 5), it stands to reason that people of Abraham’s era continued to have children later than they do today. At the same time, the text spells out that they were definitely considered old. At this point in human history, 90-year-old people were not thought of as young, by any stretch of the imagination.

In addition, not only has Sarah been barren her entire life, she has also passed menopause. As the ESV puts it, “the way of women had ceased to be” with her. By every measure, then, it would be physically impossible for Sarah to conceive and bear a child. Only God could cause such a thing to happen at this point in her life.

That, of course, is exactly what is about to happen. Sarah is listening from inside the tent as Abraham converses with three strangers (Genesis 18:9-10). These men are actually God, in human form, along with two angels. Their prophecy to Abraham echoed the same guarantee given to Abraham alone in an earlier encounter: Sarah will become pregnant!

Verse 12. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?”

Abraham is speaking with three strangers who appeared near his tent. His first response to their arrival was to prepare a large, sumptuous feast of bread and meat. As Abraham will now know for sure, these men are actually a physical manifestation of God and two angels. Standing in the nearby tent, Sarah has heard the Lord’s statement that by this time next year she would have a son. It’s unclear whether or not Sarah understood at this point that it was the Lord speaking.

What Sarah did understand is that she had been barren her entire life, unable to conceive a child with Abraham. Now at the age of 90 or so, she had passed menopause. Some commentators suggest that she and Abraham, about 100 himself, had long since stopped even having intercourse.

All of the evidence of Sarah’s life told her that having a baby was impossible. So, her initial response to the idea was the same as Abraham’s had been: Sarah laughed in unbelief. That response seems entirely understandable to us. The Lord, however, will gently rebuke her for it in the following verses. That rebuke, in a humorously ironic way, will include the name of the child she is about to conceive: Isaac, meaning “he laughs.”

Verse 13. The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’

Sarah is listening from a nearby tent as her husband Abraham converses with three strangers. These men are actually God and two angels disguised in human form. The strict approach to hospitality practiced in that era would have applied to every aspect of this event. In part, that probably meant Sarah should not have been eavesdropping. It certainly would have meant that laughing at something a guest said, unless it was intended as a joke, could have been seen as impolite.

Since the details of this passage are brief, we don’t know if Abraham and the three men could hear Sarah laugh in response to the idea of her having a baby. It is possible that God’s divine awareness that she laughed to herself served as evidence that this was, indeed, the Lord in human form outside of her tent. The text itself gives us no way to know for sure.

In either case, the Lord asks Abraham why Sarah had laughed in unbelief about the idea. This would have been an awkward question for Abraham to answer, since his response to this same news was similar (Genesis 17:17).

Verse 14. Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”

Eavesdropping on a conversation, Sarah hears God, temporarily in human form, predict that she will have a child soon. Given her lifelong barrenness, and the fact that she and her husband were both over 90 years old, her immediate response is to laugh in disbelief.

Gently chiding that reaction, The Lord asks a rhetorical question of Abraham and Sarah, demanding a one-word answer: “no.” Anything which power can do, God’s power can accomplish. God is calling Sarah and Abraham to believe that He would do a seemingly impossible thing for them.

The Lord’s question is one that resonates for every person who struggles to trust God in difficult times. God gives great and precious promises to those who trust in Christ (2 Peter 1:4). Often, it feels quite unlikely that such things as God’s empowerment, His comfort, and even eternal life could ever happen for us. Is anything too hard for the Lord?

To emphasize that nothing is too hard for Him, the Lord repeats His promise once more: Sarah will have a son when the Lord visits them at “the appointed time” the following year.

Verse 15. But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”

The Lord and Sarah have been having a conversation without looking at each other. The Lord has been speaking to Abraham, fully aware that Sarah, behind him inside of a tent, is hearing every word. In this conversation, He has told Abraham for the second time, Sarah for the first, that she will have a son by this time next year. When Sarah laughed at the idea, the Lord revealed He knew she laughed to herself and He even knew her thoughts. He revealed that He was the Lord, that nothing was too hard for Him, and that she would have a son.

Now, oddly, Sarah chooses to deny that she had laughed. This silly lie feels beside the point when the Lord has told her that she will, miraculously, have a baby in a year’s time. The Lord repeats that she did laugh. And yet, we’re told Sarah was afraid. Perhaps she thought the Lord may punish her in some way for her unbelieving laughter. Or, for listening in on a conversation in which she was not explicitly involved.

He does not condemn her, though. In fact, as God revealed to Abraham in the previous chapter when Abraham also laughed at such an idea, their son’s joyful name would be Isaac, which means “laughter.” This name not only evokes happiness, it also serves as a subtle, almost playful rebuke of Abraham and Sarah’s mutual doubt.

Verse 16. Then the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way.

In the previous verses, three strange men arrived near Abraham’s tent, apparently traveling and on their way to somewhere else. Abraham had urged them to stay and rest, to allow him to provide for them a meal. After the meal, it became abundantly clear that one of the men was the Lord in human form. He confirmed this by restating for Sarah’s benefit what He had promised to Abraham in the previous chapter: By this time next year, Sarah will have a son.

Now the three men return to their mysterious journey. As a good host seeing his guests off, Abraham walks with them for some distance. They would have walked through the hills near Hebron and come to a good spot for glimpsing the city of Sodom in the distance. This city, like Gomorrah, had already established a reputation for moral depravity (Genesis 13:13).

When we saw him last in Genesis 14, Abraham’s nephew Lot had been rescued from foreign invaders and returned to his home in Sodom. Lot’s place in that town will become central to the rest of this chapter.

Context Summary
Genesis 18:16–21 is an example of God using human language, and human behavior, to more clearly explain His will. Taking on a temporary human form, God speaks with Abraham about the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This process reveals that God not only intends to keep His promises—all His promises—but that His judgment on Sodom is well-deserved. God does not need to justify His actions to mankind, but in this passage, He does exactly that, for our benefit, and for our learning.

Verse 17. The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

Four “men” stand looking at the city of Sodom in the distance from a high vantage point. One is Abraham. One is the Lord in human form. The other two are angels, traveling companions of the Lord on this mysterious journey. By this time, Sodom has already gained a reputation for wickedness (Genesis 13:13).

This verse is another example of God using human actions, words, or speech to help us understand an idea. God called out to Adam in the garden, even though He knew where he was hiding (Genesis 3:9). God speaks as a man to Abraham, even though He already knows how the conversation will proceed (Genesis 18:1–3). Here, God poses a rhetorical question which helps explain why, exactly, God is going through this process of appearing to Abraham and discussing Sodom. In short, God plans to make Abraham aware so he will be all the more convinced of God’s power and sovereignty. This patient process will also emphasize the extent to which Sodom had fallen.

Verse 18. seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

In the previous verse, the Lord, two angels, and Abraham stood looking at Sodom in the distance. God, apparently speaking to the angels, asks a rhetorical question. His statement is not a request for information; it’s meant to point out God’s purpose in this encounter. Should God hide from Abraham what He was about to do with Sodom? The expected answer, and the meaning of the comment, is that God has no intention of hiding His plans from Abraham.

Here, God continues to explain to the angels why He will not hide from Abraham what He is about to do. Abraham, the Lord says, will become a great and mighty nation. More, all of the nations of the earth will be blessed in Abraham. In other words, God has already given His astounding covenant promises to Abraham, along with His plans for Abraham’s future offspring. Why would God now withhold from Abraham information about His plans for Sodom?

This also means that God’s actions against Sodom are meant to carry a message to men like Abraham. What eventually occurs in that city will not only prove that God always makes good on His promises, it will also prove that God’s judgment on sin is unmistakable.

Verse 19. For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

The Lord continues to explain why He will reveal to Abraham His plans for Sodom. In the previous verse, the Lord repeated that Abraham would become a great and mighty nation, through his offspring, and that all of the nations of the world would be blessed through Abraham.

Now the Lord adds that He has chosen Abraham, in part, to command his children, and through them, all of the children who would follow, to keep the Lord’s way by doing what was right and just. In that way, the Lord would keep His covenant promises to Abraham. This places an important context on God’s decision to tell Abraham, in advance, what was about to happen to Sodom. As Abraham pleads for God to spare the innocent of Sodom—of whom there are virtually none—and sees God’s destruction, he will be reminded of the holiness to which he is being called.

This is the first mention of Abraham’s responsibility to command and train each following generation to keep the way of the Lord. By extension, this same command is applied to Israel. This is also one of the few mentions that God’s keeping of His promises to Abraham will be tied to Israel keeping to the way of the Lord.

Verse 20. Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave,

Having explained why He will reveal His plans for Sodom to Abraham, the Lord now begins to do so. Apparently, Abraham was unable to hear the Lord’s words in the previous verses. Now the Lord speaks directly to him.

What the Lord says is ominous. The outcry against the peoples of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is grave. The language used is similar to what God said to Cain in Genesis 4:10, “Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.” In the same poetic sense, the cries of the victims of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah had reached the ears of God Himself. He was about to execute justice.

God’s reason for revealing this to Abraham, in advance, seems to have several layers. First, since Abraham is meant to be the founder of God’s chosen people, he needs to see that God’s promises—all of His promises—are kept. This not only means the covenant with Abraham, but God’s judgment of sin and wickedness. Also, the opportunity for Abraham to plead for the innocent of Sodom, of whom there are virtually none, highlights for Abraham just how depraved that culture had become. These combine to highlight God’s perfect justice, which is something He wants His chosen people to understand.

Verse 21. I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.”

The Lord continues explaining to Abraham His plans for Sodom and Gomorrah. In the previous verse, God states that outcry over the sins of those cities had reached His ears. Now the Lord says that He intends to go down to the cities to see for Himself if such an outcry is justified. Both of these are examples of God using human terminology to more clearly explain His message. The Lord already knows exactly what sins have occurred. He intends to visit the cities to make the case for executing His judgment on them, much as a parent who already knows exactly what a child has done says they are going to “go look” at the situation.

In the following verses, we will see Abraham’s great concern for his nephew Lot, who lives in Sodom and is in great danger of being swept away with the wicked people of the city.

Verse 22. So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.

In the previous verses, the Lord in human form had revealed to Abraham His plans for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. As they stood at a high vantage point overlooking Sodom in the distance, with two angels standing nearby, the Lord told Abraham that the sin of the people of those cities was very great. The outcry of their victims had reached His ears. The Lord was preparing to go and see the city for Himself to confirm what He had heard and, by implication, proceed with executing His judgment against it. All of these are stated in human terms, in order to highlight God’s point. Like a parent who already knows what has happened, God asks rhetorical questions and speaks of “investigation” for the sake of His children.

Now the two angels turn and walk toward Sodom. Abraham and the Lord remain where they are. Abraham’s nephew Lot lives in the city, and Abraham is about to question the Lord more specifically about Sodom’s future. The answers he receives will not be pleasant.

Context Summary
Genesis 18:22–33 describes Abraham’s negotiation with the Lord for the city of Sodom, where his nephew Lot and his family live. Previously, God spoke from a poetic human perspective, saying that He would judge Sodom and Gomorrah if their sins were as awful as they seemed. Here, Abraham recoils at the idea that the Lord would annihilate righteous people along with the wicked, beginning a sort of negotiation with God. Of course, God does not need to negotiate with man, and already knows how depraved Sodom is. This conversation with Abraham has nothing to do with changing God’s mind; it has everything to do with proving, beyond all doubt, that God’s actions here are just. God says He will spare Sodom for the sake of just ten righteous people; later passages show the city fails that test.

Verse 23. Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

The Lord has revealed to Abraham His plans to investigate the sinfulness of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and, by implication, execute judgment upon them if they are guilty. This is entirely for man’s benefit, since God already knows what is happening. Rather, by speaking of “investigation,” and conversing with Abraham, God is teaching mankind by giving us a clear, unmistakable justification for what He is about to do.

Abraham certainly knew of the wickedness of these cities (Genesis 13:13; Genesis 14:22–23). Not only would they have had a reputation in the region for their behavior, but Abraham’s nephew Lot and his family also live in the city, among the people. Abraham is concerned that Lot will suffer the same fate as the rest of the city if the Lord chooses to take action against them. This seems to be his motivation for asking God to spare the city.

Abraham begins to question the Lord about what will happen. Will He “sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” In other words, will God allow innocent people to be hurt in His judgment of the guilty? This is a question many still ask about the Lord. Is He just? What are the boundaries of His mercy? What will keep Him from delivering His righteous wrath on those who are guilty of grave sins? As human beings, we recoil at the idea of those we perceive as “innocent” being caught up in God’s wrath against those we perceive as “guilty.”

The following verses will reveal that Abraham desperately wants for the Lord to quantify His mercy with a specific number.

Verse 24. Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it?

The Lord has revealed to Abraham his plan to investigate and, by implication, bring judgment on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their great sinfulness. This is a poetic device on God’s part, meant to highlight His just handling of the situation. God already knows everything He needs to know about Sodom, so His words here are for the sake of our understanding. Abraham, standing with the Lord as two angels walk toward Sodom, is asking the Lord some hard questions.

Abraham’s nephew Lot lives in Sodom. In the previous verse, Abraham asked God if He would bring destruction on the righteous with the wicked in His judgment. Now Abraham gets more specific. What if 50 righteous people lived in Sodom? Would God not spare the place for the sake of those 50 people? This is a question we often struggle with today: when, and why, does God allow those we perceive as “innocent” to suffer for the actions of those who we perceive as “guilty?”

Abraham is asking a bold question of the Lord who has blessed him. He’s not done, yet.

Verse 25. Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”

The Lord has revealed to Abraham His plan to investigate and, by implication, bring judgment on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their great sinfulness. Abraham, standing with the Lord as two angels walk toward Sodom, is asking the Lord some hard questions. Abraham’s nephew Lot lives in Sodom, so Abraham seems to be angling for the city to be spared on Lot’s account.

Abraham’s question is similar to one we grapple with, even today. Will God really bring judgment that affects righteous people, as well as wicked people? Is there some proportion of good-to-bad that would stop God from doing so? Specifically, Abraham asked, will the Lord sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Would He not spare the city for the sake of, say, 50 righteous people?

Here in this verse, Abraham almost sounds indignant, possibly even manipulative. The very idea that the Lord would kill righteous people along with those who deserve to be punished does not fit with Abraham’s idea of who God is. He twice repeats the phrase “Far be it from you!” Then he states his central argument point: Shouldn’t the judge of all of the earth do what is just?

That is a question many people have asked of God down through the ages. In fact, it’s the first question many people ask about the idea of an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving God. Is he fair? The problem, of course, is that when we ask the question, we ask in the way Abraham does here. We assume, in advance, that we—not God—can define justice and righteousness, and criticize God when He does not meet our expectations.

The following verses will reveal that Abraham is both underestimating God’s justice and mercy and overestimating the goodness of humanity. God will graciously allow Abraham to “negotiate” Sodom’s rescue to the presence of only ten righteous people—a standard the city will still fail.

Verse 26. And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

Abraham’s tone in the previous verses seems indignant, and even scheming. God is discussing the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, implying that judgment was coming on those cities for their outrageous depravity. Abraham’s nephew Lot lived in Sodom. Abraham pointedly asked the Lord if He would sweep the righteous away with the wicked. What if 50 righteous people lived in Sodom? Would God still destroy the city? Abraham made it personal: Far be it from you! Shouldn’t the judge of all the world be fair? This, of course, implies that Abraham has the right to judge God’s character according to his own perspective.

How would God respond to such a comment from a limited, sinful mortal? Knowing nothing else about God, or the Scriptures, one would half-expect God to crush Abraham for being so insolent about His character. Instead, the Lord responds in the most gracious way we could imagine. He simply agrees: If I find 50 righteous people, I will spare the whole place. This, as with His prior comments about “investigating” the cities, are merely for our benefit. God does not need our approval or our understanding. And yet, in this incident, He gently allows us to see that His decision, in this case, is entirely just.

The following verses will reveal, though, that Abraham’s not done. He’s up to something, most likely related to his concerns for his nephew, Lot.

Verse 27. Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.

In the prior verses, Abraham brazenly questioned if God’s judgment on Sodom would be fair, since it might mean harming righteous people along with wicked people. In this verse, Abraham seems to have a moment of clarity, and checks himself. Abraham acknowledges to the Lord that he is being very bold even in speaking to Him. After all, Abraham is a mere man. He calls himself “dust and ashes.” He recognizes, apparently, that he has no right to demand anything from God.

This is a key part of our perspective on God and His actions. God most certainly does what is good, fair, and just—and for that reason, human beings who are limited have no right to assume He is being unfair or unjust simply because we don’t like His decisions. God’s conversation with Abraham, regarding the people of Sodom, is meant to clarify this very idea. Abraham worries that God might do something unfair. God’s response proves that His planned action against Sodom and Gomorrah is perfectly, absolutely justified.

Abraham’s moment of humility will not prevent him, however, from continuing to push the Lord for assurances that He will spare the city of Sodom for the sake of any righteous people who live there. This almost certainly is Abraham’s attempt to keep his nephew Lot, who lives in Sodom, from being destroyed.

Verse 28.Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”

Abraham begins bargaining with the Lord in earnest now. In the previous verses, Abraham declared that the Lord could not, in good character, sweep away the city of Sodom if some of the residents were righteous. We know Abraham’s nephew Lot lived in the city (Genesis 14:12). Abraham started by asking, what if 50 righteous people live in the city? The Lord stated flatly that He would not destroy the city if He found 50 righteous people.

This “negotiation,” of course, is merely for the benefit of Abraham and the rest of mankind. God has no obligation to discuss this decision with anyone. However, like a patient teacher, God allows Abraham to “talk out” the situation. When all is said and done, this will only go to prove how truly justified God’s wrath against Sodom truly is.

After getting a positive answer from God about sparing the city for the sake of a few people, Abraham continues to work a strategy to talk the Lord down to the smallest number of people possible. Here the Lord agrees not to destroy the city if He finds 45 righteous people. Abraham’s intent, most likely, is to plead for the rescue of his nephew, Lot, who lives in Sodom.

It’s important to note here that the word “righteous,” as used by Abraham, does not mean sinlessly perfect people. In an Old Testament context, this term refers to those who don’t participate in the grave sins openly practiced in Sodom and Gomorrah. Those sins included rape, sexual immorality including homosexuality, gluttony, and not caring for or helping the poor (Genesis 19; Ezekiel 16:49–50).

Verse 29. Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.”

Thanks to God’s gracious responses, Abraham seems to think he is negotiating with the Lord to spare Sodom. This is probably an attempt by Abraham to spare the life of his nephew, Lot, and Lot’s family. The Lord has revealed that He will investigate the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah and, by implication, bring judgment upon those cities. This is not actually a negotiation, of course. Like a teacher who allows a student to “talk out” a problem, God is allowing Abraham to set an incredibly weak standard for the city of Sodom—one which will still prove more than it can live up to.

Abraham started by asking if God would spare the city if He found 50 righteous people there. The Lord agreed. Then Abraham said, “What about 45?” The Lord agreed. Now Abraham goes to 40. Again, the Lord agrees.

The countdown continues in the following verses.

Verse 30. Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.”

Abraham has boldly questioned whether God’s plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah is just, since there might be righteous people living there. In this context, “righteous” does not mean moral perfection, rather it means those who did not participate in the well-known sins of the city (Ezekiel 16:49–50; Genesis 19). God graciously allows a sinful mortal like Abraham to discuss the boundaries of His mercy, even as Abraham attempts to push God’s standards further and further down.

Here, Abraham begs the Lord not to get angry with Him. Reading this passage with fresh eyes—knowing nothing else about God or His character as revealed in Scripture—one is likely to be concerned about Abraham’s boldness, as well. Prior to this conversation, God destroyed virtually the entire race of man with a flood in Genesis 7. He has declared His intent to judge the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:17–21). We know how highly God values human righteousness, and we know what He is capable of when human beings indulge in wickedness.

Abraham, however, believes himself to be bargaining for the very life of his nephew Lot and his family. If he can get God to agree to spare the city for the sake of the right number of righteous people, perhaps Lot can be saved from God’s judgment. The Lord has already agreed not to destroy the city if He finds 50, 45, or 40 righteous people there. Now the Lord agrees to 30.

Abraham, though, clearly knows how depraved this city is (Genesis 13:13; Genesis 14:22–23). He understands that 30 might still be more “righteous” people than the city can offer.

Verse 31. He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.”

Abraham believes himself to be negotiating with the Lord, likely for the life of his nephew Lot and Lot’s family. The Lord has revealed that He will investigate the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah and, by implication, bring judgment upon those cities. Lot lives in Sodom. This is not actually a bargaining process, however. God is playing the role of a patient parent, allowing a child to “talk out” a situation for their own benefit. Abraham is going to set the bar for righteousness in Sodom at a pathetically low level—and it still will not be enough. The purpose of this discussion is for our understanding; while God owes us no explanation, His conversation here gives us insight which proves His actions against Sodom to be entirely justified.

Abraham started by asking if God would spare the city if He found 50 righteous people there. The Lord agreed. Then Abraham said, “What about 45?” The Lord agreed. Then 40. Then 30. Now Abraham asks for 20, while recognizing that he’s being incredibly bold to speak this way to God. The Lord, again, agrees.

Verse 32. Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”

After God indicates His intent to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins, Abraham tries to convince God to consider the righteous people who might live there. In truth, God already knows that Sodom is doomed, and has no need to justify Himself to Abraham. However, using human language, He has allowed Abraham to discuss sparing the city if a small number of people there are not involved in the city’s pervasive sins (Genesis 13:13; Ezekiel 16:49–50).

Abraham concludes his negotiation with the Lord here, with another request that the Lord not be angry with him, and a promise not to push any further after this. If the Lord finds 10 righteous people in Sodom, will He spare the city for the sake of those 10 people? This particular number was probably Abraham’s goal all along, with the intent of sparing his nephew, Lot, from death in the judgment against Sodom.

Once more, the Lord agrees to Abraham’s request. He will not destroy the city if 10 righteous people are found. Of course, the Lord already knows how many righteous people He will find in Sodom and Gomorrah. He knows what’s coming. Still, He has been gracious and kind to endure Abraham’s pointed questions and requests. In the end, Abraham will know that the Lord is both just in His judgment and merciful in His approach.

Verse 33. And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

God has indicated that Sodom will be destroyed for its wickedness. Abraham objects, suggesting that it would be unfair for God to punish “righteous” people along with those who are wicked, and begins to ask God to spare the city for the sake of smaller and smaller numbers of “righteous” people. In this context, “righteous” simply means those who aren’t involved in the grievous sins of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19; Ezekiel 16:49–50).

In a display of great patience, grace, and mercy, the Lord has stood and heard everything Abraham has said to Him, including a bold claim about whether or not God’s plan is fair. In addition, the Lord has agreed to every request from Abraham, even though Abraham turned it into what sounded like a negotiation. Abraham’s intent all along was likely to reach the point seen in the last verse: God’s vow not to destroy the city if 10 righteous people could be found there. The point of this is not that God needs to have His mind changed. Rather, the purpose for this conversation is to prove, in no uncertain terms, that God’s approach to these wicked cities is entirely just.

As the Lord walks away, likely toward Sodom, and Abraham returns home, their agreement stands that the Lord will not destroy Sodom if He finds 10 righteous people there. Abraham seems to believe, or at least hopes, that at least 10 of Sodom’s thousands of residents are not participating in the great wickedness for which they have become infamous (Genesis 13:13). Abraham’s ultimate hope, we assume, is to save the life of his nephew Lot and his family.

Sadly, the next chapter will reveal that Abraham has overestimated the number of righteous people in Sodom. He has also underestimated the extent of the Lord’s blessing for him and, thus, for his extended family. God’s patient discussion with Abraham allowed Abraham to set his own standard for “goodness,” which Sodom still failed. By any measure, the city was deserving of God’s wrath. Lot, however, will be saved from this wrath, despite his own foolishness.

End of Chapter 18.

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