1Hospodin sa zjavil Abrahámovi pri dubine Mamrého, keď za horúceho dňa sedel pri vchode do stanu. 2Tu pozdvihol oči, obzrel sa a videl troch mužov stáť pred sebou. Len čo ich zazrel, bežal im v ústrety od stanového vchodu, poklonil sa k zemi 3a povedal: Pane, ak som našiel milosť v tvojich očiach, neobíď svojho sluhu. 4Dám doniesť trochu vody, aby ste si umyli nohy; a odpočiňte si pod stromom. 5Ja však prinesiem kus chleba, aby ste sa občerstvili a potom pôjdete ďalej - veď práve preto ste odbočili k svojmu služobníkovi. 6Abrahám sa poponáhľal do stanu k Sáre a povedal: Chytro vezmi tri miery jemnej múky, zamies a narob posúchy. 7Potom Abrahám bežal k dobytku a vybral pekné mladé, dobré teľa, dal ho sluhovi a ten sa ponáhľal pripraviť ho. 8Potom vzal smotanu a mlieko i teľa, ktoré pripravil, a predložil im to. Kým jedli, stál pri nich pod stromom. 9Opýtali sa ho: Kde je tvoja žena Sára? On odpovedal: Tamhľa v stane. 10Nato hosť riekol: Určite sa vrátim k tebe o rok na jar a vtedy bude mať tvoja žena Sára syna. A Sára počúvala pri vchode do stanu, ktorý bol za ním. 11Abrahám a Sára boli starí, v rokoch, a Sára bola už po prechode. 12I zasmiala sa Sára v sebe a pomyslela si: Keď som už uvädla, môžem mať ešte rozkoš? Aj môj pán je starý. 13Vtedy riekol Hospodin Abrahámovi: Prečo sa Sára smeje a myslí si: Či naozaj budem rodiť, keď som ostarela? 14Či je Hospodinovi niečo nemožné? V určený čas, o rok na jar, sa vrátim k tebe a vtedy Sára bude mať syna. 15Ale Sára zaprela slovami: Nesmiala som sa. Bála sa totiž. On však riekol: Nie! Veru si sa smiala! 16Nato sa mužovia odtiaľ pobrali a zamierili k Sodome. Abrahám išiel s nimi a vyprevadil ich. 17Tu si pomyslel Hospodin: Či zatajiť pred Abrahámom, čo urobím? 18Abrahám sa iste stane veľkým a mocným národom a požehnané budú v ňom všetky národy zeme. 19Lebo jeho som si vyhliadol, aby prikazoval svojim synom a svojmu domu zachovať po jeho smrti cestu Hospodinovu, konať spravodlivosť a právo, aby tak Hospodin splnil Abrahámovi, čo mu zasľúbil. 20Tu riekol Hospodin: Pretože je veľká ponosa na Sodomu a Gomoru a ich hriech je veľmi ťažký, 21zostúpim a uvidím, či všetci konali tak, ako znie ponosa, ktorá došla ku mne. Ak nie, dozviem sa. 22Nato sa mužovia pobrali odtiaľ a i šli do Sodomy; Abrahám však stál ešte pred Hospodinom. 23I pristúpil Abrahám a povedal: Či zahubíš s bezbožným aj spravodlivého? 24Možno bude v meste päťdesiat spravodlivých; či ich zahubíš a neodpustíš miestu pre päťdesiat spravodlivých, ktorí sú v ňom? 25Vystríhaj sa konať tak, aby si s bezbožným usmrtil aj spravodlivých. Potom by spravodlivý pochodil ako bezbožný. Vystríhaj sa toho! Či by ten, čo súdi celú zem, nemal konať spravodlivo? 26I riekol Hospodin: Ak v Sodome, v obvode mesta nájdem päťdesiat spravodlivých, odpustím kvôli nim celému tomu miestu. 27Abrahám odpovedal: Hľa, odvážil som sa hovoriť so svojím Pánom, i keď som len prach a popol. 28Možno bude spravodlivých o päť menej ako päťdesiat; či pre tých piatich zahubíš celé mesto? I riekol: Nezahubím, ak tam nájdem štyridsaťpäť. 29On mu však hovoril ďalej: Možno sa ich tam nájde štyridsať. I riekol: Kvôli štyridsiatim to neurobím. 30A povedal: Nech môj Pán nevzbĺkne hnevom, ak budem ešte hovoriť: Možno sa ich tam nájde tridsať. On však na to riekol: Neurobím to, ak tam nájdem tridsiatich. 31Potom povedal: Hľa odvážil som sa hovoriť so svojím Pánom. Možno sa ich tam nájde dvadsať. I riekol: Ani kvôli dvadsiatim nezahubím. 32A hovoril ďalej: Nech môj Pán nevzbĺkne hnevom, ak budem ešte raz hovoriť: Možno sa ich tam nájde desať. A On riekol: Ani kvôli desiatim nezahubím. 33Keď s Abrahámom dohovoril, Hospodin odišiel a Abrahám sa vrátil na miesto svojho pobytu.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ENTERTAINMENT OF ANGELS. (
Gen 18:1-
Gen 18:8)
the Lord appeared--another manifestation of the divine presence, more familiar than any yet narrated; and more like that in the fulness of time, when the Word was made flesh.
plains of Mamre--rather, terebinth or oak of Mamre; a tall-spreading tree or grove of trees.
sat in the tent door--The tent itself being too close and sultry at noon, the shaded open front is usually resorted to for the air that may be stirring.
2 lift up his eyes . . . and, lo, three men--Travellers in that quarter start at sunrise and continue till midday when they look out for some resting-place.
he ran to meet them--When the visitor is an ordinary person, the host merely rises; but if of superior rank, the custom is to advance a little towards the stranger, and after a very low bow, turn and lead him to the tent, putting an arm round his waist, or tapping him on the shoulder as they go, to assure him of welcome.
3 My Lord, if now I have found favor--The hospitalities offered are just of the kind that are necessary and most grateful, the refreshment of water, for feet exposed to dust and heat by the sandals, being still the first observed among the pastoral people of Hebron.
5 for therefore are ye come--No questions were asked. But Abraham knew their object by the course they took--approaching directly in front of the chief sheik's tent, which is always distinguishable from the rest and thus showing their wish to be his guests.
6 Abraham hastened . . . unto Sarah . . . make cakes upon the hearth--Bread is baked daily, no more than is required for family use, and always by the women, commonly the wife. It is a short process. Flour mixed with water is made into dough, and being rolled out into cakes, it is placed on the earthen floor, previously heated by a fire. The fire being removed, the cakes are laid on the ground, and being covered over with hot embers, are soon baked, and eaten the moment they are taken off.
7 Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf--Animal food is never provided, except for visitors of a superior rank when a kid or lamb is killed. A calf is still a higher stretch of hospitality, and it would probably be cooked as is usually done when haste is required--either by roasting it whole or by cutting it up into small pieces and broiling them on skewers over the fire. It is always eaten along with boiled corn swimming in butter or melted fat, into which every morsel of meat, laid upon a piece of bread, is dipped, before being conveyed by the fingers to the mouth.
8 milk--A bowl of camel's milk ends the repast.
he stood by them under the tree--The host himself, even though he has a number of servants, deems it a necessary act of politeness to stand while his guests are at their food, and Abraham evidently did this before he was aware of the real character of his visitors.
10 REPROOF OF SARAH. An inquiry about his wife, so surprising in strangers, the subject of conversation, and the fulfilment of the fondly cherished promise within a specified time, showed Abraham that he had been entertaining more than ordinary travellers (
Heb 13:2). (
Gen 18:9-
Gen 18:15)
Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him--The women's apartment is in the back of the tent, divided by a thin partition from the men's.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself--Long delay seems to have weakened faith. Sarah treated the announcement as incredible, and when taxed with the silent sneer, she added falsehood to distrust. It was an aggravated offense (
Acts 5:4), and nothing but grace saved her (
Rom 9:18).
16 DISCLOSURE OF SODOM'S DOOM. (
Gen 18:16-
Gen 18:22)
the men rose . . . Abraham went with them--It is customary for a host to escort his guests a little way.
17 the Lord said, Shall I hide--The chief stranger, no other than the Lord, disclosed to Abraham the awful doom about to be inflicted on Sodom and the cities of the plain for their enormous wickedness.
21 I will go down . . . and see--language used after the manner of men. These cities were to be made examples to all future ages of God's severity; and therefore ample proof given that the judgment was neither rash nor excessive (
Ezek 18:23;
Jer 18:7).
23 ABRAHAM'S INTERCESSION. (
Gen 18:23-
Gen 18:33)
Abraham drew near, and said, &c.--The scene described is full of interest and instruction--showing in an unmistakable manner the efficacy of prayer and intercession. (See also
Pro 15:8;
Jas 5:16). Abraham reasoned justly as to the rectitude of the divine procedure (
Rom 3:5-
Rom 3:6), and many guilty cities and nations have been spared on account of God's people (
Matt 5:13;
Matt 24:22).
33 the Lord . . . left communing . . . and Abraham returned unto his place--Why did Abraham cease to carry his intercessions farther? Either because he fondly thought that he was now sure of the cities being preserved (
Luke 13:9), or because the Lord restrained his mind from further intercession (
Jer 7:16;
Jer 11:14). But there were not ten "righteous persons." There was only one, and he might without injustice have perished in the general overthrow (
Eccl 9:2). But a difference is sometimes made, and on this occasion the grace of God was manifested in a signal manner for the sake of Abraham. What a blessing to be connected with a saint of God!