Genesis 18:1-2

Three Special Visitors

18:1 The Lord appeared to Abraham ¹  by the oaks ²  of Mamre while ³  he was sitting at the entrance ⁴  to his tent during the hottest time of the day. 18:2 Abraham ⁵  looked up ⁶  and saw ⁷  three men standing across ⁸  from him. When he saw them ⁹  he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low ¹⁰  to the ground. ¹¹ 

Genesis 18:6

18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Take ¹²  three measures ¹³  of fine flour, knead it, and make bread.” ¹⁴ 

Genesis 18:9

18:9 Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, ¹⁵  in the tent.”

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¹ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Or “terebinths.”

³ tn The disjunctive clause here is circumstantial to the main clause.

⁴ tn The Hebrew noun translated “entrance” is an adverbial accusative of place.

⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁶ tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”

⁷ tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to what he saw. The drawn-out description focuses the reader’s attention on Abraham’s deliberate, fixed gaze and indicates that what he is seeing is significant.

⁸ tn The Hebrew preposition עַל (’al) indicates the three men were nearby, but not close by, for Abraham had to run to meet them.

⁹ tn The pronoun “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.

¹⁰ tn The form וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ (vayyishtakhu, “and bowed low”) is from the verb הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (hishtakhavah, “to worship, bow low to the ground”). It is probably from a root חָוָה (khavah), though some derive it from שָׁחָה (shakhah).

¹¹ sn The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the Lord and two angels (see Gen 19:1). It is not certain how soon Abraham recognized the true identity of the visitors. His actions suggest he suspected this was something out of the ordinary, though it is possible that his lavish treatment of the visitors was done quite unwittingly. Bowing down to the ground would be reserved for obeisance of kings or worship of the Lord. Whether he was aware of it or not, Abraham’s action was most appropriate.

¹² tn The word “take” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the sentence lacks a verb other than the imperative “hurry.” The elliptical structure of the language reflects Abraham’s haste to get things ready quickly.

¹³ sn Three measures (Heb “three seahs”) was equivalent to about twenty quarts (twenty-two liters) of flour, which would make a lot of bread. The animal prepared for the meal was far more than the three visitors needed. This was a banquet for royalty. Either it had been a lonely time for Abraham and the presence of visitors made him very happy, or he sensed this was a momentous visit.

¹⁴ sn The bread was the simple, round bread made by bedouins that is normally prepared quickly for visitors.

¹⁵ tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) often accompanies a gesture of pointing or a focused gaze.