Genesis 18

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:19

God's rule in the family. "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord." The promise to Abraham included— Of these points two at least are not confined to him personally, but belong to all who will. To know what God doeth a man must be taught of the Spirit ( 1 Corinthians 2:14 ; cf. Isaiah 7:12 ). There is a wide difference between seeing an event, or even foreseeing it, and understanding God's lessons... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:19

Abraham and family training. " For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him," &c.; Under the shady terebinth celestial visitants partake, or appear to do so, of a meal hastily provided by the patriarch. The whole narrative is given in such a way that,—after the manner of the time,—to God are ascribed human passions, desires, hesitancy, and resolve. Hence God is described as resolving, on two grounds, to reveal to Abraham that which he is about to do... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:20

A nd the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Literally, the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah (cf. Genesis 4:10 ), because it is (not, it is indeed, Baumgarten, Keil) multiplied ; the place of emphasis being conceded to the subject of discourse, viz; the cry of Sodom's wickedness. And because their sin is very great. Literally, and their sin, because it is heavy, i.e. abundant and heinous. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:21

I will go down now (cf. Genesis 11:5 ), and see (judicial investigation ever precedes judicial infliction at the Divine tribunal) whether they have done altogether —literally, whether they have made cow, piousness, i.e. carried their iniquity to perfection, to the highest pitch of wickedness (Calvin, Delitzsch, Keil); or consummated their wickedness, by carrying it to that pitch of fullness which works death (Ainsworth, Kalisch, Rosenmüller). The received rendering, which regards ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:22

And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom ( i.e. two of the three proceeded on their way towards the Jordan valley, while the third was detained by the patriarch, probably on the heights overlooking the plain, for a sublime act of intercession which is thus briefly but suggestively described): but Abraham stood yet before the Lord. According to the Masorites the text originally read, "And the Lord stood before Abraham, and was changed because it did not seem... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:23

And Abraham drew near . I .e. to Jehovah; not simply locally, but also spiritually. The religious use of יִגַּשּׁ as a performing religious services to God, or a pious turning of the mind to God, is found in Exodus 30:20 ; Isaiah 29:13 ; Jeremiah 30:21 ; and in a similar sense ἐγγίζω is employed in the New Testament (cf. Hebrews 4:16 ; Hebrews 10:22 ; James 4:8 ). The Jonathan Targum explains, "and Abraham prayed." And said. Commencing the sublimest act of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:23-33

Abraham's intercession. I. THE OBJECT OF HIS INTERCESSION . Not simply the rescue of Lot from the doomed cities, but the salvation of the cities themselves, with their miserable inhabitants. A request evincing— 1. Tender sympathy . Though doubtless the righteous character of the impending retribution had been explained to him, its appalling severity was such as to thrill his feeling heart with anguish, which would certainly not be lessened, but intensified, if he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:24

Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city . A charitable supposition, as the event showed, though at first sight it might not appear so to Abraham; and the bare Possibility of Sodom's—not Sodom alone (Kalisch), but the Pentapolis—containing so many good men was enough to afford a basis for the argument which followed. Wilt thou also destroy and not spare —literally, take away (sc. the iniquity) i.e. remove the punishment from—the place (not the godly portion of the city... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:25

That be far from thee —literally to profane things ( be it ) to thee—nefas sit tibi == absit a te! an exclamation of abhorrence, too feebly rendered by μηδαμῶς ( LXX .)— to do after this manner (literally, according to this word ) , to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked (literally, and that it should be—as the righteous, so the wicked ) , that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:26

And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city (thus accepting the test proposed by Abraham, but not necessarily thereby acquiescing in the absolute soundness of his logic), then I will spare (not as an act of justice, but as an exercise of mercy, and not because of any suspicions that might otherwise attach to my rectitude, but solely in vindication of my clemency) all the place (not the righteous merely, which was all that justice could have legitimately... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:19

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:19

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:21

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:22

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:23

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:23-33

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:24

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:25

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 18:26

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