Genesis 19

Gen 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

The two angels. - These are the two men who left Abraham standing before the Lord Gen_18:22.

Lot sat in the gate - the place of public resort for news and for business. He courteously rises to meet them, does obeisance to them, and invites them to spend the night in his house.

Sat in the gate - Possibly, in order to prevent unwary travelers from being entrapped by his wicked townsmen, he waited at the gate of the city to bring the strangers he might meet with to his own house, as well as to transact his own business. This being a time when not only travelers would be glad to put up and take refreshment, but his wicked neighbors lay in wait for them to satisfy their lusts on them.

Lot sat in the gate of Sodom--In Eastern cities it is the market, the seat of justice, of social intercourse and amusement, especially a favorite lounge in the evenings, the arched roof affording a pleasant shade. The gate, generally an arched entrance with deep recesses and seats on either side, was a place of meeting in the ancient towns of the East, where the inhabitants assembled either for social intercourse or to transact public business.

And he bowed himself - not in a religious way, as paying worship to angels, for as yet he did not know them to be such, and if he had, would not have given them divine adoration; but in a civil way, as was the custom of the eastern countries to bow very low in their civil respects to men, especially to great personages; and such Lot took these to be by their goodly looks and by their dress, as appears by his salutation of them in Gen_19:2. The Sodomites heed not the strangers. Lot’s invitation; at first declined, is at length accepted, because Lot is approved of God as righteous, and excepted from the doom of the city.

Bowed himself - Not through religious reverence, for he did not know the quality of his guests; but through the customary form of civility.

Gen 19:2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

turn in, I pray you --offer of the same generous hospitalities as described in Gen_18:2-8, and which are still spontaneously practiced in the small towns.

we will abide in the street all night--Where there are no inns and no acquaintance, it is not uncommon for travellers to sleep in the street wrapped up in their cloaks.

Gen 19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

And he pressed them greatly - He prayed, he entreated, he persuaded, to prevail upon them;

and did bake unleavened bread - not because it was the time of the passover, for as yet that was not instituted; but for quicker dispatch, that his guests might have their supper the sooner, and get to bed the earlier, and rest themselves; bread without leaven in it being sooner baked than that which is made with it:

entered into his house--On removing to the plain, Lot intended at first to live in his tent apart from the people Gen_13:12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the circuit and pitched his tent toward Sodom. But he was gradually drawn in, dwelt in the city, and he and his family were connected with the citizens by marriage ties.

Gen 19:4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

While Lot was entertaining his guests with the greatest hospitality, the people of Sodom gathered round his house, “both old and young, all people from every quarter” (of the town, as in Jer_51:31), and demanded, with the basest violation of the sacred rite of hospitality and the most shameless proclamation of their sin Isa_3:9 The look of their faces witnesses against them; and they declare their sin like Sodom. They do not hide it ! Woe to their soul! For they have rewarded evil to themselves, that the strangers should be brought out, that they might know them. The word, as in Jdg_19:22 They were making their hearts merry. And, behold, the men of the city, certain sons of Belial, set upon the house all around and beat at the door and spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring out the man that came to your house so that we may know him, to the carnal sin of paederastia, a crime very prevalent among the Canaanites Lev_20:23 And you shall not walk in the ways of the nation which I cast out before you. For they committed all these things, and therefore I loathed them. Lev_18:22 You shall not lie with mankind as with womankind. It is abomination to God. and according to Rom_1:27, a curse of heathenism generally.

But before they lay down - Upon their beds to sleep; it was between supper time and bedtime that the following affair happened, while the angels were talking to Lot about the men of Sodom.

both old and young - the males of the city of every age; some that were past committing the sin they were so infamous for, as well as those that burned with that unnatural lust; some that could not be actors were willing to be spectators; and all were curious to see the lovely persons, that it was reported all over the city were seen to go into Lot's house: The old were not past it, and the young were soon come up to it. Either they had no magistrates to protect the peaceable, or their magistrates were themselves aiding and abetting.

all the people from every quarter - all from one end of the city to the other, and from every corner in it: which shows the general corruption and depravity of the city, that it was so far from having ten righteous persons in it, that of the proper inhabitants of it, there was not one righteous person, not one.

Gen 19:5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

Where are the men which came in to thee - This account justifies the character given of this depraved people in the preceding chapter, Gen_18:20, and in Gen_23:13.

that we may know them – The word “know” here is the same one used when Adam knew Eve and had Cain and Abel. not who they were, and from whence they came, and what their business was; nor did they pretend anything of this kind to hide and cover their design from Lot, but they were open and impudent, and declared their sin without shame and blushing, which is their character, Isa_3:9; their meaning was, that they might commit that unnatural sin with them, they were addicted to, and in common used, and which from them to this day bears the name of Sodomy. As lawful copulation with a man's wife is modestly expressed by knowing her, Gen_4:1; so this unlawful and shocking copulation of man with man is expressed by this phrase; and that this was their meaning is plain from Lot's answer to them, Gen_19:8.

Gen 19:6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

and shut the door after him - this precaution of shutting it was used to prevent the men of Sodom rushing in, and taking away the men by violence; and that Lot might have some opportunity of trying what he could do by arguments, to prevail upon them to desist from their attempt. Two words are here used for door. the first pethach, which is the door-way, at which Lot went out; the latter, deleth, the leaf of the door, which he shut after him when out.

Gen 19:7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

And said, I pray you, brethren - Not by family or nation, for the Sodomites were of the race of Ham, in the line of Canaan, and Lot was a descendant of Shem, in the line of Arphaxad; nor by religion, for the one were idolaters, and the other a worshipper of the true God, but by community of nature; and especially he called them so by reason of their having been neighbors considerable time, and on the score of friendship; and with this soft language Lot hoped to win his neighbors, and to persuade them from pursuing their unlawful measures.

do not so wickedly – Do not act so wickedly as to abuse a man's guests, to abuse strangers, to break the laws and rules of hospitality, and especially to commit that unnatural sin they were bent upon.

Gen 19:8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

I have two daughters - In his anxiety, Lot was willing to sacrifice to the sanctity of hospitality his duty as a father, which ought to have been still more sacred, “and committed the sin of seeking to avert sin by sin.” Even if he expected that his daughters would suffer no harm, as they were betrothed to Sodomites (Gen_19:14), the offer was a grievous violation of his paternal duty. He deserves praise for defending his guests, but he is to be blamed for seeking unlawful means. But this offer only heightened the brutality of the mob.

Behold now, I have two daughters - Nothing but that sacred light in which the rights of hospitality were regarded among the eastern nations, could either justify or palliate this proposal of Lot. A man who had taken a stranger under his care and protection, was bound to defend him even at the expense of his own life. In this light the rights of hospitality are still regarded in Asiatic countries; and on these high notions only, the influence of which an Asiatic mind alone can properly appreciate, Lot’s conduct on this occasion can be at all excused: but even then, it was not only the language of anxious solicitude, but of unwarrantable haste.

Behold now, I have two daughters - Though some think they were espoused to men, but had not yet cohabited with them, see Gen_19:14,

Behold now, I have two daughters - this was a very great evil in Lot to make such an offer of his daughters; it was contrary to parental love and affection, an exposing the chastity of his daughters, which should have been his care to preserve; nor had he a power to dispose of them in such a manner: that this showed his great regard to the laws of hospitality, that he had rather sacrifice his daughters to their brutal lusts, than give up the men that were in his house to them; and that he might hope that this would soften their minds, and put them off of any further attempt; but after all it must be condemned as a dangerous and imprudent action:

only unto these men do nothing - for as yet he knew them not to be angels; had he, it would not have given him the concern it did, since he must have known that they were able to defend themselves, and that the sin these men offered to commit could not be perpetrated on them: but he took them for mere men, and his request is, that no injury might be done to their persons in any respect, and especially in that way which their wicked hearts put them upon.

Gen 19:9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

Stand back - make way, turn on one side, get away from the door, that we may come to it:

This one came in to stay, and must he judge always? - the man, who came as a foreigner, is always wanting to play the judge probably because Lot had frequently reproved them for their licentious conduct, 2Pe_2:7-8 And He delivered righteous Lot, oppressed with the lustful behavior of the lawless.

8 For that righteous one living among them, in seeing and hearing, his righteous soul was tormented from day to day with their unlawful deeds.

and they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot - they rushed in upon him in a body, and pushed him away, and pulled him about, and would in all probability have done him serious injury, had he not been rescued by the angels:

Gen 19:10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.

and pulled Lot into the house to them - they rescued Lot from the fury and rage of the men of Sodom, and prevented his daughters being exposed unto them, as he had offered.

Gen 19:11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

And they smote the men with blindness both small and great - with blindness both of eye and heart, as one Jewish scholar interprets it; and indeed had they not been given up to a judicial blindness and hardness of heart, such a stroke upon them might have convinced them that their ways were evil, and their works not right, and that by them they had incurred the displeasure of God, and would desisted from their enterprise; but, on the contrary, they went on with it, and sought with all diligence and labor as much as possible to effect it.

And they smote the men with blindness both small and great - The word for "blindness" is only used here and in 2Ki_6:18 And they came down to it, and Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, I pray You, strike this people with blindness. And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha, and denotes a peculiar sort of blindness; not an entire blindness with respect to every object, but only with regard to that they were intent upon; for otherwise they would not have continued about Lot's house, or fatigued themselves with searching for the door of it, but would rather have been glad to have groped to their own houses as well as they could: and thus it was with the Syrians, when they were smitten at the prayer of Elisha, it was not total, for they could follow the prophet in the way he went and led them, but they could not see their way to the place where they intended to go; and so these men of Sodom could see other objects, but not the door of Lot's house, their heads were so confused, and their imaginations so disturbed as in drunken men; or the air, so altered, or the form of the object to be seen so changed, that they could not discern it; when they saw the door, it looked like the wall, and that which seemed to them to be the door, proved to be the wall:

so that they wearied themselves to find the door - went backwards and forwards, fancying the door was here, and then it was there, and when they came to it, they perceived it was not; and thus they went to and fro, until they were quite weary of seeking it, and despaired of finding it, and left off.

with blindness - The word sanverim, rendered “blindness,” and which occurs only here, and in 2Ki_6:18, is supposed to denote dazzlings, deceptions, or confusions of sight from excessive light; The Targums, in both places where it occurs, render it by eruptions, or flashes of light, Compare to Act_13:11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is on you. And you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a while. And immediately a mist and a darkness fell on him, and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

Gen 19:12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:

Bring your sons-in-law - There were only two in number; as we do not hear that Lot had more than two daughters: and these seem not to have been actually married to those daughters, but only betrothed, as is evident from what Lot says, Gen_19:8; for they had not known man, but were the spouses elect of those who are here called his sons-in-law.

bring them out of this place - Apostolic authority has declared Lot was "a righteous man" (2Pe_2:8), at bottom good, though he contented himself with lamenting the sins that he saw, instead of acting on his own convictions, and withdrawing himself and family from such a sink of corruption. But favor was shown him: and even his bad relatives had, for his sake, an offer of deliverance, which was ridiculed and spurned (2Pe_3:4).

Gen 19:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.

the LORD hath sent us to destroy it - This proves that the angels are ministers, both to execute God's wrath and to declare his favor. The holy angels are ministers of God's wrath for the destruction of sinners, as well as of his mercy for the preservation and deliverance of his people.

Gen 19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters - according to Jewish scholars, he had two other daughters that perished in Sodom, from Gen_19:15, "which are here", as if he had some elsewhere; and so he had two daughters married in the city. It seems rather, that these were the daughters Lot had at home with him; who, according to Josephus were espoused to men in the city, but not yet married; and on account of such espousals, as were usual in the eastern countries, Lot calls them his sons-in-law, as they were intended; for if these had been daughters of his married, and taken home, he would not only have spoke unto their husbands, but to them also; and would have been still more pressing upon them to arise and make their escape; of which nothing is said, nor of any answer of theirs to him, only of his sons-in-law, as they are called on the above account:

but he seemed as one that mocked to his sons in law - as one that was in jest, and had a mind to have a little sport with them, to get them out of their beds, and put them into a flight, and then laugh at them.

Gen 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

And when the morning arose - When it was break of day, for as yet the sun was not risen, nor did it rise until Lot got to Zoar, Gen_19:23. He was now returned from his sons-in-law, and by this time it began to be light:

take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here - from whence Aben Ezra, and others, have concluded, as has been observed, that he had other daughters elsewhere, which they suppose were married to men of Sodom; but the phrase, "which are here", or "are found", or "are present" (t), relates to his wife, as well as his daughters, and only signifies, that he should take all his relations that were present; and these may be only opposed to and distinguished from his sons-in-law that were absent, and refused to hearken to his advice and exhortations; who believed what the angels said concerning the destruction of Sodom, as well as he, as did his wife and two daughters:

lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city - in the punishment inflicted on the city for their iniquity. Rev_18:4 And I heard another voice from Heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that you may not be partakers of her sins, and that you may not receive of her plagues.

Gen 19:16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

they brought him forth - the Lord being merciful; else they had been left to perish in their lingering, as the others were in their gainsaying. The Lord being merciful unto him; and so saved them from the ruin and destruction of the city, in which had they stayed a little longer they would have been involved.

And while he lingered - Delayed going out of his house, either loath to leave his goods and substance behind him; or waiting to see whether his sons-in-law would come to him; or, as others, praying that God would spare the city: though rather the sense is, that he was so amazed, and filled with horror and trembling at the thought of what judgments were coming on the city, that he was like one stupid, that had no power to stir nor move, which seems best to agree with the sense of the word used.

Gen 19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

escape for thy life - not one of the two angels that had been with him all the night past remained with him now, for they had now left and were gone back to the city: but the Son of God, who had been communing with Abraham, and now came to Sodom, and appeared to Lot, just at the time the two angels left him, and bid him escape with all haste, if he had any regard for his life, and that of those with him:

look not behind thee - as showing any concern for his goods and substance he had left behind him, or for his sons-in-law, who refused to come with him, and much less for the wicked inhabitants of the city; In a way, it is like believers today who are to turn our backs on our old way of life, and the world, once we are born again.

neither stay thou in all the plain - in the plain of Jordan, for the whole plain, and the cities in it, were to be destroyed:

escape to the mountain - the same mountain the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah, and they that were with them after the battle of the kings, fled to, Gen_14:10 And the valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits. And the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain; here only he and his could be safe from the conflagration of the plain. Afterwards called the mountains of Moab.

Look not behind thee, nor stay in all the plain. Escape to the mountain - He must not loiter by the way. Such as these are the commands given to those who through grace are delivered out of a sinful state. Return not to sin and Satan, for that's looking back to Sodom. Rest not in the world, for that's staying in the plain. And, Reach toward Christ and heaven, for that is escaping to the mountain, short of which we must not take up.

Lot, instead of cheerfully obeying the commandment of the Lord, appealed to the great mercy shown to him in the preservation of his life, and to the impossibility of his escaping to the mountains, without the evil overtaking him, and entreated therefore that he might be allowed to take refuge in the small and neighboring city, i.e., in Bela, which received the name of Zoar (Gen_14:2) on account of Lot's calling it little.

Gen 19:18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:

oh, not so, my Lord - that is, let me not be obliged to go so far as to the mountain; What a strange want of faith and fortitude, as if He who had interfered for his rescue would not have protected Lot in the mountain solitude.

Gen 19:19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:

I cannot escape to the mountain - He saw the destruction so near, that he imagined he should not have time sufficient to reach the mountain before it arrived. He did not consider that God could give no command to his creatures that it would be impossible for them to fulfill.

Behold, now thy servant hath found grace in thy sight - In sending two of his angels to him, to inform him of the approaching destruction of Sodom; to pluck him out of it as a brand out of the burning, and to place him without the city, and in directing and encouraging him to escape for his life:

lest some evil take me, and I die - the burning of Sodom, and the cities of the plain, lest that should overtake him before he got to the mountain: thus he began to distrust the power of God to strengthen him to go thither, who had appeared so wonderfully for him in his present deliverance; and he might have assured himself, that he that brought him out of Sodom would never suffer him to perish in the destruction of it.

Gen 19:20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.

It is a little one - Probably supposed that being a little city, it was less depraved than Sodom and Gomorrah, and therefore not so ripe for punishment; Though it is little, yet it is great enough to save his life: in which he errs by choosing another place than the one appointed him.

Behold now, this city is near to flee unto - Pointing to Bela, afterwards called Zoar, from what follows: it is said to be two to five miles distant from Sodom.

is it not a little one? - or is it not a little thing? Some take this to mean it is a small request that he makes rather than the city being small.

and my soul shall live - I shall not only be able to get thither, and so my life will be preserved; but I shall be in good spirits, rejoice and be glad, that I am got safe and out of the reach of danger; my spirits, which are now faint, and therefore can never think of getting so far as to the mountain, but, if this favor is granted me, they will revive, and I shall cheerfully pursue my journey thither, and be comfortable.

Gen 19:21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.

See, I have accepted thee - Accepted thy prayer and granted thy request, as well as in other things; shown grace and mercy to thee: or, "have lifted up thy face"; alluding to the custom of the eastern countries, where persons, when they come into the presence of their superiors, used to prostrate their faces to the ground; when, as a token of their acceptance of them, and good will to them, they used to order them to be lifted up, or them to lift up their faces, and stand before them:

that I will not overthrow this city for the which thou hast spoken - for, though he had not in express words petitioned that the city might be spared, yet he had tacitly done it, insomuch as he had requested he might flee unto it, where he could not have been safe had it been destroyed.

Gen 19:22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

I cannot do anything till thou be come thither - that is, consistent with the decree of God, that Lot and his family should be delivered and preserved, and with his promise made to him, that he would not overthrow that city; and therefore the catastrophe which would befall all the cities at once could not begin until he was safely arrived there:

the city was called Zoar - Tsoar, Little, its former name being Bela.

therefore the name of the city was called Zoar; in later times, and probably first by Lot, from his use of the word "little", which was his request, which Zoar signifies; it before was called Bela, Gen_14:2 they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

Gen 19:23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.

And the sun was risen upon the earth - Which is observed partly to point at the time of his entrance into the city, and of the burning of Sodom, which began at the same time; and partly to show what a fine morning it was, and what little appearance there was of such a tempest rising as quickly did; that the following tempest was extraordinary, and did not proceed from natural causes.

The rain of fire and brimstone was not a mere storm with lightning, which set on fire the soil already overcharged with naphtha and sulphur. The two passages, Psa_11:6 and Eze_38:22, cannot be adduced as proofs that lightning is ever called fire and brimstone in the Scriptures, for in both passages there is an allusion to the event recorded here. The words are to be understood quite literally, as meaning that brimstone and fire, i.e., burning brimstone, fell from the sky. By this rain of fire and brimstone not only were the cities and their inhabitants consumed, but even the soil, which abounded in asphalt, was set on fire, so that the entire valley was burned out and sank, or was overthrown, utterly destroyed.

In addition to Sodom, which was probably the chief city of the valley of Siddim, Gomorrah and the whole valley of Siddim and along with the cities of Admah and Zeboim, which were situated in the valley (Deu_29:23, cf. Hos_11:8), also perished, Zoar alone, which is at the south-eastern end of the valley, being spared for Lot's sake. Even to the present day the Dead Sea, great blocks of asphalt rise to the surface. It is around the Dead Sea that these cities are believed to be located.

Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

The Lord rained brimstone and fire from the Lord from the skies - Here the Lord is represented as present in the skies, whence the storm of desolation comes, and on the earth where it falls. The dale of Siddim, in which the cities were, appears to have abounded in asphalt and other combustible materials Gen_14:10 And the valley of Siddim was full of asphalt pits. And the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain. The district was liable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions from the earliest to the latest times. We read of an earthquake in the days of king Uzziah Amo_1:1. An earthquake in 1759 destroyed many thousands of persons in the valley of Baalbec. Josephus reports that the Salt Sea sends up in many places black masses of asphalt. After an earthquake in 1834, masses of asphalt were thrown up from the bottom, and in 1837 a similar cause was attended with similar effects.

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Note that Jehovah the Son raining brimstone and fire from Jehovah the Father; It must however be granted that two persons mentioned as Jehovah in one verse, is both a strange and curious circumstance; and it will appear more remarkable when we consider that the person called Jehovah, who conversed with Abraham, (see Genesis 18)., and sent those two angels to bring Lot and his family out of this devoted place, and seems himself after he left off talking with Abraham to have ascended to heaven, Gen_19:33, does not any more appear on this occasion till we hear that Jehovah rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of heaven.

Brimstone and fire - The word gophrith, which we translate brimstone, is of very uncertain derivation. It is evidently used metaphorically, to point out the utmost degrees of punishment executed on criminals, in Deu_29:23 the whole land shall be burned with brimstone, and salt; it shall not be sown; nor shall it sprout; nor shall there be any grass in it. It shall be like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger, and in His wrath; Job_18:15 What is not his shall dwell in his tent; brimstone shall be scattered on his home; Psa_11:6 On the wicked He shall rain snares, fire and brimstone; and a horrible tempest shall be the portion of their cup; Isa_34:9 And its streams shall be turned into pitch, and its dust to brimstone, and its land shall become burning pitch; Eze_38:22 And I will judge him with a plague and with blood. And I will rain on him, and on his bands, and on the many peoples with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire and brimstone. And as hell, or an everlasting separation from God and the glory of his power, is the utmost punishment that can be inflicted on sinners, hence brimstone and fire are used in Scripture to signify the torments in that place of punishment. Isa_30:33 For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared. He has made it deep and large. He makes great with fire and wood. The breath of the LORD kindles it, like a torrent of brimstone; Rev_14:10 he also will drink of the wine of the anger of God, having been mixed undiluted in the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented by fire and brimstone before the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; Rev_19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet doing signs before it, (by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast), and those who had worshiped his image. The two were thrown alive into the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone; Rev_20:10 And the Devil who deceived them was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet were. And he will be tormented day and night forever and ever; Rev_21:8 But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

Then the Lord rained upon Sodom, and upon Gomorrah, brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. And not upon those two cities only, but upon Admah and Zeboiim also, see Deu_29:23 the whole land shall be burned with brimstone, and salt; it shall not be sown; nor shall it sprout; nor shall there be any grass in it. It shall be like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger, and in His wrath; this was not a common storm of thunder and lightning, but a continued shower of sulphurous fire, or of burning flaming brimstone, which at once consumed those cities and the inhabitants of them; and the land adjacent being bituminous, or however some parts of it, full of slimepits, or pits of bitumen, a liquid of a pitchy quality, Gen_14:10; this flaming sulphur falling thereon, must burn in a most fierce and furious manner; and which utterly consumed not only houses, goods, and everything upon the land, but the land itself. Of this conflagration some Heathen writers speak, as particularly Tacitus who says, some large and famous cities, not far from Jordan, were struck with thunderbolts, and were fired with fire from heaven, and were consumed; and so Solinus relates, that,"at some distance from Jerusalem, a sorrowful lake appears, which the black ground testifies was stricken by heaven and turned into ashes; where were two towns, the one called Sodomum, the other Gomorrum.'' This was a righteous judgment on those cities, and a just retaliation for their sin; their sin was an unnatural one, and nature is inverted to punish them, fire comes down from heaven, or hell from heaven, as Salvian's words are, to consume them; they burned with lusts one against another, and flaming sheets of sulphurous fire fall upon them, burn and destroy them; and, in allusion to this terrible conflagration, hell is called the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, Jud_1:7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, in like manner to these, committing fornication, and going away after other flesh, laid down an example before-times, undergoing vengeance of everlasting fire. Rev_20:14 And death and hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death; and this destruction was brought upon them by Jehovah the Son of God, who had appeared to Abraham in an human form, and gave him notice of it, and heard all he had to plead for those cities, and then departed from him to Sodom, and was the author of this sad catastrophe; this amazing shower of fire and brimstone was rained by him from Jehovah his Father, out of heaven; so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem both call him, the Word of the Lord.

Brimstone - The word rendered “brimstone,” is always rendered by the Septuagint as sulphur.

Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

and that which grew upon the ground - the trees, herbs, and plants It was an utter ruin, and irreparable; that fruitful valley remains to this day a great lake, or dead sea.; The Greeks called it Asphaltis, from a sort of pitch which it casts up. It is called today the Dead Sea. Some believe the cities lie under that. Others look for the sites of Sodom and Gomorrah on the land surrounding the Dead Sea.

Gen 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

his wife looked back - She was, therefore, instantaneously struck dead and petrified, and thus remained to after ages a visible monument of the Divine displeasure. Luk_17:31-32 In that day he who shall be on the housetop, and his goods in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise, he who is in the field, let him not return to the things behind. Remember Lot's wife.

But his wife looked back from behind him - Herein she disobeyed an express command. Perhaps she hankered after her house and goods in Sodom, and was loath to leave them. Christ intimates this to be her sin, Luk_17:31-32, she too much regarded her stuff. And her looking back spoke an inclination to go back; and therefore our Savior uses it as a warning against apostasy from our Christian profession.

And she became a pillar of salt - She was struck dead in the place, yet her body did not fall down, but stood fixed and erect like a pillar or monument, not liable to waste or decay, as human bodies exposed to the air are, but metamorphosed into a substance, which would last.

She became a pillar of salt – There are a vast variety of opinions on the crime of Lot’s wife, her change, and the manner in which that change was effected. On this point the sacred Scripture says little. God had commanded Lot and his family not to look behind them; the wife of Lot disobeyed this command; she looked back from behind him and became a pillar of salt.

Gen 19:27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:

to the place where he stood before the Lord – to the place in Gen_18:22; the very spot of ground where he had stood the day before in the presence of the Lord, and had conversed with him, and prayed unto him; Abraham was at this time in Mamre, near Hebron. From the height which overlooks Hebron, where the patriarch stood, the observer at the present day has an extensive view spread out before him towards the Dead Sea.

And Abraham gat up early - to see what was become of his prayers

Gen 19:28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace - after the fiery shower was over, and the cities burnt down, the smoke ascended toward heaven, as the smoke of Babylon will do, Rev_19:3 And secondly they said, Hallelujah! And her smoke rose up forever and ever; like the reek of a boiling cauldron; or like the smoke of a lime kiln always burning.

Gen 19:29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

God remembered Abraham - the Lord had respect to the spirit of his petitions, and spared all those who could be called righteous, and for Abraham’s sake offered salvation to all the family of Lot, though neither his sons-in-law elect nor his own wife ultimately profited by it. The former ridiculed the warning; and the latter, though led out by the hands of the angel, yet by breaking the command of God perished with the other gainsayers.

And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain - Not when he had destroyed them, but when he was about to destroy them; for Lot was sent out from them, and delivered out of them, before they were destroyed; and therefore the words could be read as "before God destroyed them.”

that God remembered Abraham - His promise to him, that He would bless them that blessed him, Gen_12:3 And I will bless those that bless you and curse the one who curses you. And in you shall all families of the earth be blessed; and his prayer to him for Lot in Gen_18:23; for, though he does not mention him by name, he bore him on his heart, and he was always in the number of the righteous ones, on whose account he interceded for the sparing of the cities; and, though God did not hear and answer him with regard to the cities, yet he did with respect to the righteous men in them:

when God destroyed the cities--This is most welcome and instructive after so painful a narrative. It shows God is a "consuming fire" to the wicked Deu_4:24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God; Heb_12:29 for also, "Our God is a consuming fire.” He is the friend of the righteous. He "remembered" the intercessions of Abraham, and what confidence should not this give us that He will remember the intercessions of a greater than Abraham in our behalf.

Gen 19:30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

Lot went up out of Zoar - From seeing the universal desolation that had fallen upon the land, and that the fire was still continuing its depredations, he feared to dwell in Zoar, lest that also should be consumed, and then went to those very mountains to which God had ordered him at first to make his escape. Foolish man is ever preferring his own wisdom to that of his Maker. It was wrong at first not to betake himself to the mountain; it was wrong in the next place to go to it when God had given him the assurance that Zoar should be spared for his sake. Both these cases argue a strange want of faith, not only in the truth, but also in the providence, of God. Had he still dwelt at Zoar, the shameful transaction afterwards recorded had in all probability not taken place.

Gen 19:31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:

Our father is old - And consequently not likely to re-marry; and there is not a man in the earth - none left, according to their opinion in all the land of Canaan, of their own family and kindred; and they might think it unlawful to match with others, such as the inhabitants of Zoar, who they knew had been devoted to destruction as well as those of Sodom and Gomorrah, and were only saved at the earnest request of their father; and probably while they lived among them they found them ripe enough for punishment, and therefore would have thought it both dangerous and criminal to have formed any matrimonial connections with them.

Our father is old - if he was fifty years of age when he was taken captive by the kings, as says the Jewish chronologer he must now be sixty five, since the destruction of Sodom was fifteen years after that according to one scholar:

and there is not a man in the earth - to marry them, cohabit with them, and procreate children of them, which was the common way of the propagation of mankind in the earth; they thought the whole world was destroyed by fire, as it had been by a flood; they understood it would be no more consumed by water, but they had been told it would be by fire, and they imagined the time was now come, and not a man left but their father, and therefore thought it could be excusable in them, and lawful for them to take the following method to repopulate the world; or else they supposed there were none in the land, the land of Canaan, not of any of their kindred and relations, or of any good man that they knew of, that they could be joined to in marriage; for as for the inhabitants of Zoar, they had just left, they were as wicked as any, and therefore could not think of living with them in such a near relation: but all this is not a sufficient excuse for contriving and executing what is after related; for they should have inquired of their father, who could have informed them better.

Gen 19:32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

After considering all that has been said to criminate both Lot and his daughters in this business, I cannot help thinking that the transaction itself will bear a more favorable construction than that which has been generally put on it.

1. It does not appear that it was through any base or sensual desires that the daughters of Lot wished to deceive their father.

2. They might have thought that it would have been criminal to have married into any other family, and they knew that their husbands elect, who were probably of the same kindred, had perished in the overthrow of Sodom.

3. They might have supposed that there was no other way left to preserve the family, and consequently that righteousness for which it had been remarkable, but the way which they now took.

4. They appear to have supposed that their father would not come into the measure, because he would have considered it as profane; yet, judging the measure to be expedient and necessary, they endeavored to sanctify the improper means used, by the goodness of the end at which they aimed; a doctrine which, though resorted to by many, should be reprobated by all. Acting on this bad principle they caused their father to drink wine.

Come, let us make our father drink wine - For unless he had been drunk, he would never have done that abominable act.

Come, let us make our father drink wine - Lot "pitched toward Sodom" (Gen_13:12) for worldly advantage; then became a great man in Sodom (Gen_19:1) at the cost of his daughter's accepting the morals of Sodom.

Gen 19:33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

And he perceived not when she lay down - That is, he did not perceive the time she came to his bed, nor the time she quitted it; consequently did not know who it was that had lain with him. In this transaction Lot appears to me to be in many respects excusable. He had no accurate knowledge of what took place either on the first or second night, therefore he cannot be supposed to have been drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

And they made their father drink wine that night - They persuaded him to drink liberally, urged him to it again, in order to make him drunk, and so complete their design; and Lot might be the more prevailed upon to drink freely, in order to remove his sorrow over the loss of his wife, and all that occurred.

Gen 19:34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

the firstborn said to the younger - that what they had contrived succeeded according to their wish, and therefore, for her encouragement to go on, proposes to take the same method again:

Gen 19:35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

Gen 19:36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father - We learn from hence what the best of men are when left to themselves; a good man, a righteous Lot, is guilty of crimes the most shocking; he exposed the chastity of his daughters to the men of Sodom, and now his daughters attacked him, and succeeded, being both with child by him; and this brought about by excessive drinking, a sin which often leads on to the foulest crimes, and therefore to be carefully avoided; these sins Lot fell into when as it were alone, on a mountain, in a cave, none but his family with him, and these only his two daughters; he that had stood his ground in the midst of Sodom, notwithstanding all the excesses of that place, the impurities in it, and the temptations that every day offered, now falls when seemingly out of the way of all: these sins and failings of good men are recorded for our admonition and caution, that we may shun all appearance of evil, and be careful lest we fall, and neither be presumptuous not self-confident, see 1Co_10:12 So let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Gen 19:37 And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

Called his name Moab - This name is generally interpreted of the father or, according to some scholars, the waters of the father, which is sometimes used to mean seed. Isa_48:1 Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come out of the waters of Judah; who swear by the name of the LORD and make mention of the God of Israel ( but not in truth nor in righteousness).

Gen 19:38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

Ben-ammi - the son of my people. Both these names seem to justify the view taken of this subject that it was merely to preserve the family that the daughters of Lot made use of the above expedient; and hence we do not find that they ever attempted to repeat it, which, had it been done for any other purpose, they certainly would not have failed to do.

Ben-ammi - That is, "the son of my people", being the son of her father; which though it does not so manifestly appear in this name, as in the other, yet there is some trace of it; and she would have it be known by this, that he was not the son of a stranger, but of a relation of her own: some attribute this to her being more modest than her elder sister; but it looks as if neither of them were sensible of any crime they had been guilty of, but rather thought it a commendable action,

The generation which proceeded from this incestuous connection was certainly a bad one. The Moabites soon fell from the faith of God, and became idolaters, the people of Chemosh, and of Baal-peor, Num 21:29 Woe to you, Moab! You are undone, O people of Chemosh! He has given his sons to be runaways, and his daughters to go into captivity, to Sihon king of the Amorites. Num_25:1-3 And Israel lived in Shittim, and the people began to fornicate with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods. And the people ate and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself to Baal-peor. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel; and were enemies to the children of Abraham. See Numbers 22; Jdg 3:14 So the sons of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. And the Ammonites, who dwelt near to the Moabites, united with them in idolatry, and were also enemies to Israel. Jdg 11:4 And it happened after some time the sons of Ammon made war against Israel. Jdg 11:24 Will you not possess that which Chemosh your god gives you to possess? So whomever Jehovah our God shall drive out from before us, we will possess them; Deu_23:3-4 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah. Even to their tenth generation they shall not enter into the congregation of Jehovah forever, because they did not meet you with bread and with water in the way when you came forth out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor, of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. As both these people made afterwards a considerable figure in the sacred history, the impartial inspired writer takes care to introduce at this early period an account of their origin. See what has been said on the case of Noah’s drunkenness, Gen_9:20-27, etc.

Genesis 18

Gen 18:1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

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.

For the purpose of enjoying the refreshing air in the heat of the day, when the sun had most power. In the heat of the day; partly to cool and refresh himself, and partly to observe if any passengers passed by, to invite them in; this being a time of day when such needed refreshment, and it was proper for them to lie by a while, and not proceed on their journey until it was cooler: or rather to or "near" the tent door, without or under the shade of the tree. A custom still frequent in that area.

And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre - at this time he was in the plains, or at the oaks of Mamre, the oaken grove there, as has been observed on Gen_13:18 And Abram moved his tent and came and lived in the oaks of Mamre, which is in Hebron. And he built an altar to the LORD there; and which seems to be the best rendering of the words, since in Gen_18:4; mention is made of a tree to sit and stand under; and Abraham might choose this place for his habitation, because of the shadiness of it, in those hot countries:

and he sat - In these verses we have a delightful picture of genuine and primitive hospitality. a venerable father sits at the tent door, not only to enjoy the current of refreshing air, but that if he saw any weary and exhausted travellers, he might invite them to rest and refresh themselves during the heat of the day, and the same custom still continues in the east. It was not the custom, nor was there any necessity, for strangers to knock at the door, or to speak first, but to stand till they were invited.

Sat in the tent door - For significance of Abraham's tent, Heb_11:9-10 By faith he lived in the land of promise as a stranger, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs of the same promise with him. For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Sat in the tent door - Abraham was waiting to entertain any weary traveller, for inns were not to be met with as among us. While Abraham was thus sitting, he saw three men coming. These were three heavenly beings in human bodies. Some think they were all created angels; others, that one of them was the Son of God, the Angel of the covenant.

Gen 18:2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

Three men stood by him - were standing over against him; for if they had been standing by him, as our translation says, he needed not to have “run from the tent door to meet them.” To show how ready he was to entertain them, he arises from his seat at the tent door and ran to meet them, and gave them an hearty welcome to what he would provide for them: To Abraham these appeared at first as men; but he entertained angels unawares, Heb_13:2 Do not be forgetful of hospitality, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Three men stood by him –it seems that one of them was the son of God in an human form, that chiefly conversed with Abraham, and who rained from heaven brimstone on Sodom; and the other two were angels in the like form that accompanied him in that expedition:

and bowed himself toward the ground - not in a way of religious adoration, for, had he took them for angels, be could not have done that, and he knew not as yet that one of them was Jehovah; but in a civil manner, as was the custom of those countries when in the presence of, or when they received great personages.

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.

Gen 18:3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

O Lord. - Abraham uses the word 'adonāy denoting one having authority, whether divine or not. This the Masorites mark as sacred, and apply the vowel points proper to the word when it signifies God. These men in some way represent God; for “the Lord” on this occasion appeared unto Abraham Gen 18:1 And Jehovah appeared to him in the plains of Mamre, and he sat at the tent door in the heat of the day. The number is in this respect notable. Abraham addresses himself first to one person Gen 18:3 And he said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass away, I pray, from Your servant, then to more than one Gen_18:4-5 Let a little water, I pray, be brought, and wash Your feet, and rest under the tree. And I will bring a bite of bread, and will comfort your hearts. After that You shall pass on. For this is why You have come to Your servant. And they said, Do so, as you have said. It is stated that “‘they’ said, So do Gen 18:5 And I will bring a bite of bread, and will comfort your hearts. After that You shall pass on. For this is why You have come to Your servant. And they said, Do so, as you have said, ‘they’ did eat Gen 18:8 And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree, and they ate, ‘they’ said unto him, Gen 18:9 And they said to him, Where is Sarah your wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. Then the singular number is resumed in the phrase “‘and he said’” Gen 18:10 And He said, I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and lo, Sarah your wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard in the tent door which was behind Him, and at length, “The Lord said unto Abraham” Gen 18:13 And Jehovah said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I, who am old, truly bear a child? and then, “and he said” Gen 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I did not laugh; for she was afraid. And He said, No, but you did laugh. Then we are told “‘the men’ rose up, and Abraham went with them” Gen 18:16 And the men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. And Abraham was going with them to bring them on the way. Then we have “The Lord said” twice Gen 18:17 And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do, Gen 18:20 And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous. And lastly, it is said Gen 18:22 And the men turned their faces away from there, and went toward Sodom. But Abraham still stood before Jehovah. From this it appears that of the three men one, at all events, was the Lord, who, when the other two went toward Sodom, remained with Abraham while he made his intercession for Sodom, and afterward he also went his way. The other two will come before us again in the next chapter. Meanwhile, we have here the first explicit instance of the Lord appearing as man to man, and holding familiar conversation with him.

My Lord - The word is Adonai, not Yehovah, for as yet Abraham did not know the quality of his guests.

if now I have found favor in thy sight - signifying he should esteem it an honor done him, that he and his companions would vouchsafe to stop and refresh themselves: The hospitalities offered are just of the kind that are necessary and most grateful.

Gen 18:4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:

be fetched, and wash your feet - In these verses we find a delightful picture of primitive hospitality. In those ancient times the foot was protected only by sandals or soles, which fastened round the foot with straps. It was therefore a great refreshment in so hot a country to get the feet washed at the end of a day’s journey; and this is the first thing that Abraham proposes.

Rest yourselves under the tree - We have already heard of the oak grove of Mamre, Gen_12:6 And Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, unto the Oak of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land, and this was the second requisite for the refreshment of a weary traveler, rest in the shade.

wash your feet - In those ancient times, shoes such as ours, were not in use; and the foot was protected only with sandals or soles, fastened round the foot with straps. It was, therefore, not only necessary from motives of cleanliness, but also a very great refreshment, in so hot a country, to get the feet washed at the end of a day’s journey; and this is the first thing that Abraham proposes. Gen 19:2 and said, Behold now, my lords, please turn into your servant's house and stay all night, and wash your feet, and you shall rise up early and go your way. And they said, No, but we will stay in the street.

Gen 24:32 And the man came into the house. And he unloaded his camels, and gave straw and fodder to the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men that were with him.

Gen 43:24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. And he gave fodder to their asses.

1Sa 25:41 And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, Behold, let your handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.

Luk 7:44 And He turned to the woman and said to Simon, Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, yet you gave Me no water for My feet. But she has washed My feet with tears, and has wiped them with the hair of her head.

1Ti 5:10 well reported of for good works: if she brought up children, if she lodged strangers, if she washed the feet of saints, if she relieved the afflicted, if she followed after every good work.

Note how the act of hospitality of foot washing enters into something Jesus did with His disciples. Joh 13:5-15 After that He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, Lord, do You wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, You do not know what I do now, but you shall know hereafter. Peter said to Him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me. Simon Peter said to Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and head. Jesus said to him, He who is bathed has no need except to wash his feet, but is clean every whit. And you are clean, but not all. For He knew who would betray Him. Therefore He said, You are not all clean. So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments and had reclined again, He said to them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me the Teacher, and Lord, and you say well, for I AM. If then I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

Gen 18:5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

for therefore are ye come-- In those ancient days every traveler conceived he had a right to refreshment, when he needed it, at the first tent he met with on his journey.

I will fetch a morsel of bread - This was the third requisite of hospitality.

Gen 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.

Abraham hastened. - The unvarying customs of Eastern pastoral life here come up before us. There is plenty of flour and of live cattle. But the cakes have to be kneaded and baked on the hearth, and the calf has to be killed and dressed.

Abraham personally gives directions, Sarah personally attends to the baking, and the boy or lad - that is, the domestic servant whose business it is - kills and dresses the meat. Abraham himself attends upon his guests.

Three measures - “Three seahs.” About three pecks, and therefore a superabundant supply for three guests. A seah is about an English peck, the third part of an ephah. The ephah contained ten omers. The omer held about five pints. An omer, or three tenths of a seah, was considered sufficient for one man for a day Exo_16:16 This is the thing which the LORD has commanded: Each man gather of it according to his eating, an omer for a head, according to the number of your souls. Each one shall take for those who are in his camp. But Abraham had a numerous household, and plentifulness was the character of primitive hospitality.

This chapter describes Abraham’s fellowship with God. On the gracious assurance of the Redeemer and Vindicator, “Fear not, I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward,” he ceased to fear, and believed. On the solemn announcement of the Conqueror of evil and the Quickener of the dead, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be perfect,” he began anew to walk with God in holiness and truth. The next step is, that God enters into communion with him as a man with his friend Isa_41:8 But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, My friend; Joh_14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Word. And My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. Hitherto he has appeared to him as God offering grace and inclining the will to receive it. Now, as God who has bestowed grace, he appears to him who has accepted it and is admitted into a covenant of peace. He visits him for the twofold purpose of drawing out and completing the faith of Sarah, and of communing with Abraham concerning the destruction of Sodom.

Make cakes upon the hearth - Or under the ashes. This mode is used in the east to the present day. When the hearth is strongly heated with the fire that has been kindled on it, they remove the coals, sweep off the ashes, lay on the bread, and then cover it with the hot cinders.

Gen 18:7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

and fetched a calf tender and good - a fine fat calf, which was reckoned very delicious food, and much in use with the ancients and generally made a part in any grand entertainment, and was accounted fit for a king, see 1Sa_28:24,

and he hasted to dress it - the young man made all the haste he could to get it ready, according to the orders of Abraham.

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.

Gen 18:8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

They accept the hospitality of Abraham and partake of human food. This, also, was a real act. It does not imply, however, that food is necessary to spiritual beings. The whole is a typical act representing communion between God and Abraham. The giving and receiving of a meal was the ground of a perpetual or inviolable friendship.

And he took butter and milk - seemingly any preparation of milk, cream, curds, or butter, all of which are used in the East. One scholar says it was the fat of the milk gathered from the top of it, cream, and is different both from butter and from milk: this was either Abraham himself, who took and brought these, as Sarah or her maidens might bring the cakes when baked; or else Abraham's young man/ Another scholar days it was a bowl of camel's milk which ended the repast.

And he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat - It is common to see travelers and guests eating under the shade of trees. Feasts are scarcely ever held in houses. The house serves for sleeping and cooking, and for shutting up the women; but is never considered as a sitting or dining room.

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.

Gen 18:9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

where is Sarah thy wife? - the question here put by him was not out of ignorance, for he who knew the name of Abraham's wife, knew where she was; perhaps this was asked in order to lead on to say something more concerning her, and that, hearing her name, she might draw nearer and listen to what was said of her:

Where is Sarah thy wife? - By naming her, they gave intimation to Abraham, that tho' they seemed strangers, yet they well knew him and his family: by enquiring after her, they shewed a kind concern for the family of one, whom they found respectful to them. And by speaking of her, she over - hearing it, they drew her to listen to what was farther to be said.

behold, in the tent - for in those times they dwelt in tents, and this was either the tent common to the family, or rather was Sarah's own tent, Gen_24:67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. And he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after his mother's death; Sarah was where she should be, in her own apartment, attending to the business of her family, and answered to the description the apostle gives of a good housewife, a keeper at home, Tit_2:5;

Gen 18:10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

I will certainly return - Abraham was now ninety-nine years of age, and this promise was fulfilled when he was a hundred; so that the phrase according to the time of life must mean either a complete year, or nine months from the present time, the ordinary time of pregnancy. Taken in this latter sense, Abraham was now in the ninety-ninth year of his age, and Isaac was born when he was in his hundredth year.

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.

Gen 18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women – she had entered the menopausal stage of a woman’s life so that she was unfit for conception, and there could be no hope of it in a natural way. Therefore if she have a son it must be in a supernatural or miraculous way.

Gen 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

Sarah laughed - Partly from a conviction that it was extremely improbable. She appears to have believed the order of nature, rather than believing the promise of God.

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself - Not for joy of a son, and as pleased with it, believing so it would be; but as disbelieving it, and perhaps deriding it, and confuting it with a laugh, which, though it did not appear in her countenance, was secretly in her heart:

Sarah laughed within herself - It was not a laughter of faith, like Abraham's, Gen_17:17, but a laughter of doubting and distrust. The great objection which Sarah could not get over was her age.

I am waxed old - and past childbearing in a course of nature, especially having been hitherto barren, and which magnifies the difficulty, My lord is old also.

Gen 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

Why did Sarah laugh --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.

And the Lord (Jehovah) said - So it appears that one of those three persons was Jehovah, and as this name is never given to any created being, consequently the ever-blessed God is intended; and as he was never seen in any bodily shape, consequently the great Angel of the covenant, Jesus Christ, must be meant.

And the Lord said unto Abraham - This discovers who the person was that had been conversing with Abraham, that he was a divine Person, as appears by his name "Jehovah", as well as by his knowledge of Sarah's behavior;

Gen 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

Is any thing too hard for the Lord? - shall a word (or thing) be wonderful from the Lord? i.e., Can any thing be too great a miracle for him to effect? The Septuagint translate the passage, Gen 18:14 Shall anything be impossible with the Lord? At this time I will return to thee seasonably, and Sarrha shall have a son (Septuagint) which Luke adopts almost literatim, only making it an affirmative position instead of a question which we translate, Luk_1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. It was to correct Sarah’s unbelief, and to strengthen her faith, that God spoke these most important words; words which state that where human wisdom, prudence, and energy fall, and where nature herself ceases to be an agent, through lack of energy to act, or laws to direct and regulate energy, there also God has full sway, and by his own omnific power works all things after the counsel of his own will.

Gen 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

Then Sarah denied - Sarah lied

for she was afraid - of the reproof of her husband; and of the charge of ill manners to a stranger.

Gen 18:16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

The conference concerning Sodom. The human manner of the interview is carried out to the end. Abraham convoys his departing guests. The Lord then speaks, apparently debating with himself whether he shall reveal his intentions to Abraham. The reasons for doing so are assigned. First. Abraham shall surely become a nation great and mighty, and therefore has the interest of humanity in this act of retribution on Sodom. All that concerns man concerns him. Second. Blessed in him shall be all the nations of the earth. Hence, he is personally and directly concerned with all the dealings of mercy and judgment among the inhabitants of the earth. Third. “I have known him.” The Lord has made himself known to him, has manifested his love to him, has renewed him after his own image; and hence this judgment upon Sodom is to be explained to him, that he may train his household to avoid the sins of this doomed city, “to keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; and all this to the further intent that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what he hath spoken of him.”

Abraham went with them-- to bring them on the way; which was another piece of civility to strangers used in those early times. It was customary for a host to escort his guests a little way. Public roads did not then exist and guides were essentially necessary in countries where villages were seldom to be met with, and where solitary dwellings did not exist. Abraham accompanied them some distance on the road; according to tradition, he went as far as the site of the later Caphar barucha, from which you can see the Dead Sea through a ravine.

and looked toward Sodom - set their faces and steered their course that way, by which it appeared they intended to go thither.

The two who are supposed to have been created angels went toward Sodom. The one who is called Jehovah throughout the chapter, continued with Abraham, and would not hide from him the thing he intended to do. Though God long forbears with sinners, from which they fancy that the Lord does not see, and does not regard; yet when the day of his wrath comes, he will look toward them

The destruction of Sodom and the surrounding cities was to be a permanent memorial of the punitive righteousness of God, and to keep the fate of the ungodly constantly before the mind of Israel. To this end Jehovah explained to Abraham the cause of their destruction in the clearest manner possible, that he might not only be convinced of the justice of the divine government, but might learn that when the measure of iniquity was full, no intercession could avert the judgment-a lesson and a warning to his descendants also.

Gen 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

Shall I hide from Abraham - That is, I will not hide. A common mode of speech in Scripture - a question asked when an affirmative is designed. Do men gather grapes of thorns? Men do not gather grapes of thorns, etc.

shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do? - which he was about to do, namely, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah: the Jewish writers observe, that these cities were given in the grant of the whole land to Abraham, and therefore it was right to acquaint him with it first: but other and better reasons are given in the next words; Abraham was a friend of the Lord, and he had showed himself friendly to him, not only now, but heretofore, and therefore will treat him as his friend, by imparting his secrets to him.

Gen 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

Shall surely become a great and mighty nation - The revelation that I make to him shall be preserved among his posterity; and the exact fulfillment of my promises, made so long before, shall lead them to believe in my name and trust in my goodness.

shall surely become a great and mighty nation - Which was fulfilled in the nation of Israel, so called, not so much for the largeness of the place they dwelt in, and the number of its inhabitants, as for the law of God that was given them, and the worship of God kept up among them; on account of which there was no nation so great, Deu_4:8 And who is a great nation whose statutes and judgments are so righteous as all this law which I set before you today?

and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him - in his seed, the Messiah, in whom some of all nations are blessed with all spiritual blessings.

Gen 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

And they shall keep the way of the Lord - The true religion; God’s way; that in which God walks himself, and in which, of course, his followers walk also; to do justice and judgment; not only to preserve the truth in their creed, but maintain it in their practice.

For I know him - Not only by his omniscience, but with a special knowledge, such as is accompanied with peculiar love and affection; it is expressive of love. God loved Abraham, he was a peculiar favorite of his, and therefore he would reveal his secrets to him, see Amo_3:2; and he knew not only who he was, but what he was, a holy good man, made so by his own grace, and what he would do by the assistance of that grace.

that he will command his children, and his household after him - to serve and worship the Lord: not his own children only, but his servants also, all in his family; lay his injunctions on them, use his authority with them, give them all needful instructions, and take such methods with them as would tend to propagate and preserve the true religion after his death:

to do justice and judgment - to attend to all the laws, statutes, and judgments of God; to do that which is just and right between man and man; not as a justifying righteousness, by which Abraham himself was not justified before God; but to show their regard to the will of God, in gratitude for favors received from him, and to glorify him, as well as for the good of their fellow creatures:

that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him - not only on Abraham personally, but upon his posterity, they walking in the ways of the Lord, according to his command and direction:

I know Abraham that he will command his children, and his household after him - This is a bright part of Abraham's character. He not only prayed with his family, but he taught them, as a man of knowledge; nay, he commanded them as a man in authority, and was prophet and king, as well as priest, in his own house. And he not only took care of his children, but of his household: his servants were catechized servants. Masters of families should instruct, and inspect the manners of all under their roof. And this is given as the reason why God would make known to him his purpose concerning Sodom; because he was communicative of his knowledge, and improved it for the benefit of those that were under his charge.

Gen 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

The Lord now proceeds to unfold his design. There is justice in every step of the divine procedure. He comes down to inquire and act according to the merits of the case. The men now depart on their errand; but Abraham still stands before the Lord.

because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great - either of Lot in it, whose righteous soul was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked, and cried to heaven against them; or of the inhabitants that were oppressed by others, either in their bodies, being forced to submit to their unnatural usage of them, or in their estates, of which they wronged them; particularly the cry of the poor among them, whom they suffered to starve, though there were fullness of bread in the midst of them Eze_16:48-50 As I live, says the Lord Jehovah, Sodom your sister, she nor her daughters, has not done as you have done, you and your daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom; pride. Fullness of bread and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters. Nor did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and did abominable things before Me, so I turned away as I saw fit; the Jews say, they appointed false judges, who oppressed all strangers that came to Sodom, and made a law, that whoever relieved a poor person should be burnt with fire: or the cry of their sins, which were many and great, and openly and impudently committed; the cry of which came into the ears of the Lord of hosts, and called for vengeance. Those two cities, which perhaps were the greatest and the most remarkable for their sins, are put for all the five cities of the plain, called Pentapolis.

And because their sin is very grievous; attended with very aggravated circumstances - they enjoyed great plenty of good things; and were not to be bore with, being so exceeding sinful, and so publicly and audaciously committed, especially that sin so frequent among them, which has its name from Sodom, Gen_13:13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD, exceedingly so.

Gen 18:21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

I will go down now - A lesson to magistrates, teaching them not to judge according to report, but accurately to inquire into the facts themselves. God speaks after the fashion of men: that is, I will enter into judgment with good advise.

according to the cry of it which is come unto me - this is spoken after the manner of men; for otherwise God saw all their wickedness, and knew full well the nature and circumstances of it, and how general it was; but this method he proposes to take, to show the justice of his proceedings, and to instruct judges, and set an example to them, not to condemn any without thoroughly examining their cause: 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

I will go down - This is spoken figuratively; and as the Jewish writers speak, according to the language of men. So eyes, ears, hands, and other members of the body are attributed to God, for effecting those things which men cannot accomplish without these members. Gen_11:5, Gen_11:7; Exo_3:8, Exo_33:5; Mic_1:3; Joh_6:38; 1Th_4:16

Gen 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

And the men turned their faces - That is, the two angels who accompanied Jehovah were now sent towards Sodom; while the third, who is called the Lord or Jehovah, remained with Abraham for the purpose of teaching him the great usefulness and importance of faith and prayer. The two, whom we suppose to have been created angels, departed at this time; and accordingly two entered Sodom at evening.

Gen 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

Abraham intercedes for Sodom. His spiritual character is unfolded and exalted more and more. He employs the language of a free-born son with his heavenly Father. He puts forward the plea of justice to the righteous in behalf of the city. He ventures to repeat his intervention six times, every time diminishing the number of the righteous whom he supposes to be in it. The patience of the Lord is no less remarkable than the perseverance of Abraham. In every case he grants his petition. Abraham is about to take the role of mediator here in an attempt to spare the righteous from judgment. A foreshadowing of the only mediator we have, Jesus.

Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? - A form of speech similar to that in Gen_18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do, in which the opposite is true. This is an invariable principle of justice, that the righteous shall not be punished for the crimes of the impious. And this Abraham lays down as the foundation of his supplications. Who can pray with any hope of success who cannot assign a reason to God and his conscience for the petitions he offers? The great sacrifice offered by Christ is an infinite reason why a penitent sinner should expect to find the mercy for which he pleads.

And Abraham drew near - To the Lord; he approached nearer to him, to have more close and intimate conversation with him on the subject of the destruction of Sodom, as Jewish scholars say he drew nigh with faith and freedom, and an holy boldness and confidence, and yet with great reverence of the divine Majesty, and in all humility, under a deep sense of his own meanness and unworthiness: expresses sentiment of Hebrews 4:16 Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Abraham drew near--The scene described is full of interest and instruction--showing in an unmistakable manner the efficacy of prayer and intercession. Pro_15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is a hateful thing to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight. Jam_5:16 Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much. Abraham reasoned justly as to the rectitude of the divine procedure Rom_3:5-6 But if our unrighteousness commends the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who lays on wrath? (I speak as a man.) Let it not be! For then how shall God judge the world? and many guilty cities and nations have been spared on account of God's people.

Here is the first solemn prayer upon record in the Bible; and it is a prayer for the sparing of Sodom. Abraham prayed earnestly that Sodom might be spared, if but a few righteous persons should be found in it. We see here that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Abraham, indeed, failed in his request for the whole place, but Lot was miraculously delivered. He knew the Judge of all the earth would do right. He does not plead that the wicked may be spared for their own sake, or because it would be severe to destroy them, but for the sake of the righteous who might be found among them. And righteousness only can be made a plea before God. How then did Christ make intercession for transgressors? Not by blaming the Divine law, nor by alleging ought in extenuation or excuse of human guilt; but by pleading HIS OWN obedience unto death.

Gen 18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city - Within the Pentapolis, which consisted of five cities; and so ten righteous persons are supposed to be in each, according to the Targum of Jonathan;"perhaps there may be fifty righteous persons in the city who pray before thee, ten for every city, answerable to the five cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar:"

wilt thou also destroy, and not spare the place for the fifty righteous - here Abraham becomes an advocate and intercessor for all the inhabitants of the place, even the wicked, that they might not be destroyed, but spared and be delivered from impending ruin, for the sake of the fifty righteous among them; before he seemed only concerned for the righteous, lest they should perish with the rest, and that some method might be found out and taken to distinguish them from them; but here he expresses himself in favor of the wicked also, that they might be spared, provided such a number of righteous ones was found among them.

Gen 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? - God alone is the Judge of all men. Abraham, in thus addressing himself to the person in the text, considers him either as the Supreme Being or his representative.

That be far from thee to do after this manner - He represents it as a thing unbecoming the divine Majesty, and contrary to the nature and perfections of God:

to slay the righteous with the wicked - which is true of eternal punishment, but not of temporal calamities, in which the righteous are often involved with the wicked, though not for the same reasons, and under the same considerations, and for the same ends: That he judged was not agreeable to his divine Majesty; nor are they treated without any difference; what befalls the righteous is not for their sins, nor considered as a punishment for them, nor intended for their hurt, but for their good, as the issue of them proves; but it is the reverse with the wicked

shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? meaning the Lord, to whom he drew nigh, and was praying to, and pleading with, even the Son of God in human form, who, as he made the world, was the Governor of it and Judge in it; and indeed, as Mediator, has all judgment committed to him, and is appointed to be Judge of quick and dead at the last day. Though by "right" Abraham seems to mean, not strict rigorous justice, but a mixture of mercy with justice, even moderation and clemency; Abraham argues, surely the supreme Judge of all the earth will show mercy, and in the midst of deserved wrath remember it, and not deal according to the rules of inexorable and inflexible justice; and to this sense the answer of the Lord inclines.

Gen 18:26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

If I find in Sodom fifty righteous - God declares that his judgments were done with great mercy, even though all were so corrupt that not only fifty but ten righteous men could not be found there, and also that the wicked are spared for the sake of the righteous.

Gen 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

Which am but dust and ashes - aphar vaepher, words very similar in sound, as they refer to matters which so much resemble each other. Dust - the lightest particles of earth. Ashes - the residuum of consumed substances. By these expressions he shows how deeply his soul was humbled in the presence of God. He who has high thoughts of himself must have low thoughts of the dignity of the Divine nature, of the majesty of God, and the sinfulness of sin.

which am but dust and ashes - By this we learn, that the nearer we approach to God, the more our miserable estate appears, and the more we are humbled.

I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord - suggesting that it was bold and daring in him, and was what he was unfit for and unworthy of.

which am but dust and ashes - whose original was out of the dust, and to which he would return, and was now a frail, feeble, mortal creature, mean and despicable, unworthy to speak to God; the disproportion between the speaker and the person spoken to was infinite; wherefore the most profound humility and self-abasement are necessary in a creature's approach to the divine Being.

Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes - He speaks as one amazed at his own boldness, and the liberty God graciously allowed him, considering God's greatness, he is the Lord; and his own meanness, but dust and ashes. Whenever we draw near to God, it becomes us reverently to acknowledge the vast distance that there is between us and Him. He is the Lord of glory, we are worms of the earth.

Gen 18:28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

Gen 18:29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.

Gen 18:30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.

And he said unto him, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak - He feared, through his importunity, he should be wearisome to him and incur his displeasure; this being often the case among men, especially when inferiors are soliciting their superiors, and, not content with one favor, are pressing for more:

Gen 18:31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

Gen 18:32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

Peradventure ten shall be found there - Knowing that in the family of his nephew the true religion was professed and practiced, he could not suppose there could be less than ten righteous persons in the city, he did not think it necessary to urge his supplication farther; he therefore left off his entreaties, and the Lord departed from him. It is highly worthy of observation, that while he continued to pray the presence of God was continued; and when Abraham ended, “the glory of the Lord was lifted up,” as the Targum expresses it.

But why then did Abraham leave off asking when he had prevailed so far as to get the place spared if there were but ten righteous in it? Either, Because he owned that it deserved to perish if there were not so many: as the dresser of the vineyard, who consented that the barren tree should be cut down if one year's trial more did not make it fruitful, Luk_13:9. Or, Because God restrained his spirit from asking any farther. When God hath determined the ruin of a place, he forbids it to be prayed for, Jer_7:16 Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up cry nor prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you.

Gen 18:33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

And the Lord went his way - It is great and wonderful condescension for God to commune with a creature; it is an act of sovereignty how long he will continue to do so; communion with him always is not to be expected in this life; he communes for a while, and then leaves off and goes his way, Jer_14:8; the Son of God in an human form, as soon as he had done talking with Abraham, perhaps disappeared to him, and went his way to Sodom, for there we find him in the next chapter:

and Abraham returned unto his place - to his tent in the plains of Mamre, waiting to observe or hear what would be the issue and event of things respecting Sodom and Gomorrah. To wait what the event would be; and it proved that his prayer was heard, and yet Sodom not spared, because there were not ten righteous in it.

And the Lord went his way - Why did Abraham cease to carry his intercessions farther? Either because he fondly thought that he was now sure of the cities being preserved (Luk_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 Ecc_9:2 All happens alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him who sacrifices, and to him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner. He who swears is as he who fears an oath. 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.