What does Genesis 18:19 mean?
The Lord continues to explain why He will reveal to Abraham His plans for Sodom. In the previous verse, the Lord repeated that Abraham would become a great and mighty nation, through his offspring, and that all of the nations of the world would be blessed through Abraham.Now the Lord adds that He has chosen Abraham, in part, to command his children, and through them, all of the children who would follow, to keep the Lord's way by doing what was right and just. In that way, the Lord would keep His covenant promises to Abraham. This places an important context on God's decision to tell Abraham, in advance, what was about to happen to Sodom. As Abraham pleads for God to spare the innocent of Sodom—of whom there are virtually none—and sees God's destruction, he will be reminded of the holiness to which he is being called.
This is the first mention of Abraham's responsibility to command and train each following generation to keep the way of the Lord. By extension, this same command is applied to Israel. This is also one of the few mentions that God's keeping of His promises to Abraham will be tied to Israel keeping to the way of the Lord.
Genesis 18:16–21 is an example of God using human language, and human behavior, to more clearly explain His will. Taking on a temporary human form, God speaks with Abraham about the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This process reveals that God not only intends to keep His promises—all His promises—but that His judgment on Sodom is well-deserved. God does not need to justify His actions to mankind, but in this passage, He does exactly that, for our benefit, and for our learning.
Abraham hurries to offer respect and hospitality to three men who appear near his tent. Over the course of the chapter, the men reveal themselves to be the Lord and two angels in human form. As He had told Abraham in the previous chapter, the Lord now reveals to Sarah that she will have a son within the year. Later, the Lord poetically says He will investigate the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah, where Abraham's nephew Lot lives. Abraham asks, and the Lord agrees, not to destroy Sodom if God finds 10 righteous people there.
