Genesis 18:17 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

NIV: Then the LORD said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?

NASB: The Lord said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

CSB: Then the Lord said, "Should I hide what I am about to do from Abraham?

NLT: Should I hide my plan from Abraham?' the Lord asked.

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

NKJV: And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing,

Four "men" stand looking at the city of Sodom in the distance from a high vantage point. One is Abraham. One is the Lord in human form. The other two are angels, traveling companions of the Lord on this mysterious journey. By this time, Sodom has already gained a reputation for wickedness (Genesis 13:13).

This verse is another example of God using human actions, words, or speech to help us understand an idea. God called out to Adam in the garden, even though He knew where he was hiding (Genesis 3:9). God speaks as a man to Abraham, even though He already knows how the conversation will proceed (Genesis 18:1–3). Here, God poses a rhetorical question which helps explain why, exactly, God is going through this process of appearing to Abraham and discussing Sodom. In short, God plans to make Abraham aware so he will be all the more convinced of God's power and sovereignty. This patient process will also emphasize the extent to which Sodom had fallen.

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.

God appeared to Abraham in the previous chapter revealing, in part, that Sarah would bear Abraham a son within a year's time. Now the Lord appears again, this time in human form and accompanied by two disguised angels. He reveals to Sarah the same promise. She laughs, and the Lord insists that even her age isn't too hard for Him to overcome. Next the Lord reveals to Abraham that He will investigate the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham receives the Lord's promise not to destroy Sodom (where Abraham's nephew lives) if He finds 10 righteous people in the city. Unfortunately, the city is beyond saving, and the next chapter details its utter destruction.

The book of Genesis establishes fundamental truths about God. Among these are His role as the Creator, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for mankind, and His willingness to provide for our redemption. We learn not only where mankind has come from, but why the world is in its present form. The book also presents the establishment of Israel, God's chosen people. Many of the principles given in other parts of Scripture depend on the basic ideas presented here in the book of Genesis. Within the framework of the Bible, Genesis explains the bare-bones history of the universe leading up to the captivity of Israel in Egypt, setting the stage for the book of Exodus.

Accessed 5/11/2024 1:16:05 PM