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YHWHיְהוָהappearedוַיֵּרָאto himאֵלָיוby the oaksבְּאֵלֹנֵיof Mamre,מַמְרֵאwhile heוְהוּאwas sittingיֹשֵׁבat the entranceפֶּתַחof the tentהָאֹהֶלin the heatכְּחֹםof the day.הַיּוֹם
Genesis 18:1
Study it in the app“YHWH appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the entrance of the tent in the heat of the day.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 18:1, word by word
- YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- appearedיֵּרָאyera
appear
To let oneself be seen: YHWH let Abram see him.
Where else “yera” appears- by the oaksאֵלֹנֵיelone
oak, terebinth
A great tree, oak or terebinth; it served as a landmark.
Where else “elone” appears- of Mamreמַמְרֵאmamre
Mamre
Mamre, the name of an Amorite ally of Abram and of the place with oaks near Hebron where Abraham lived.
Where else “mamre” appears- was sittingיֹשֵׁבyoshev
sit
To sit; or sit on the throne to reign.
Where else “yoshev” appears- at the entranceפֶּתַחpetach
entrance, door
Entrance, doorway, door, opening.
Where else “petach” appears- of the tentאֹהֶלohel
tent
A home of cloth or skins on poles, where herdsmen lived; also one's home.
Where else “ohel” appears- in the heatחֹםchom
heat
Heat.
Where else “chom” appears- of the dayיּוֹםyom
day
The day, the hours of light, or a whole day.
Where else “yom” appears
The context
1 · This verse (above)
2He lifted his eyes and looked, and look, three men were standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed down to the ground.
To study Genesis 18 in a group
1. What it says
What did Abraham do when he saw the three men, and what did they announce about Sarah (vv. 2-10)?
2. What it means
What does the question “Is anything too difficult for YHWH?” teach (v. 14)?
3. How I live it
Whom can you welcome this week to your home or table with Abraham’s generosity?