22
The menהָאֲנָשִׁיםturnedוַיִּפְנוּfrom thereמִשָּׁםand wentוַיֵּלְכוּtoward Sodom,סְדֹמָהwhile Abrahamוְאַבְרָהָםwas stillעוֹדֶנּוּstandingעֹמֵדbeforeלִפְנֵיYHWH.יְהוָה
Genesis 18:22
Study it in the app“The men turned from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before YHWH.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 18:22, word by word
- The menאֲנָשִׁיםanashim
man
An adult male person; also each man of a people, a trade or a place.
Where else “anashim” appears- turnedיִּפְנוּyifnu
turn
To turn toward something, someone or God.
Where else “yifnu” appears- and wentיֵּלְכוּyelchu
go
To head for a place, to leave where one is in order to reach another.
Where else “yelchu” appears- toward Sodomסְדֹמָsedoma
Sodom
See it on the mapWhere else “sedoma” appears- while Abrahamאַבְרָהָםavraham
Abraham
Abraham, the name God gave to Abram; it sounds like "father of a multitude" (Genesis 17:5). The father of the people of Israel, to whom God promised the land and blessing for all the families of the earth.
Where else “avraham” appears- standingעֹמֵדomed
stand
To be on one's feet, firm in a place, or to rise up to act.
Where else “omed” appears- beforeפְנֵיfene
before
Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.
Where else “fene” appears- 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
Places in this verse
Sodom ?
Today: disputed; perhaps south or northeast of the Dead Sea
A city of the Jordan plain; its site is not known for certain, perhaps near the Dead Sea.
Its people were very wicked (Gen 13:13). God destroyed it with fire, and saved Lot (Gen 19:24-25).
The context
21Let me go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to its outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.”
22 · This verse (above)
23Abraham came near and said, “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
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?