29
He spokeלְדַבֵּרto himאֵלָיוyetוַיֹּסֶףagainעוֹדand said,וַיֹּאמַר“Perhapsאוּלַיfortyאַרְבָּעִיםwill be foundיִמָּצְאוּןthere.”שָׁםHe said,וַיֹּאמֶר“I will notלֹאdo itאֶעֱשֶׂהfor the sake ofבַּעֲבוּרthe forty.”הָאַרְבָּעִים
Genesis 18:29
Study it in the app“He spoke to him yet again and said, “Perhaps forty will be found there.” He said, “I will not do it for the sake of the forty.””
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 18:29, word by word
- He spokeדַבֵּרdaber
speak
To speak, say something; above all God to his people.
Where else “daber” appears- yetיֹּסֶףyosef
do again
To do again what had already been done.
Where else “yosef” appears- and saidיֹּאמַרyomar
say
To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.
Where else “yomar” appears- “Perhapsאוּלַיulay
perhaps
Perhaps, maybe.
Where else “ulay” appears- fortyאַרְבָּעִיםarbaim
forty
Forty.
Where else “arbaim” appears- will be foundיִמָּצְאוּyimatsu
find
To come upon what one seeks, or something not expected.
Where else “yimatsu” appears- do itאֶעֱשֶׂהeese
do
To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.
Where else “eese” appears
The context
28Perhaps the fifty righteous will lack five; will you destroy for the five the whole city?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find there forty-five.”
29 · This verse (above)
30Then he said, “Please let Adonai not be angry, and I will speak: perhaps thirty will be found there.” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
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?