8
He tookוַיִּקַּחcurdsחֶמְאָהand milkוְחָלָבand the calfוּבֶן הַבָּקָרthatאֲשֶׁרhe had prepared,עָשָׂהand set itוַיִּתֵּןbefore them;לִפְנֵיהֶםand heוְהוּאstoodעֹמֵדby themעֲלֵיהֶםunderתַּחַתthe treeהָעֵץwhile they ate.וַיֹּאכֵלוּ
Genesis 18:8
Study it in the app“He took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 18:8, word by word
- He tookיִּקַּחyikach
take
To grasp something in the hand to carry or use it.
Where else “yikach” appears- curdsחֶמְאָהchema
curds, butter
Curds or butter: curdled milk.
Where else “chema” appears- and milkחָלָבchalav
milk
Milk.
Where else “chalav” appears- and the calfבֶןven
young
An animal's offspring, its little one.
Where else “ven” appears- and the calfבָּקָרbakar
cattle, herd
Cattle: cows, oxen, bulls; a herd.
Where else “bakar” appears- he had preparedעָשָׂהasa
prepare
To prepare food; offer a sacrifice; keep a feast.
Where else “asa” appears- and set itיִּתֵּןyiten
put
To place something somewhere.
Where else “yiten” appears- before themפְנֵיfene
before
Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.
Where else “fene” appears- stoodעֹמֵדomed
stand
To be on one's feet, firm in a place, or to rise up to act.
Where else “omed” appears- the treeעֵץets
tree
A tall plant with trunk and branches, giving fruit, shade or timber.
Where else “ets” appears- while they ateיֹּאכֵלוּyochelu
eat
To bring food to the mouth and swallow it, above all at a shared table.
Where else “yochelu” appears
The context
7And to the herd Abraham ran, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the young man, who hurried to prepare it.
8 · This verse (above)
9They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He said, “Look, in the tent.”
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?