Genesis 18:19

“For I have known him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of YHWH by doing righteousness and justice, so that YHWH may bring upon Abraham what he has spoken about him.””

Genesis 18:19 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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God counts on Abraham to charge his household to keep the way of YHWHParents and Children

With the Hebrew beneath

19

Genesis 18:19, word by word

I have known himיְדַעְתִּיyedati

know a person

To know someone.

Where else “yedati” appears
he may commandיְצַוֶּהyetsave

command

To give an order: "as YHWH had commanded".

Where else “yetsave” appears
his childrenבָּנָיbanay

son

The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.

Where else “banay” appears
and his householdבֵּיתbet

household

The family, everyone living under one roof.

Where else “bet” appears
to keepשָׁמְרוּshamru

keep

To obey the covenant or the commands.

Where else “shamru” appears
the wayדֶּרֶךְderech

ways of YHWH

YHWH's ways: what he does and commands.

Where else “derech” appears
of 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
by doingעֲשׂוֹתasot

do

To carry out an act or to deal with someone in a certain way, for good or ill.

Where else “asot” appears
righteousnessצְדָקָהtsedaka

righteous deeds

Doing what is just, upright deeds.

Where else “tsedaka” appears
and justiceמִשְׁפָּטmishpat

justice

What is right and fair.

Where else “mishpat” appears
may bringהָבִיאhavi

bring

To bring something or someone.

Where else “havi” appears
upon 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
he has spokenדִּבֶּרdiber

speak

To speak, say something; above all God to his people.

Where else “diber” appears

The context

18since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?

19 · This verse (above)

20Then YHWH said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is indeed very grave.

Read all of Genesis 18

To study Genesis 18 in a group

  1. 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. 2. What it means

    What does the question “Is anything too difficult for YHWH?” teach (v. 14)?

  3. 3. How I live it

    Whom can you welcome this week to your home or table with Abraham’s generosity?

How to use it