Gen 18:9-15 | NETfull | STEP | Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, in the tent.”

Genesis 18:9-15

9 Then they asked him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” He replied, “There, ^{▼▼ The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) often accompanies a gesture of pointing or a focused gaze.} in the tent.” 10 One of them ^{▼▼ Heb “he”; the referent (one of the three men introduced in v. 2) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Some English translations have specified the referent as the Lord (cf. RSV, NIV) based on vv. 1, 13, but the Hebrew text merely has “he said” at this point, referring to one of the three visitors. Aside from the introductory statement in v. 1, the incident is narrated from Abraham’s point of view, and the suspense is built up for the reader as Abraham’s elaborate banquet preparations in the preceding verses suggest he suspects these are important guests. But not until the promise of a son later in this verse does it become clear who is speaking. In v. 13 the Hebrew text explicitly mentions the Lord.} said, “I will surely return ^{▼▼ The Hebrew construction is emphatic, using the infinitive absolute with the imperfect tense.} ^{▼▼ I will surely return. If Abraham had not yet figured out who this was, this interchange would have made it clear. Otherwise, how would a return visit from this man mean Sarah would have a son?} to you when the season comes round again, ^{▼▼ Heb “as/when the time lives” or “revives,” possibly referring to the springtime.} and your wife Sarah will have a son!” ^{▼▼ Heb “and there will be (הִנֵּה, hinneh) a son for Sarah.”} (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. ^{▼▼ This is the first of two disjunctive parenthetical clauses preparing the reader for Sarah’s response (see v. 12).} 11 Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; ^{▼▼ Heb “days.”} Sarah had long since passed menopause.) ^{▼▼ Heb “it had ceased to be for Sarah [after] a way like women.”} 12 So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, ^{▼▼ Heb “saying.”} “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, ^{▼▼ It has been suggested that this word should be translated “conception,” not “pleasure.” See A. A. McIntosh, “A Third Root ‘adah in Biblical Hebrew,” VT 24 (1974): 454-73.} especially when my husband is old too?” ^{▼▼ The word “too” has been added in the translation for stylistic reasons.}

13 The Lord said to Abraham, “Why ^{▼▼ Heb “Why, this?” The demonstrative pronoun following the interrogative pronoun is enclitic, emphasizing the Lord’s amazement: “Why on earth did Sarah laugh?”} did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really ^{▼▼ The Hebrew construction uses both הַאַף (ha’af) and אֻמְנָם (’umnam): “Indeed, truly, will I have a child?”} have a child when I am old?’ 14 Is anything impossible ^{▼▼ The Hebrew verb פָּלָא (pala’) means “to be wonderful, to be extraordinary, to be surpassing, to be amazing.”} for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.” ^{▼▼ Sarah will have a son. The passage brings God’s promise into clear focus. As long as it was a promise for the future, it really could be believed without much involvement. But now, when it seemed so impossible from the human standpoint, when the Lord fixed an exact date for the birth of the child, the promise became rather overwhelming to Abraham and Sarah. But then this was the Lord of creation, the one they had come to trust. The point of these narratives is that the creation of Abraham’s offspring, which eventually became Israel, is no less a miraculous work of creation than the creation of the world itself.} 15 Then Sarah lied, saying, “I did not laugh,” because she was afraid. But the Lord said, “No! You did laugh.” ^{▼▼ Heb “And he said, ‘No, but you did laugh.’” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.}