Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Genesis
Book: Genesis
Chapter: 18
Overview:
The
Lord appears to
Abraham.
(1-8) Sarah's unbelief reproved.
(9-15) God reveals to
Abraham the
Destruction of
Sodom.
(16-22)
Abraham's intercession for
Sodom.
(23-33)
1-8 Abraham was waiting to
Entertain any weary traveller, for
inns were not to be met with as among us. While
Abraham was thus
Sitting, he saw three men coming. These were three heavenly
beings in human bodies. Some think they were all created angels;
others, that one of them was the
Son of God, the
Angel of the
Covenant.
Washing the feet is customary in those hot climates,
where only
Sandals are worn. We should not be forgetful to
Entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels
unawares, Heb 13:2; nay, the
Lord of angels himself; as we
always do, when for his sake we
Entertain the least of his
brethren. Cheerful and obliging manners in showing kindness, are
great ornaments to
Piety. Though our condescending
Lord
vouchsafes not personal visits to us, yet still
By his
Spirit he
stands at the door and knocks; when we are inclined to open, he
deigns to enter; and
By his gracious consolations he provides a
rich
Feast, of which we partake with him, Re 3:20.
9-15 Where is
Sarah thy
Wife? was asked. Note the answer, In
the
Tent. Just at
Hand, in her proper place, occupied in her
household concerns. There is nothing got
By gadding. Those are
most likely to receive comfort from
God and his promises, who
are in their proper place, and in the way of their duty, Lu
2:8. We are slow of
Heart to believe, and need line upon line to
the same purport. The blessings others have from common
Providence, believers have from the Divine promise, which makes
them very sweet, and very sure. The spiritual seed of
Abraham
owe their
Life, and joy, and
Hope, and all, to the promise.
Sarah thinks this too good news to be true; she laughed, and
therefore cannot as yet find in her
Heart to believe it.
Sarah
laughed. We might not have thought there was a difference
between
Sarah's laughter and
Abraham's, ch. 17:17; but He who
searches the
Heart, saw that the one sprung from unbelief, and
the other from
Faith. She denied that she had laughed. One
Sin
commonly brings in another, and it is not likely we shall
strictly keep to
Truth, when we question the Divine
Truth. But
whom the
Lord loves he will rebuke, convict, silence, and bring
to
Repentance, and if they
Sin before him.
16-22 The two who are supposed to have been created angels went
toward
Sodom. The one who is called
Jehovah throughout the
Chapter, continued with
Abraham, and would not hide from him the
thing he intended to do. Though
God long forbears with sinners,
from which they fancy that the
Lord does not see, and does not
regard; yet when the
Day of his wrath comes, he will look toward
them. The
Lord will give
Abraham an opportunity to intercede
with him, and shows him the reason of his conduct. Consider, as
a very bright part of
Abraham's character and
Example, that he
not only prayed with his family, but he was very careful to
teach and rule them
Well. Those who expect family blessings must
make
Conscience of family duty.
Abraham did not fill their heads
with matters of doubtful dispute; but he taught them to be
serious and devout in the
Worship of
God, and to be honest in
their dealings with all men. Of how few may such a character be
given in our days! How little care is taken
By masters of
families to ground those under them in the principles of
religion! Do we watch from
Sabbath to
Sabbath whether they go
forward or backward?
23-33 Here is the first solemn
Prayer upon record in the
Bible;
and it is a
Prayer for the sparing of
Sodom.
Abraham prayed
earnestly that
Sodom might be spared, if but a few righteous
persons should be found in it. Come and learn from
Abraham what
compassion we should feel for sinners, and how earnestly we
should pray for them. We see here that the effectual, fervent
Prayer of a righteous
Man avails much.
Abraham, indeed, failed
in his request for the whole place, but
Lot was miraculously
delivered. Be encouraged then to expect,
By Earnest Prayer, the
blessing of
God upon your families, your friends, your
neighbourhood. To this
End you must not only pray, but you must
live like
Abraham. He knew the
Judge of all the
Earth would do
right. He does not plead that the wicked may be spared for their
own sake, or because it would be severe to destroy them, but for
the sake of the righteous who might be found among them. And
Righteousness only can be made a plea before
God. How then did
Christ make intercession for transgressors? Not
By blaming the
Divine
Law, nor
By alleging aught in extenuation or excuse of
human guilt; but
By pleading HIS OWN obedience unto
Death.