Genesis 18:21

Genesis 18:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
• New International Version (NIV)that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know."
• New King James Version (NKJV)I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”

Context of Genesis 18:21

19For I have known (chosen, acknowledged) him [as My own], so that he may teach and command his children and [the sons of] his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is righteous and just, so that the Lord may bring upon Abraham what He has promised him.” 20And the Lord said, “The outcry [of the sin] of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. I will go down now, and see whether they have acted [as vilely and wickedly] as the outcry which has come to Me [indicates]; and if not, I will know.” 22Now the [two] men (angelic beings) turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord. 23Abraham approached [the Lord] and said, “Will You really sweep away the righteous (those who do right) with the wicked (those who do evil)?

Genesis 18:21 word by word

אֵֽרֲדָה־נָּ֣א וְאֶרְאֶ֔ה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָ֛הּ הַבָּ֥אָה אֵלַ֖י עָשׂ֣וּ׀ כָּלָ֑ה וְאִם־לֹ֖א אֵדָֽעָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I will go downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• now, and seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• whether they have doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• altogetherכָּלָהkâlâh · consumptionH3617
• according to the cryצְעָקָהtsa‛ăqâh · cryH6818
• of it, which is comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• unto me; and if not, I will knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045

Cross-references for Genesis 18:21

• Genesis 11:5Now the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built.
• Exodus 3:8So I have come down to rescue them from the hand (power) of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a land [that is] good and spacious, to a land flowing with milk and honey [a land of plenty]—to the place of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
• Exodus 33:5For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked (stubborn, rebellious) people! If I should come among you for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, [penitently] take off your ornaments, so that I may know what to do with you.’ ”
• Micah 1:3For behold, the Lord is coming down from His place He shall come down and tread [in judgment] on the high places of the earth.
• John 6:38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me.
• 1 Thessalonians 4:16For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the [blast of the] trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
• Job 34:22There is no darkness nor deep shadow Where the evildoers may hide themselves.
• Psalms 90:8You have placed our wickedness before you, Our secret sins [which we tried to conceal, You have placed] in the [revealing] light of Your presence.
• Jeremiah 17:1The sin of Judah is written down with an iron stylus; With a diamond point it is engraved upon the tablet of their heart And on the horns of their altars.
• Zephaniah 1:12It will come about at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps And I will punish the men Who [like old wine] are stagnant in spirit, Who say in their hearts, ‘The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil.’
• Hebrews 4:13And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.
• Deuteronomy 8:2And you shall remember [always] all the ways which the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart (mind), whether you would keep His commandments or not.
• Deuteronomy 13:3you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and all your soul [your entire being].
• Joshua 22:22“The Mighty One, God, the Lord, the Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion, or if in an unfaithful act against the Lord, do not save us this day!
• Psalms 139:1O Lord, you have searched me [thoroughly] and have known me.
• Luke 16:15So He said to them, “You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts [your thoughts, your desires, your secrets]; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.

Commentaries on Genesis 18:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21I will go down now, etc. - A lesson to magistrates, teaching them not to judge according to report, but accurately to inquire into the facts themselves - Jarchi.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-33Verses 1-33 - The Visit of the Lord to Abraham 2. השׂתחיה vayı̂śtachû “bow,” or bend the body in token of respect to God or man. The attitude varies from a slight inclination of the body to entire prostration with the forehead touching the ground. 6. סאה se'ah a “seah,” about an English peck, the third part of an ephah. The ephah contained ten omers. The omer held about five pints. This chapter describes Abraham‘s fellowship with God. On the gracious…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-22Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21God, who knows everything, was cautious in his judgment. He knew the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah. This careful examination showed God's justice in a way humans could understand. He would not destroy the people unless he was certain they were wicked.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. I will go down ... and see--language used after the manner of men. These cities were to be made examples to all future ages of God's severity; and therefore ample proof given that the judgment was neither rash nor excessive (Eze 18:23; Jr 18:7).Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 18:21

• Anthropomorphisms
• Communion
• Condescension of God
• God
• God Continued...
• Sodom

In the dictionaries

• Angel
• Ashes
• Certainly
• Comfort
• Command
• Communion
• Cry
• Grievous
• Hard
• Judge

Commentaries on Genesis 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings