God’s Word Translation
Genesis 18:20
20The Lord also said, “Sodom and Gomorrah have many complaints against them, and their sin is very serious.
Genesis 18:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
- New International Version (NIV)Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the Lord said, "Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave,
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave,
Context of Genesis 18:20
18After all, Abraham is going to become a great and mighty nation and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 19I have chosen him so that he will direct his children and his family after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. In this way I, the Lord, will do what I have promised Abraham.” The Lord also said, “Sodom and Gomorrah have many complaints against them, and their sin is very serious. 21I must go down and see whether these complaints are true. If not, I will know it.” 22From there the men turned and went on toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing in front of the Lord.
Read all of Genesis 18Genesis 18:20 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה זַעֲקַ֛ת סְדֹ֥ם וַעֲמֹרָ֖ה כִּי־רָ֑בָּה וְחַ֨טָּאתָ֔ם כִּ֥י כָבְדָ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Because the cryזְעָקָהza‛aq ze‛âqâh · outcryH2201
- of Sodomסְדֹםsedôm · SodomH5467
- and Gomorrahעֲמֹרָה‛ămôrâh · GomorrahH6017
- is greatרַבrab · manyH7227
- and because their sinחַטָּאתchaţţâ'âh chaţţâ'th · sinH2403
- is veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- grievousכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: heavyH3513
Cross-references for Genesis 18:20
- Genesis 4:10The Lord asked, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground.
- Genesis 19:13because we’re going to destroy this place. The complaints to the Lord against its people are so loud that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”
- Isaiah 3:9The look on their faces will be held against them. They boast about their sins, which are like ⌞those of the people of⌟ Sodom. They don’t even bother to hide them. How horrible it will be for these people, because they have brought disaster on themselves.
- Isaiah 5:7The vineyard of the Lord of Armies is the nation of Israel, and the people of Judah are the garden of his delight. He hoped for justice but saw only slaughter, for righteousness but heard only cries of distress.
- Jeremiah 14:7Do something, Lord, for the sake of your name, even though our sins testify against us. We have been unfaithful and have sinned against you.
- James 5:4The wages you refused to pay the people who harvested your fields shout ⌞to God⌟ against you. The Lord of Armies has heard the cries of those who gather the crops.
- Genesis 13:13(The people who lived in Sodom were very wicked. They committed terrible sins against the Lord.)
Commentaries on Genesis 18:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah - See note on Genesis 13:13.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. 20The outcry: See Ezekiel 16:49–50.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 16-2216. the men rose ... Abraham went with them--It is customary for a host to escort his guests a little way.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 18:20
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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