New English Translation
Genesis 18:12
12So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?”
Genesis 18:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
- New International Version (NIV)So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, "After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
Context of Genesis 18:12
10One of them said, “I will surely return to you when the season comes round again, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” (Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, not far behind him. 11Abraham and Sarah were old and advancing in years; Sarah had long since passed menopause.) So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “After I am worn out will I have pleasure, especially when my husband is old too?” 13The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child when I am old?’ 14Is anything impossible for the Lord? I will return to you when the season comes round again and Sarah will have a son.”
Read all of Genesis 18Genesis 18:12 word by word
וַתִּצְחַ֥ק שָׂרָ֖ה בְּקִרְבָּ֣הּ לֵאמֹ֑ר אַחֲרֵ֤י בְלֹתִי֙ הָֽיְתָה־לִּ֣י עֶדְנָ֔ה וַֽאדֹנִ֖י זָקֵֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Therefore Sarahשָׂרָהώârâh · SarahH8283
- laughedצָחַקtsâchaq · to laughH6711
- within herselfקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- I am waxed oldבָּלָהbâlâh · to become oldH1086
- shall I have pleasureעֶדְנָה‛êden ‛ednâh · delightH5730
- my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- being old alsoזָקֵןzâqên · be oldH2204
Cross-references for Genesis 18:12
- Genesis 18:13The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child when I am old?’
- Genesis 17:17Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed as he said to himself, “Can a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”
- Genesis 21:6Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”
- Psalms 126:2At that time we laughed loudly and shouted for joy. At that time the nations said, “The Lord has accomplished great things for these people.”
- Luke 1:18Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well.”
- Hebrews 11:11By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old, he received the ability to procreate, because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy.
- Ephesians 5:33Nevertheless, each one of you must also love his own wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
- 1 Peter 3:6like Sarah who obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. You become her children when you do what is good and have no fear in doing so.
Commentaries on Genesis 18:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Sarah laughed - Partly through pleasure at the bare idea of the possibility of the thing, and partly from a conviction that it was extremely improbable. She appears to have been in the same spirit, and to have had the same feelings of those who, unexpectedly hearing of something of great consequence to themselves, smile and say, "The news is too good to be true;", see Genesis 21:6. There is a case very similar to this mentioned Psalm 126:1, Psalm 126:2…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. 9-15Verses 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-15The Lord's visit to Abraham set the time for Isaac's birth. The three visitors were probably the Lord and two angels (see study note on 16:7). Abraham welcomed the visitors peacefully and generously, which contrasted with the chaos and corruption in Sodom (chapter 19). Sharing a meal was important for making or confirming covenants. When God was ready to fulfill the covenant promise, he personally shared a meal with Abraham. Fellowship with God has always…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself--Long delay seems to have weakened faith. Sarah treated the announcement as incredible, and when taxed with the silent sneer, she added falsehood to distrust. It was an aggravated offense (Ac 5:4), and nothing but grace saved her (Ro 9:18).Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 18:12
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
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