Genesis 18:27

Genesis 18:27 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
• English Standard Version (ESV)Abraham answered and said, "Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord:
• New Living Translation (NLT)Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes.

Context of Genesis 18:27

25Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” 26The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, 28what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” “If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.” 29Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.”

Genesis 18:27 word by word

וַיַּ֥עַן אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּאמַ֑ר הִנֵּה־נָ֤א הוֹאַ֙לְתִּי֙ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔י וְאָנֹכִ֖י עָפָ֥ר וָאֵֽפֶר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
• answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Behold now, I have taken upon meיָאַלyâ'al · be willingH2974
• to speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• unto the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
• whichאָֽנֹכִ֫י'ânôkîy · IH595
• dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• and ashesאֵ֫פֶר'êpher · ashesH665

Cross-references for Genesis 18:27

• Genesis 18:30Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
• Ezra 9:6and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.
• Job 42:6Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”
• Isaiah 6:5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
• Luke 18:1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
• Genesis 2:7Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
• Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
• Job 4:19how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed more readily than a moth!
• Psalms 8:4what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
• Psalms 144:3Lord, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them?
• Ecclesiastes 12:7and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
• Isaiah 64:8Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
• Luke 5:8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!”
• 1 Corinthians 15:47The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven.
• 2 Corinthians 5:1For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

Commentaries on Genesis 18:27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27Which am but dust and ashes - ואפר עפר aphar vaepher, words very similar in sound, as they refer to matters which so much resemble each other. Dust - the lightest particles of earth. Ashes - the residuum of consumed substances. By these expressions he shows how deeply his soul was humbled in the presence of God. He who has high thoughts of himself must have low thoughts of the dignity of the Divine nature, of the majesty of God, and the sinfulness of sin.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. 23-33Verses 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-33Abraham probably thought there were more righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah than there were (see study note on 19:14). Concerned for them, he made a legal appeal to the Lord based on God's justice. His prayer might seem bold, as if he were negotiating with God. But he approached God with true humility and respect. He did not try to convince God to act against his will. Instead, he prayed for the well-being of others (compare with Lot’s prayer…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-3323. Abraham drew near, and said, &c.--The scene described is full of interest and instruction--showing in an unmistakable manner the efficacy of prayer and intercession. (See also Pr 15:8; Jas 5:16). Abraham reasoned justly as to the rectitude of the divine procedure (Ro 3:5, 6), and many guilty cities and nations have been spared on account of God's people (Mt 5:13; 24:22).Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 18:27

• Abraham
• Boldness
• Communion
• Condescension of God
• Curiosity
• God
• God Continued...
• Humility
• Intercession
• Life
• Prayer
• Presumption
• Religion
• Sodom

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Abraham, Abram
• Angel
• Ashes
• Certainly
• Comfort
• Command
• Communion
• Cry
• Grievous

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