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:
• New International Version (NIV)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,
• 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:

Context of Genesis 18:27

25Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” 26And the Lord replied, “If I find fifty righteous people in Sodom, I will spare the entire city for their sake.” Then Abraham spoke again. “Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes. 28Suppose there are only forty-five righteous people rather than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And the Lord said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five righteous people there.” 29Then Abraham pressed his request further. “Suppose there are only forty?” And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of the forty.”

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 18:30“Please don’t be angry, my Lord,” Abraham pleaded. “Let me speak—suppose only thirty righteous people are found?” And the Lord replied, “I will not destroy it if I find thirty.”
• Ezra 9:6I prayed, “O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens.
• Job 42:6I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
• Isaiah 6:5Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
• Luke 18:1One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
• Genesis 2:7Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
• Genesis 3:19By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.”
• Job 4:19how much less will he trust people made of clay! They are made of dust, crushed as easily as a moth.
• Psalms 8:4what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?
• Psalms 144:3O Lord, what are human beings that you should notice them, mere mortals that you should think about them?
• Ecclesiastes 12:7For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.
• Isaiah 64:8And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.
• Luke 5:8When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.”
• 1 Corinthians 15:47Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven.
• 2 Corinthians 5:1For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not 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