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

25That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26And Yhwh said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: 28Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. 29And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.

Genesis 18:27 word by word

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

• 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 18:30And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
• Ezra 9:6And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
• Job 42:6Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
• Isaiah 6:5Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, Yhwh of Armies.
• Luke 18:1And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
• Genesis 2:7And Yhwh God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
• Genesis 3:19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
• Job 4:19How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?
• Psalms 8:4What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
• Psalms 144:3Yhwh, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!
• Ecclesiastes 12:7Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
• Isaiah 64:8But now, O Yhwh, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.
• Luke 5:8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
• 1 Corinthians 15:47The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
• 2 Corinthians 5:1For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

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