Focused Passage

Genesis 18:9-15

The LORD Visits Abraham, Reaffirms the Promised Son, and Reveals His Just Judgment on Sodom

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.

10 Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent.

11 And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.

12 So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?”

13 And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’

14 Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”

15 But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 9

Original words

Where אַיֵּ֖ה H346 Interrogative is your wife אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Sarah שָׂרָ֣ה H8283 Noun - proper - feminine singular they asked וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . אֵׄלָׄ֔יׄוׄ H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular There הִנֵּ֥ה H2009 Interjection in the tent בָאֹֽהֶל׃ H168 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular he replied וַיֹּ֖אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Then the LORD said וַיֹּ֗אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular I will surely return שׁ֣וֹב H7725 Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute . . . אָשׁ֤וּב H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular to you אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ H413 Preposition | second person masculine singular at this time next year כָּעֵ֣ת H6256 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - common singular construct . . . חַיָּ֔ה H2416 Adjective - feminine singular . . . וְהִנֵּה־ H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection and your wife אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Sarah לְשָׂרָ֣ה H8283 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular will have a son בֵ֖ן H1121 Noun - masculine singular Now Sarah וְשָׂרָ֥ה H8283 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . וְה֥וּא H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular was behind him אַחֲרָֽיו׃ H310 Preposition | third person masculine singular listening שֹׁמַ֛עַת H8085 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular at the entrance פֶּ֥תַח H6607 Noun - masculine singular construct to the tent הָאֹ֖הֶל H168 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

And Abraham וְאַבְרָהָ֤ם H85 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular and Sarah וְשָׂרָה֙ H8283 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular were already old זְקֵנִ֔ים H2205 Adjective - masculine plural and well along בָּאִ֖ים H935 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural in years בַּיָּמִ֑ים H3117 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural Sarah לְשָׂרָ֔ה H8283 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular had passed חָדַל֙ H2308 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular . . . לִהְי֣וֹת H1961 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct the age of childbearing אֹ֖רַח H734 Noun - common singular . . . כַּנָּשִֽׁים׃ H802 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Verse 12

Original words

So [she] שָׂרָ֖ה H8283 Noun - proper - feminine singular laughed וַתִּצְחַ֥ק H6711 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular to herself בְּקִרְבָּ֣הּ H7130 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular saying לֵאמֹ֑ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct After אַחֲרֵ֤י H310 Preposition I am worn out בְלֹתִי֙ H1086 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular and my master וַֽאדֹנִ֖י H113 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular is old זָקֵֽן׃ H2204 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular will I now have הָֽיְתָה־ H1961 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular . . . לִּ֣י Preposition | first person common singular this pleasure עֶדְנָ֔ה H5730 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 13

Original words

And the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition asked וַיֹּ֥אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Abraham אַבְרָהָ֑ם H85 Noun - proper - masculine singular Why לָ֣מָּה H4100 Interrogative . . . זֶּה֩ H2088 Pronoun - masculine singular did Sarah שָׂרָ֜ה H8283 Noun - proper - feminine singular laugh צָחֲקָ֨ה H6711 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular and say לֵאמֹ֗ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Can I really הַאַ֥ף H637 Conjunction . . . אֻמְנָ֛ם H552 Conjunction bear a child אֵלֵ֖ד H3205 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular when I am וַאֲנִ֥י H589 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular old זָקַֽנְתִּי׃ H2204 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Verse 14

Original words

Is anything דָּבָ֑ר H1697 Noun - masculine singular too difficult הֲיִפָּלֵ֥א H6381 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular for the LORD מֵיְהוָ֖ה H3068 Preposition-m | Noun - proper - masculine singular At the appointed time לַמּוֹעֵ֞ד H4150 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular I will return אָשׁ֥וּב H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular to you אֵלֶ֛יךָ H413 Preposition | second person masculine singular in about a year כָּעֵ֥ת H6256 Preposition-k, Article | Noun - common singular construct . . . חַיָּ֖ה H2416 Adjective - feminine singular and Sarah וּלְשָׂרָ֥ה H8283 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - feminine singular will have a son בֵֽן׃ H1121 Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Cited in Romans 9:9
Verse 15

Original words

But Sarah שָׂרָ֧ה׀ H8283 Noun - proper - feminine singular was afraid יָרֵ֑אָה H3372 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular so כִּ֣י׀ H3588 Conjunction she denied it וַתְּכַחֵ֨שׁ H3584 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular and said לֵאמֹ֛ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct “I did not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle laugh צָחַ֖קְתִּי H6711 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular No לֹ֖א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle replied [the LORD] וַיֹּ֥אמֶר׀ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular but כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction you did laugh צָחָֽקְתְּ׃ H6711 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.