Genesis 18:22

22 The men turned from there and went toward Sodom^[a] while Abraham remained standing before the Lord.^[b]

Genesis 18:22 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:22

And the men turned their faces from thence
From the place to which Abraham brought them on; these were only two of them, for the third continued with Abraham: and went towards Sodom;
and are the two angels said to come thither at evening, ( Genesis 19:1 ) : but Abraham stood yet before the Lord;
before the third person, whom Abraham now began to know more clearly; he stood before him with all reverence and humility, to hear what he had further to say to him, as well as to say something to him himself; he stood "yet", he continued to stand after the departure of the two angels that were gone to Sodom. Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it,

``he ministered in prayer before the Lord.''

Genesis 18:22 In-Context

20 Then the Lord said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious.

21 I will go down to see if what they have done justifies the cry that has come up to Me. If not, I will find out."

22 The men turned from there and went toward Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the Lord.

23 Abraham stepped forward and said, "Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

24 What if there are 50 righteous people in the city? Will You really sweep it away instead of sparing the place for the sake of the 50 righteous people who are in it?

Footnotes

• [a]. Gn 19:1
• [b]. One ancient Jewish tradition reads while the Lord remained standing before Abraham