Genesis 18:27

27 And Abraam answered and said, Now I have begun to speak to my Lord, and I am earth and ashes.

Genesis 18:27 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:27

And Abraham answered and said
In a very humble and modest manner, encouraged by the answer given him: behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord;
suggesting that it was bold and daring in him, and was what he was unfit for and unworthy of; or, "I have begun to speak" ^F5; and since he had, he intimates, it would be a favour, and what he was undeserving of, might he be permitted to proceed; or, "I am desirous to speak" ^F6; it is a pleasure to me, as well as an honour done me, to be permitted to speak unto the Lord, though I deserve it not, which [am but] dust and ashes;
whose original was out of the dust, and to which he would return, and was now a frail, feeble, mortal creature, mean and despicable, unworthy to speak to God; the disproportion between the speaker and the person spoken to was infinite; wherefore the most profound humility and self-abasement are necessary in a creature's approach to the divine Being.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (rbdl ytlawh) "coepi, loquar", V. L. "loqui", Pagninus, Montanus; so Targum Jon.
F6 "Gestio, volo, eupio", Vatablus; "cuperem alloqui", Junius & Tremellius; so Jarchi and Aben Ezra, and Ben Gersom.

Genesis 18:27 In-Context

25 By no means shalt thou do as this thing so as to destroy the righteous with the wicked, so the righteous shall be as the wicked: by no means. Thou that judgest the whole earth, shalt thou not do right?

26 And the Lord said, If there should be in Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole city, and the whole place for their sakes.

27 And Abraam answered and said, Now I have begun to speak to my Lord, and I am earth and ashes.

28 But if the fifty righteous should be diminished to forty-five, wilt thou destroy the whole city because of the five ? And he said, I will not destroy it, if I should find there forty-five.

29 And he continued to speak to him still, and said, But if there should be found there forty? And he said, I will not destroy it for the forty's sake.