Genesis 18:17

17 Then God said, "Shall I keep back from Abraham what I'm about to do?

Genesis 18:17 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:17

And the Lord said
Either unto Abraham himself, so leading on to what he was about to make known to him; and without supposing this it will be difficult to account for Abraham's intercession for Sodom upon this: or to the two angels with him; not as consulting them whether he should or no do what he next suggests, but to give to them Abraham's just character, and the reasons of his using him in such a friendly manner: or it may be, to the other divine Persons, the Father and Spirit, one with the Son of God, and always present with him: shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do?
which he was about to do, namely, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah: the Jewish writers

---

FOOTNOTES:

F1 observe, that these cities were given in the grant of the whole land to Abraham, and therefore it was right to acquaint him with it first: but other and better reasons are given in the next words; Abraham was a friend of the Lord, and he had showed himself friendly to him, not only now, but heretofore, and therefore will treat him as his friend, by imparting his secrets to him.
F1 Targ. Jerus. & Jarchi in loc.

Genesis 18:17 In-Context

15 Sarah lied. She said, "I didn't laugh," because she was afraid. But he said, "Yes you did; you laughed."

16 When the men got up to leave, they set off for Sodom. Abraham walked with them to say good-bye.

17 Then God said, "Shall I keep back from Abraham what I'm about to do?

18 Abraham is going to become a large and strong nation; all the nations of the world are going to find themselves blessed through him.

19 Yes, I've settled on him as the one to train his children and future family to observe God's way of life, live kindly and generously and fairly, so that God can complete in Abraham what he promised him."