Genesis 18:17

17 ¹The LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham ²what I am 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

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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 denied it however, saying, "I did not laugh "; for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh."

16 Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off.

17 The LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,

18 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?

19 "For I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him."

Cross References

• 1. Gen 18:22, 26, 33; Amos 3:7
• 2. Genesis 18:21; Genesis 19:24