Genesis 18:22

22 Then ¹the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before ²the LORD.

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 And the LORD said, "The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.

21 "I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know."

22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the LORD .

23 Abraham came near and said, "Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

24 "Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 18:16; Genesis 19:1
• 2. Genesis 18:1, 17