Genèse 18:4

4 Qu'on prenne, je vous prie, un peu d'eau, et lavez vos pieds; et reposez-vous sous cet arbre.

Genèse 18:4 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:4

Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your
feet
Which was very refreshing to travellers in hot countries, who walked barefoot or in sandals; and this he proposes to be done by one of his servants, whose business it was, only desires they would give him leave to order it, ( 1 Samuel 25:41 ) ; and so it was usual in other countries, and in later times, for servants to fetch water to wash the hands and feet of guests F12:

and rest yourselves under the tree;
before the tent door, under which doubtless were seats to sit down upon, where they might rest their weary limbs; it is very probable this was an oak tree, and which, and a turpentine tree the ancient writers speak of, continued unto the times of Constantine, (See Gill on Genesis 13:18); and the Jewish writers say F13, that now near the city (Hebron), between the vineyards, are the oaks of Mamre, where is the house of Abraham our father, on whom be peace, and the tree under which the angels ate, and the stone on which he (Abraham) sat when he was circumcised.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 "----- dant manibus famuli lymphas." --Virgil. Aeneid. l. 1.
F13 Cippi Hebr. p. 9. Ed. Hottinger.

Genèse 18:4 In-Context

2 Il leva les yeux, et regarda; et voici, trois hommes étaient debout devant lui; et dès qu'il les vit, il courut au-devant d'eux, de la porte de la tente, et se prosterna en terre;
3 Et il dit: Mon Seigneur, je te prie, si j'ai trouvé grâce à tes yeux, ne passe point outre, je te prie, devant ton serviteur.
4 Qu'on prenne, je vous prie, un peu d'eau, et lavez vos pieds; et reposez-vous sous cet arbre.
5 Et j'apporterai un morceau de pain, et vous fortifierez votre cœur, ensuite vous passerez outre; car c'est pour cela que vous êtes passés près de votre serviteur. Et ils dirent: Fais comme tu as dit.
6 Alors Abraham alla en hâte dans la tente, vers Sara, et dit: Apporte vite trois mesures de fleur de farine, pétris-les et fais des gâteaux.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.