Genesis 18:10

10 And he said, "I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son." And Sarah heard it from the tent door, which was behind him.

Genesis 18:10 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:10

And he said
The same that put the question, Jehovah himself, as appears by what follows: I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life;
not by a personal appearance as now, but by the fulfilment of his promise which he had before given to Abraham, that he should have a son by Sarah, and now renews it; and this would be about the same time in the next year, perhaps at the spring of the year, which may be called "a time of life", when all things revive, which in the winter season seem to be dead; a fit emblem this of the case and condition of Abraham and Sarah, both as they now were, and afterwards would be; for, though their bodies were as it were dead and unfit for generation, yet nature would revive in them again: unless it be understood of the whole time of the conception, quickening, and birth of an infant, at the usual time a woman goes with child, which is nine months, when the infant is a perfect living child. All the Targums paraphrase it,

``in which ye shall be alive,''

safe and well, and so most of the Jewish commentators; as if it was a promise to Abraham and Sarah, that they should live to see the promise made good next given; but this seems not so agreeable as either of the former, see ( 2 Kings 4:16 ) : and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son;
it was by degrees that this was made known to Abraham; first he was told he should have a son, but it was not said by whom he should have it; some years after that he is informed he should have a son by Sarah, but not when; but now it is revealed to him, that he should have one by her the next year; and Sarah heard [it] in the tent door, which [was] behind him;
or, "and it was behind him" ^F21; that is, the tent door was at the back of the person speaking; Sarah, hearing her name mentioned, got to the tent door to listen to what might be further said; and the place where she was, was behind the speaker, who stood between her and Abraham, with whom he was conversing; Abraham was before high, and Sarah behind him, so that he could not see her when she laughed, and yet he knew she did; and for the sake of that, this circumstance is remarked: both the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase the clause,

``and Ishmael stood behind it,''

the tent door; and the former adds, and hearkened to what the angel said.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (wyrxa awhw) "et ipsum post eum", Montanus.

Genesis 18:10 In-Context

8 And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they ate.

9 And they said unto him, "Where is Sarah thy wife?" And he said, "Behold, in the tent."

10 And he said, "I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son." And Sarah heard it from the tent door, which was behind him.

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age, and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, "After I have waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?"