Genesis 18:9

9 And they say unto him, `Where [is] Sarah thy wife?' and he saith, `Lo -- in the tent;'

Genesis 18:9 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:9

And they said unto him, where [is] Sarah thy wife?
&c.] One of them put the question; and so the Septuagint version renders it, "and he said unto him", the principal of them, whom Abraham at first addressed and called him "my Lord", and was no other than the Son of God in an human form; and various things in the context show him to be a divine Person, particularly his promise of return next year, and Sarah should have a son: and the question here put by him was not out of ignorance, for he who knew the name of Abraham's wife, knew where she was; but this was asked in order to lead on to say something more concerning her, and that, hearing her name, she might draw nearer and listen to what was said of her: and he said, behold, in the tent;
for in those times they dwelt in tents, and this was either the tent common to the family, or rather was Sarah's own tent, ( Genesis 24:67 ) ; Sarah was where she should be, in her own apartment, attending to the business of her family, and answered to the description the apostle gives of a good housewife, a keeper at home, ( Titus 2:5 ) ;

Genesis 18:9 In-Context

7 and Abraham ran unto the herd, and taketh a son of the herd, tender and good, and giveth unto the young man, and he hasteth to prepare it;
8 and he taketh butter and milk, and the son of the herd which he hath prepared, and setteth before them; and he is standing by them under the tree, and they do eat.
9 And they say unto him, `Where [is] Sarah thy wife?' and he saith, `Lo -- in the tent;'
10 and he saith, `returning I return unto thee, about the time of life, and lo, to Sarah thy wife a son.'
11 And Sarah is hearkening at the opening of the tent, which is behind him;
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.