Genesis 18:17

17 And the Lord said to himself, "I will not hide from Abraham what I am going 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 Because Sarah was afraid, she denied it. "I didn't laugh," she said. "Yes, you did," he replied. "You laughed."

16 Then the men left and went to a place where they could look down at Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on their way.

17 And the Lord said to himself, "I will not hide from Abraham what I am going to do.

18 His descendants will become a great and mighty nation, and through him I will bless all the nations.

19 I have chosen him in order that he may command his sons and his descendants to obey me and to do what is right and just. If they do, I will do everything for him that I have promised."