Bereshis 18:17

17 And Hashem said, Shall I hide from Avraham that thing which I do;

Bereshis 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.

Bereshis 18:17 In-Context

15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And He said, Oh yes but thou didst laugh.

16 And the Anashim rose up from thence, and peered toward S’dom; and Avraham went with them to send them on the way.

17 And Hashem said, Shall I hide from Avraham that thing which I do;

18 Seeing that Avraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and kol goyei ha’aretz (all the nations of the earth) shall be blessed in him?

19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall be shomer over the Derech Hashem, to do tzedakah and mishpat; that Hashem may bring upon Avraham that which He hath spoken [promised] of him.