Bereshis 18:27

27 And Avraham answered and said, Hinei now, I, which am but aphar and ashes, have taken upon me to speak unto Hashem;

Bereshis 18:27 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:27

And Abraham answered and said
In a very humble and modest manner, encouraged by the answer given him: behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord;
suggesting that it was bold and daring in him, and was what he was unfit for and unworthy of; or, "I have begun to speak" ^F5; and since he had, he intimates, it would be a favour, and what he was undeserving of, might he be permitted to proceed; or, "I am desirous to speak" ^F6; it is a pleasure to me, as well as an honour done me, to be permitted to speak unto the Lord, though I deserve it not, which [am but] dust and ashes;
whose original was out of the dust, and to which he would return, and was now a frail, feeble, mortal creature, mean and despicable, unworthy to speak to God; the disproportion between the speaker and the person spoken to was infinite; wherefore the most profound humility and self-abasement are necessary in a creature's approach to the divine Being.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (rbdl ytlawh) "coepi, loquar", V. L. "loqui", Pagninus, Montanus; so Targum Jon.
F6 "Gestio, volo, eupio", Vatablus; "cuperem alloqui", Junius & Tremellius; so Jarchi and Aben Ezra, and Ben Gersom.

Bereshis 18:27 In-Context

25 That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the tzaddik with the rasha; and that the tzaddik should be as the rasha, that be far from Thee: Shall not HaShofet Kol Ha’Aretz (the Judge of All the Earth) do mishpat (right)?

26 And Hashem said, If I find in S’dom fifty tzaddikim within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27 And Avraham answered and said, Hinei now, I, which am but aphar and ashes, have taken upon me to speak unto Hashem;

28 Suppose there shall lack five of the fifty tzaddikim; wilt Thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And He said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

29 And he spoke unto Him yet again, and said, Suppose there shall be forty found there. And He said, I will not do it for forty’s sake.