Genesis 18:9

9 they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? He answered, Lo! she is in the tabernacle (she is 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 Forsooth (then) he ran to the drove of beasts, and took thereof a calf most tender and best, and gave (it) to a servant, which hasted, and seethed the calf (and boiled the calf);
8 and (then) he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had sodden, and set (it) before them; forsooth Abraham stood beside them under the tree. And when they had eaten,
9 they said to him, Where is Sarah thy wife? He answered, Lo! she is in the tabernacle (she is in the tent).
10 To whom the Lord said, I shall turn again, and I shall come to thee in this time, if I live; and Sarah, thy wife, shall have a son. When this was heard, Sarah laughed behind the door of the tabernacle. (And the Lord said to him, I shall return, and I shall come back to thee at this same time next year, as I live; and Sarah, thy wife, shall have a son. And when she heard this, Sarah laughed behind the door of the tent.)
11 Forsooth both were old, and of great age, and woman's terms ceased to be made to Sarah (and a woman's terms had ceased to be made with Sarah).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.