WARNING: The text
used for my commentary is my own paraphrase and must not be
considered
“a translation” or authorative in any way. It is, in fact, simply my commentary.
Maps, when used, are from
BibleAtlas.org. Created
using BibleMapper 3.0.
Additional data from OpenBible.info. Source of Dates Used
בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית • B'resheet
(“In Beginning” or “At First”)
The First Book of Moses,
Commonly Called
Genesis
Blessed are You, O Lord our God,
King of the Universe,
Who has chosen us from all peoples
and given us His Torah.
Blessed are You, O Lord, Giver of the Torah.
Rishon [1st]1Yehovah [GN]
appeared to Avraham by Mamre’s oak grove in the heat of the day, as he
was sitting at the entrance to his tent.[1]2Avraham looked up
and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran[2] from the
entrance to his tent to meet them, and he bowed low to the ground.
3He said, “My lord,[3] if I have
found favor in your sight, please don’t pass your servant by.
4Let a little water be fetched,
so you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
5I will bring a bit of bread so you
can refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s
way. After that, you may continue on your way.”
“Yes,” they replied, “do as you have said.”
6So Avraham hurried into
the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick! Prepare three seahs[6]
of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.”
7Avraham ran to the herd,
selected a tender, choice calf, and gave it to a servant, who hurried
to prepare it.
8Then Avraham brought butter,[8a]
milk, and the calf that had been prepared, and set them before the men. He stood by them
under the tree while they ate.[8b]
2. Yitz’chak Promised (18:9-10)
9They asked him,
“Where is your wife Sarah?”
“There, in the tent,” he replied.
10Then Yehovah said,
“I will surely return to you at this time next year; and hinneh,[GN]
your wife
Sarah will have a son!”
3. Sarah’s Response (18:11-15)
Sarah was behind Him, listening at the entrance to
the tent.
11Now Avraham and Sarah
were old, well along in years. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
12So she laughed to
herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I
now have this pleasure?”
13Yehovah asked Avraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a
child when I am old?’
14Is anything too difficult
for Yehovah ? At the appointed time[14] I will return to you,
in about a year, and Sarah will have a son.”
B. Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
(18:16-19:28)
1. HaShem Tells About Sodom (18:16-21)
[Mamre
(Hebron)]
16When the “men” got up to leave, they looked
out over S'domSodom,
and Avraham walked along with them to see them off.
17And Yehovah said, “Shall I hide from Avraham what I
am ablout to do?
18Avraham will surely become a great and
powerful nation, and through him all the nations[18]
of the earth will be blessed.
19For I have chosen him, so
that he will command his children and his household after him to
keep the way of Yehovah by doing what is right and just; in order
that Yehovah may bring
upon Avraham that which He has promised.”
20Then Yehovah
said, “The outcry against S'domSodom and
'AmoraGomorrah is great. Because their sin is
so grievous,
21I will go down now
to see if their actions fully justify the outcry that has reached Me. If not, I will
find out.”[21]
2. Abraham Intercedes (18:22-33)
22Two of the
“men” turned away and went toward S'dom, but Avraham remained
standing before Yehovah.
23Avraham stepped
forward and asked, “Will You really sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24What if there are fifty
tzadikimrighteous ones within the city?
Will You really sweep it away and not spare the place for the
sake of the fifty
tzadikimrighteous ones who are there?
25Far be it from You to do
something like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous
and the wicked are treated alike. Far be that from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do
what is right?”
26Yehovah replied, “If I find fifty
tzadikimrighteous ones within the city
of S'dom, then for their sake I will spare the whole place.”[26]27Avraham answered,
“Now that I have ventured to speak to Yehovah although I am
but dust and ashes,
28what if the fifty
tzadikimrighteous ones lack
five? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?”
He replied, “If I find forty-five there, I will not
destroy it.”
29Once again Avraham
spoke to Him, “What if there are forty found there?”
He answered, “For the sake of the forty, I will not
do it.”
30Then
Avraham said, “Oh, don’t let Yehovah be angry, but let me will speak
further. Suppose thirty are found there?”
He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31And Avraham said,
“Now that I have ventured to speak to Yehovah,[GN]
suppose twenty are found there?”
He replied, “For the sake of the twenty, I will not destroy it.”
32Finally
Avraham said, “Oh, don’t let Yehovah be angry, but let me speak just once more.
Suppose ten are found there?”
He answered, “For the sake of the ten, I will not
destroy it.”
33When
Yehovah had finished speaking with Avraham, He departed, and Avraham returned
home.
15. I believe that God was amused
at Sarah’s unbelief, rather than angry, as some teach.
[BACK]
18. The word translated “nations” is גּוֹיִם֙, goyim,
which can also be translated “gentiles.” So it is through Avraham that the Gentiles of the
nations have been and are being blessed.
[BACK]
21. This was obviously an explanation
for Avraham’s benefit. HaShem is omniscient (knows everything) and
omnipresent (is everywhere); He already knows everything
there is to know without going anywhere.
[BACK]
26. God surely knew that there were
only three righteous out of the entire two cities. I believe that He
was going through this exercise with Avraham to teach him that it’s
sometimes alright for us to question Him, as long as we do so
respectfully (see Isa 1:18).
[BACK]
Originally posted on Friday, 21 August 2020
Added dates, map references, additional comments on Wednesday, 17 July 2021
Added Parashah indicators and text on Wednesday, 28 September 2022
Page last updated on
Monday, 02 October 2023 12:52 PM
(Updates are generally minor formatting or editorial changes.
Major content changes are identified as "Revisions”) ANXIOUSLY WATCHING FOR MASHIACH’S RETURN,
SPEEDILY AND IN OUR DAY. MARANA, TA!