Commentary on Genesis 18:1-15 [21:1-7]

Following last week’s reading where God appeared to Abraham (previously called Abram) during his travel through Shechem, this passage finds Abraham settled in Canaan, the land God promised to him and his descendants, when he is visited again by God. While the focus of this lesson often rests on Abraham’s hospitality, the core of the passage is the revelation that he and Sarah will bear a son in their old age—a reinforcement of the divine promise from Genesis 12.

Genesis 18:1–8

Abraham had “put down stakes” by the oaks of Mamre. In the ancient world, trees often held sacred significance and were frequently associated with theophanies (visible manifestations of God). God previously appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Moreh in Shechem (Genesis 12:6–7) and the oaks of Mamre at Hebron (Genesis 13:14–18). Abraham responded to these manifestations by building altars as acts of worship.

While Abraham was relaxing at his tent entrance, God appeared in the form of three men. By now readers might have come to expect the deity to appear at the mention of oak trees. Still, there is no indication that there was anything beyond the ordinary in their physical appearance to alert Abraham that this was a supernatural manifestation. However, Abraham’s behavior suggests he immediately recognized their divine nature. He ran to meet them and paid obeisance to the men. He showed deference to them, addressing them as “Adoni” (“my lord” or “my lords,” verses 3, 5).

While the Hebrew text uses a plural form, it can be translated as either “my lord” (singular) or “my lords” (plural), leading to scholarly debate over whether these were three messengers or God accompanied by two assistants. Whether or not one or all of the men were believed to be God is of less concern here than Abraham’s status in relation to the men—he recognizes that they are of a higher rank than he.

Abraham’s deference to the men continues as he calls himself “servant.” Although Abraham was not literally a servant or slave—under the ownership or subjection of another person; his obsequiousness toward the men fits what Margaret Aymer describes as the “conventional comedic trope of the running slave.”^[1] As such, Abraham introduces comic tension into the plot.

The narrator describes him as running from the tent’s entrance when he espies the men (verse 2), running back to the tent to instruct Sarah his wife to quickly make bread for their guests (verse 6), then running to the herd to select a calf for his servant—the literal servant—to slaughter and roast (verse 7). The servant then runs to prepare the calf. Abraham takes it upon himself to serve his guests and stands watch while they eat beneath the shade of the oak tree.

Throughout all this activity, Abraham doesn’t share the news with Sarah that they are entertaining divine guests. That information comes in the next scene. Genesis 18:1–8 serves as a bridge to introduce the visitors while extending the comedic trope. Sarah unwittingly adds her own humor in the next scene.

Genesis 18:9–15

After having their fill, one of the men asks Abraham about Sarah, and he replies that she is in the tent. Then the guest delivers a birth announcement—that he will return at the same time next year and Sarah will have given birth to a son. The purpose of their visit has finally been revealed.

Sarah has been standing inside the tent’s entrance within earshot of the men. Her reaction is to laugh at the incredulity of his pronouncement. Her inner thoughts revealed by the narrator must have been comical to readers: “Shall I have sexual pleasure?” The New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition sanitizes her words with the translation “Shall I be fruitful?” (verse 12). Most readers focus on the fact—by her own admission (and the narrator’s)—that she is an older woman past childbearing age. Sarah’s reaction dispels at least two myths concerning women, aging, and sexuality.

One myth is the commonly held belief that women don’t enjoy sex as much as men do. However, studies show that women desire sex as much as men. Another myth is that women peak sexually in their 30s. However, a separate study found that women ages 40 to 65 reported enjoying sexual pleasure, but that there is no age at which women—or men—peak sexually.^[2] The truth is that human sexual intimacy is a gift from God to be enjoyed.

Sarah’s advanced age and years of infertility highlight the physical reality of her situation. Thus, Sarah’s disbelief is understandable. Yet, what ensues is a bewildering exchange between God and Sarah, without the two speaking directly.

God confronts Abraham, asking him why Sarah laughed at the news that she would bear a child in her old age. God appears defensive, responding rhetorically, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (verse 14), and reiterates the promise that this time next year, she will give birth to a son. Sarah overhears the men and is overcome with fear upon realizing that the stranger who pronounced the annunciation was God or God’s messenger. In her nervousness, she denies having laughed. God retorts, “Yes, you did laugh” (verse 15).

While Sarah spoke the truth based on biological facts—barrenness, age, being past menopause—the narrative serves to reassure that there are no physical barriers God cannot overcome when it comes to delivering on God’s promises.

Notes

1. Margaret Aymer, “Outrageous, Audacious, Courageous, Willful,” in Womanist Interpretations of the Bible: Expanding the Discourse, ed. Gay L. Byron and Vanessa Lovelace (Atlanta: SBL, 2016), 280.
2. Nicole Tammelleo, “Top 5 Myths About Female Sexuality,” Maze Women’s Sexual Health, July 27, 2021, https://www.mazewomenshealth.com/blog/top-5-myths-about-female-sexuality/.