Genesis 18:1-2 New English Translation

Three Special Visitors

18 The Lord appeared to Abraham^[a] by the oaks^[b] of Mamre while^[c] he was sitting at the entrance^[d] to his tent during the hottest time of the day. ²Abraham^[e] looked up^[f] and saw^[g] three men standing across from^[h] him. When he saw them^[i] he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them and bowed low^[j] to the ground.^[k]

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Footnotes

Genesis 18:1 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Genesis 18:1 tn Or “terebinths.”
Genesis 18:1 tn The disjunctive clause here is circumstantial to the main clause.
Genesis 18:1 tn The Hebrew noun translated “entrance” is an adverbial accusative of place.
Genesis 18:2 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Genesis 18:2 tn Heb “lifted up his eyes.”
Genesis 18:2 tn Heb “and saw, and look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) draws attention to what he saw. The drawn-out description focuses the reader’s attention on Abraham’s deliberate, fixed gaze and indicates that what he is seeing is significant.
Genesis 18:2 tn The Hebrew preposition עַל (ʿal) indicates the three men were nearby, but not close by, for Abraham had to run to meet them.
Genesis 18:2 tn The pronoun “them” has been supplied in the translation for clarification. In the Hebrew text the verb has no stated object.
Genesis 18:2 tn The form וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ (vayyishtakhu, “and bowed low”) is from the verb הִשְׁתַּחֲוָה (hishtakhavah, “to worship, bow low to the ground”). It is probably from a root חָוָה (khavah), though some derive it from שָׁחָה (shakhah).
Genesis 18:2 sn The reader knows this is a theophany. The three visitors are probably the Lord and two angels (see Gen 19:1). It is not certain how soon Abraham recognized the true identity of the visitors. His actions suggest he suspected this was something out of the ordinary, though it is possible that his lavish treatment of the visitors was done quite unwittingly. Bowing down to the ground would be reserved for obeisance of kings or worship of the Lord. Whether he was aware of it or not, Abraham’s action was most appropriate.

New English Translation (NET)