New International VersionWhen the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.
New Living TranslationThen the men got up from their meal and looked out toward Sodom. As they left, Abraham went with them to send them on their way.
English Standard VersionThen the men set out from there, and they looked down toward Sodom. And Abraham went with them to set them on their way.
Berean Standard BibleWhen the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.
King James BibleAnd the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
New King James VersionThen the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.
New American Standard BibleThen the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off.
NASB 1995Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off.
NASB 1977Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off.
Legacy Standard BibleThen the men rose up from there and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off.
Amplified BibleThen the men got up from there, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham walked with them to send them on the way.
Christian Standard BibleThe men got up from there and looked out over Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to see them off.
Holman Christian Standard BibleThe men got up from there and looked out over Sodom, and Abraham was walking with them to see them off.
American Standard VersionAnd the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
Contemporary English VersionWhen the three men got ready to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked part of the way with them.
English Revised VersionAnd the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationThen the men got up to leave. As Abraham was walking with them to see them off, they looked toward Sodom.
Good News TranslationThen the men left and went to a place where they could look down at Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on their way.
International Standard VersionAfter this, the men set out from there and looked out over Sodom. Abraham went with them to send them off.
NET BibleWhen the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom. (Now Abraham was walking with them to see them on their way.)
New Heart English BibleThe men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleWhen the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.
World English BibleThe men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd the men rise from there, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away;
Young's Literal Translation And the men rise from thence, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away;
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd the men will rise up from thence, and will look forth upon the face of Sodom: and Abraham went forth with them to accompany them. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd when the men rose up from thence, they turned their eyes towards Sodom: and Abraham walked with them, bringing them on the way.
Catholic Public Domain VersionTherefore, when the men had risen up from there, they directed their eyes against Sodom. And Abraham traveled with them, leading them.
New American BibleWith Abraham walking with them to see them on their way, the men set out from there and looked down toward Sodom.
New Revised Standard VersionThen the men set out from there, and they looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to set them on their way. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the men rose up from there and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to see them off.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedAnd the men got up from there and gazed on the face of Sadom; Abraham went with them to accompany them. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And the men rose up from thence, and looked out toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
Brenton Septuagint TranslationAnd the men having risen up from thence looked towards Sodom and Gomorrha. And Abraam went with them, attending them on their journey.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Abraham Begs for Sodom16When the men got upto leave,theylooked outoverSodom,and Abrahamwalked alongwith themto see them off.17And the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?…
Cross References Genesis 19:1-3Now the two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them, bowed facedown, / and said, “My lords, please turn aside into the house of your servant; wash your feet and spend the night. Then you can rise early and go on your way.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” / But Lot insisted so strongly that they followed him into his house. He prepared a feast for them and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
Genesis 13:14-18After Lot had departed, the LORD said to Abram, “Now lift up your eyes from the place where you are, and look to the north and south and east and west, / for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever. / I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. ...
Genesis 22:1-2Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered. / “Take your son,” God said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”
Genesis 12:1-3Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you. / I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. / I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 15:1-6After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” / But Abram replied, “O Lord GOD, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” / Abram continued, “Behold, You have given me no offspring, so a servant in my household will be my heir.” ...
Genesis 17:1-8When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless. / I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.” / Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, ...
Genesis 19:27-29Early the next morning, Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD. / He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of the plain, and he saw the smoke rising from the land like smoke from a furnace. / So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, He remembered Abraham, and He brought Lot out of the catastrophe that destroyed the cities where he had lived.
Genesis 20:1-2Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar, / Abraham said of his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech king of Gerar had Sarah brought to him.
Genesis 21:1-3Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised. / So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised. / And Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore to him.
Genesis 24:1-4By now Abraham was old and well along in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. / So Abraham instructed the chief servant of his household, who managed all he owned, “Place your hand under my thigh, / and I will have you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I am dwelling, ...
Genesis 26:1-5Now there was another famine in the land, subsequent to the one that had occurred in Abraham’s time. And Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines at Gerar. / The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Settle in the land where I tell you. / Stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. ...
Genesis 28:10-15Meanwhile Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. / On reaching a certain place, he spent the night there because the sun had set. And taking one of the stones from that place, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. / And Jacob had a dream about a ladder that rested on the earth with its top reaching up to heaven, and God’s angels were going up and down the ladder. ...
Genesis 32:24-30So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak. / When the man saw that he could not overpower Jacob, he struck the socket of Jacob’s hip and dislocated it as they wrestled. / Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” ...
Genesis 35:9-12After Jacob had returned from Paddan-aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him. / And God said to him, “Though your name is Jacob, you will no longer be called Jacob. Instead, your name will be Israel.” So God named him Israel. / And God told him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you. ...
Genesis 50:24-25Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely visit you and bring you up from this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” / And Joseph made the sons of Israel take an oath and said, “God will surely attend to you, and then you must carry my bones up from this place.”
Treasury of Scripture And the men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. to bring. Acts 15:3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. Acts 20:38 Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship. Acts 21:5 And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, tillwe were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed. Jump to Previous AbrahamConductDirectionFaceLeaveRiseRoseSodomThenceWalkedWalkingWayJump to Next AbrahamConductDirectionFaceLeaveRiseRoseSodomThenceWalkedWalkingWayGenesis 18 1.The Lord appears to Abraham, who entertains angels.9.Sarah is reproved for laughing at the promise of a son.16.The destruction of Sodom is revealed to Abraham.23.Abraham makes intercession for its inhabitants.When the men got up to leaveThis phrase refers to the three visitors who appeared to Abraham earlier in Genesis 18. These men are often understood to be two angels and the Lord Himself, as indicated by the narrative. The act of getting up to leave signifies the completion of their visit with Abraham, during which they announced the birth of Isaac. This moment marks a transition from a time of fellowship and promise to a time of impending judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. they looked out over Sodom
The men looking toward Sodom indicates their next destination and the forthcoming judgment on the city due to its wickedness. Sodom, along with Gomorrah, was known for its grave sin, which is detailed inGenesis 19. The geographical location of Sodom is traditionally associated with the area near the Dead Sea, although its exact location remains uncertain. This act of looking toward Sodom foreshadows the divine judgment that is about to be revealed. and Abraham walked along with them to see them off
Abraham's action of walking with the men demonstrates his hospitality and respect, a significant cultural value in the ancient Near East. It also shows his continued relationship and intercession with God, as he later pleads for Sodom. This act of accompanying them can be seen as a type of Christ, who walks with humanity and intercedes on their behalf. Abraham's role as an intercessor is further highlighted in the subsequent verses, where he negotiates with God for the sake of the righteous in Sodom. Persons / Places / Events 1. AbrahamThe patriarch of the Israelites, known for his faith and obedience to God. In this passage, he is accompanying the visitors as they prepare to leave. 2. The MenThese are the three visitors who appeared to Abraham earlier in Genesis 18. They are often understood to be two angels and the Lord Himself, who came to deliver a message to Abraham and Sarah. 3. SodomA city known for its wickedness, which is about to be judged by God. The men look toward Sodom as they prepare to leave, indicating the impending judgment. 4. The LordAlthough not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the presence of the Lord is implied as He is one of the visitors who came to Abraham. 5. The JourneyThe act of walking with the visitors signifies Abraham's hospitality and his role as an intercessor for Sodom, which will unfold in the subsequent verses. Teaching Points Hospitality and FellowshipAbraham's act of walking with the visitors demonstrates the importance of hospitality and fellowship. Believers are encouraged to show kindness and hospitality to others, reflecting God's love. Intercession and CompassionAbraham's concern for Sodom, which will be seen in the following verses, teaches the importance of intercessory prayer and compassion for others, even those who are living in sin. Awareness of God's PresenceThe presence of the Lord among the visitors reminds believers to be aware of God's presence in their daily lives and to seek His guidance in all situations. Judgment and MercyThe impending judgment on Sodom serves as a reminder of God's justice, but also His mercy, as He listens to Abraham's intercession. Walking with GodAbraham's physical act of walking with the visitors symbolizes a spiritual journey of walking with God, which requires faith, obedience, and trust. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1.What is the meaning of Genesis 18:16?
2.How does Genesis 18:16 demonstrate God's relationship with Abraham and His plans?
3.What can we learn about God's justice from Genesis 18:16?
4.How does Genesis 18:16 connect with God's covenant promises in Genesis 12?
5.How can we apply Abraham's example of obedience in Genesis 18:16 today?
6.What does Genesis 18:16 teach about intercession and advocacy in prayer?
7.What is the significance of the men looking toward Sodom in Genesis 18:16?
8.How does Genesis 18:16 relate to God's judgment and mercy?
9.Why did Abraham accompany the men in Genesis 18:16?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Genesis 18?
11.How can we effectively pray for others' needs?
12.Who were the three men visiting Abraham in Genesis 18?
13.How could Abraham host and feed three travelers identified as the Lord in human form (Genesis 18:1-5) without any hint of deception or strangeness?
14.Why does the text claim God is physically present and conversing with Abraham if other passages emphasize God's transcendence (Genesis 18:1, 22)?What Does Genesis 18:16 Mean When the men got up to leave• The “men” are the LORD and two angels in visible human form (Genesis 18:1–2; 19:1). • Their rising marks the close of a covenant meal and the completion of promised blessing to Sarah (Genesis 18:9–15), showing God keeps His word. • Departure signals a transition from mercy toward Abraham’s household to impending judgment on the wicked (Hebrews 13:2 reminds us that angels may appear as strangers, pointing back to this scene).
They looked out over Sodom• The divine gaze is intentional; it denotes careful, righteous investigation before judgment (Genesis 18:20–21; cf.Psalm 11:4–7). • Sodom’s moral decay—arrogance, neglect of the poor, and sexual perversion (Ezekiel 16:49;Jude 1:7)—comes under God’s scrutiny. • The pause underscores that judgment is never capricious; God’s holiness requires verification (2 Peter 2:6 echoes how the cities became an example of what happens to the ungodly). • Looking “out over” hints at the coming vantage point from which Abraham will later view the smoke rising (Genesis 19:27–28), reinforcing the certainty of the verdict.
Abraham walked along with them to see them off• In Near-Eastern culture, a host escorts guests partway, so Abraham fulfills hospitality to the end (Romans 12:13 exhorts similar practice). • More than courtesy, Abraham’s walk pictures friendship with God (James 2:23) and partnership in His plans (Amos 3:7: “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets”). • The walk sets up Abraham’s intercession (Genesis 18:22-33). God invites him to stand in the gap, illustrating believers’ priestly role (1 Peter 2:9). • By walking “with them,” Abraham identifies with God’s moral stance against sin while pleading for mercy—foreshadowing the balance later fulfilled in Christ (John 15:14-15 shows the Lord sharing His heart with friends).
summaryGenesis 18:16 shows a literal moment in history when the LORD and two angels rise from Abraham’s table, fix their gaze on Sodom’s wickedness, and are accompanied partway by their faithful host. The verse bridges promise and judgment, portraying God’s just scrutiny, Abraham’s faithful hospitality, and an invitation to intercession. (16) The men. . . looked toward Sodom.--This visitation of God combined mercy and love for Abraham, and through him for all mankind, with the punishment of men whose wickedness was so universal that there were none left among them to bear witness for God, and labour for a better state of things. There is a strange mingling of the human and the Divine in the narrative. Even after the fuller manifestation of themselves they are still called men,and Abraham continues to discharge the ordinary duties of hospitality by accompanying them as their guide. Their route would lie to the south-east, over the hill-country of Judah, and tradition represents Abraham as having gone with them as far as the village of Caphar-Barucha, whence it is possible through a deep ravine to see the Dead Sea. Verse 16. - And the men rose up from thence, - Mamre ( vide supra, Ver. 1) - and looked towards Sodom. Literally, toward the face (Rosenmüller), or towards the plain (Keil), of Sodom, as if intending to proceed thither. And Abraham went with them - across the mountains on the east of Hebron, as far as Caphar-barucha, according to tradition, whence a view can be obtained of the Dead Sea - solitudinem ac terras Sodomae (vide Keil, in loco) -to bring them on the way. Literally, to send them away, or accord them a friendly convoy over a portion of their journey.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew When [the men] got upוַיָּקֻ֤מוּ(way·yā·qu·mū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6965:To arise, stand up, standto leaveמִשָּׁם֙(miš·šām)Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 8033:There, then, thither[they]הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֔ים(hā·’ă·nā·šîm)Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 582:Man, mankindlooked outוַיַּשְׁקִ֖פוּ(way·yaš·qi·p̄ū)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8259:To overhang, look out or downoverעַל־(‘al-)Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstSodom,סְדֹ֑ם(sə·ḏōm)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 5467:Sodom -- a Canaanite city near the Dead Seaand Abrahamוְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם(wə·’aḇ·rā·hām)Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 85:Abraham -- 'exalted father', the father of the Jewish nationwalked alongהֹלֵ֥ךְ(hō·lêḵ)Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1980:To go, come, walkwithעִמָּ֖ם(‘im·mām)Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5973:With, equally withthem to see them off.לְשַׁלְּחָֽם׃(lə·šal·lə·ḥām)Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7971:To send away, for, out
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OT Law: Genesis 18:16 The men rose up from there (Gen. Ge Gn) |
