Genesis 18:15
in Genesis 18But Sarah was afraid, so she denied it and said, “I did not laugh.” “No,” replied the LORD, “but you did laugh.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
KJV
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
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This verse in Genesis 18
Commentary
3 notes on this verseNow she perceived, by laying circumstances together, that it was a divine promise which had been made concerning her, she renounced all doubting distrustful thoughts about it. There was withal a sinful attempt to cover a sin with a lie. It is a shame to do amiss, but a greater shame to deny it; for thereby we add iniquity to our iniquity.
This site's exposition
she denied it and said
Sarah denied the laugh because she was afraid. The LORD answers her denial in three words, you did laugh. Henry observes that it is a shame to do wrong and a greater shame to deny it. Hebrews 11:11 sets her in the roll of faith, counting Him faithful who had promised.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not,....
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
IS ANYTHING TOO HARD (‘HAYIPALEI’) FOR THE ETERNAL? Is anything too hard and improbable for G-d to cause to happen? This expression is similar to the verse, For all things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee. 99 I Chronicles:14.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתְּכַחֵ֨שׁ | vatekhachesh | and she denied | H3584 → | |
| שָׂרָ֧ה׀ | sarah | Sarah | H8283 → | 38 times |
| לֵאמֹ֛ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| צָחַ֖קְתִּי | tzachakti | I laughed | H6711 → | 13 times |
| כִּ֣י׀ | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יָרֵ֑אָה | yareah | she was afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| וַיֹּ֥אמֶר׀ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לֹ֖א | lo' | In- | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | deed | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| צָחָֽקְתְּ׃ | tzachaket | you laughed | H6711 → | 13 times |
וַתְּכַחֵ֨שׁand she denied
vatekhacheshH3584 →
שָׂרָ֧ה׀Sarah
sarahH8283 →38 times
לֵאמֹ֛ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
צָחַ֖קְתִּיI laughed
tzachaktiH6711 →13 times
כִּ֣י׀for
kiH3588 →4482 times
יָרֵ֑אָהshe was afraid
yareahH3372 →315 times
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר׀and he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
לֹ֖אIn-
lo'H3808 →5168 times
כִּ֥יdeed
kiH3588 →4482 times
צָחָֽקְתְּ׃you laughed
tzachaketH6711 →13 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 4:23to be renewed in the spirit of your minds;
it leads to
- Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of…
- Romans 8:6
The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,
- Psalms 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
- Colossians 3:10
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
- Romans 12:2
Through
Proverbs 28:13He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
it leads to
- 1 John 1:8–10
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
- Psalms 32:3–5
When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long.
- 1 John 1:8–10
Through
1 John 1:8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
it leads to
- Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
- Ecclesiastes 7:20
Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
- Romans 3:23
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.