Genesis 18:9
in Genesis 18“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
KJV
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
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This verse in Genesis 18
Commentary
8 notes on this verseCare is taken that Sarah should be within hearing. She must conceive by faith, and therefore the promise must be made to her, Heb. xi. It was the modest usage of that time that the women did not sit at meat with men, at least not with strangers, but confined themselves to their own apartments; therefore Sarah is here out of sight: but she must not be out of hearing.
This site's exposition
Where is your wife Sarah
on Genesis 18:9-10
They ask for Sarah by name. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown read the question as the moment Abraham knew he had more than travellers at his table. The LORD promises a son at this time next year, and Sarah listens from the tent entrance behind him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
After they had eaten, "they inquired about Sarah." She, who even in her old age had preserved her modesty, came out from inside the tent to the door of the tent.
"Then [God] said of Sarah, 'At this time I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son.' " But Sarah, even though Abraham was standing behind her to strengthen her, "laughed and said, 'After I have grown old shall I [again] have youthfulness?
What then does the Lord say to Abraham? "Where," the text reads, "is Sarah your wife?" And he said, "Lo, she is in the tent." But the Lord said, "I will certainly come to you at this time in due season, and Sarah your wife will have a son." But Sarah, standing behind the door of the tent behind Abraham, heard.Let the wives learn from the examples of the patriarchs; let the wives learn, I say, to follow their husbands.
The Medieval Church1 voice
And when they had eaten, they said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" He answered, "Behold, she is in the tent." Then he said, "I will return to you at this time next year, if life be with us, and Sarah your wife shall …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they said unto him, where is Sarah thy wife?....
1 more voice on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
It is a piece of common civility, which ought to proceed from a principle of Christian love, and then it is sanctified. And, by speaking of her (she over-hearing it), they drew her to listen to what was further to be said. Where is Sarah thy wife? say the angels. " Behold in the tent, " says Abraham.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Rashi comments, “The angel was not announcing that he would return to him, but he was speaking to him as G-d’s agent, [meaning that G-d would return]. This is similar to the verse: And the angel of the Eternal said to her [Hagar], I will multiply thy seed exceedingly.
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
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֵׄלָׄ֔יׄוׄ | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַיֵּ֖ה | ʾaiyeh | where? | H346 → | 45 times |
| שָׂרָ֣ה | sarah | [is] Sarah | H8283 → | 38 times |
| אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָ | ʾishtekha | wife your | H802 → | 781 times |
| וַיֹּ֖אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הִנֵּ֥ה | hineh | there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| בָאֹֽהֶל׃ | vaohel | in the tent | H168 → | 345 times |
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
אֵׄלָׄ֔יׄוׄto him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
אַיֵּ֖הwhere?
ʾaiyehH346 →45 times
שָׂרָ֣ה[is] Sarah
sarahH8283 →38 times
אִשְׁתֶּ֑ךָwife your
ʾishtekhaH802 →781 times
וַיֹּ֖אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
הִנֵּ֥הthere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
בָאֹֽהֶל׃in the tent
vaohelH168 →345 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
Titus 2:5to be self-controlled, pure, managers of their households, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be discredited.
it leads to
- Proverbs 31:10–31
A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.
- Colossians 3:18
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
- 1 Peter 3:1–5
Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your husbands, so that even if they refuse to believe the word, they will be won over without words by the behavior of their wives
- 1 Timothy 5:13–14
At the same time they will also learn to be idle, going from house to house and being not only idle, but also gossips and busybodies, discussing things they should not mention.
- 1 Timothy 5:10
and well known for good deeds such as bringing up children, entertaining strangers, washing the feet of the saints, imparting relief to the afflicted, and devoting herself to every good work.
- Proverbs 31:10–31
Through
Genesis 4:9And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
it leads to
- Proverbs 28:13
He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy.
- John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him.…
- Psalms 9:12
For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
- Proverbs 28:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Bede, Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron); Chuck Missler, The Book of Genesis; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON GENESIS 15:2; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON GENESIS 15:3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 4.4.