42 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation,.... Which was fulfilled in the nation of Israel, so called, not so much for the largeness of the place they dwelt in, and the number of its inhabitants, as for the law of God that was given them, and the worship of God kept up among them; on account of which there was no nation so...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For I know him,.... Not only by his omniscience, but with a special knowledge, such as is accompanied with peculiar love and affection; and so Jarchi says, it is expressive of love. God loved Abraham, he was a peculiar favourite of his, and therefore he would reveal his secrets to him, see Amos 3:2; and he knew not only who he was, but what he...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said,.... The Targum of Jonathan adds, to the ministering angels, the two angels that were with him in the likeness of men; or to Abraham, at least in his hearing, by which he understood that Sodom and other cities were about to be destroyed for their sins: because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great; either of Lot in it, whose...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
I will go down now,.... The Son of God in an human form now with Abraham, who proposes to go from the place where he was, which perhaps was on higher ground, to the plain in which Sodom and Gomorrah stood; and whither it seems certain he did go down, after he had done talking with Abraham, see Genesis 19:24: and see whether they have done...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the men turned their faces from thence,.... From the place to which Abraham brought them on; these were only two of them, for the third continued with Abraham: and went towards Sodom; and are the two angels said to come thither at evening, Genesis 19:1: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord; before the third person, whom Abraham now began to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Abraham drew near,.... To the Lord; he approached nearer to him, to have more close and intimate conversation with him on the subject of the destruction of Sodom, which he perceived, by what had been said, was like to be; he drew nigh to God in prayer; so the Targum of Jonathan, "and Abraham prayed and said;'' he drew nigh with faith and...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And Abraham drew near, There is nothing like coming very close to God in prayer: “Abraham drew near.” He was about to use his influence with his great Friend; not for himself, but for these men of Sodom, who were going to be destroyed. Happy are those who, when they are near to God, use the opportunity in pleading for others, ay, even for the most...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city,.... Within the Pentapolis, which consisted of five cities; and so ten righteous persons are supposed to be in each, as Jarchi observes, agreeably to the Targum of Jonathan; "perhaps there may be fifty righteous persons in the city who pray before thee, ten for every city, answerable to the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
That be far from thee to do after this manner,.... He represents it as a thing unbecoming the divine Majesty, and contrary to the nature and perfections of God, to slay the righteous with the wicked; which is true of eternal punishment, but not of temporal calamities, in which the righteous are often involved with the wicked, though not for the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city,.... Sodom is particularly mentioned because Lot dwelt there, and being the metropolis, and the city of greatest note, as Jarchi observes, it is put for the rest; and the sense is, if fifty righteous persons could be found in all the five cities, mercy should be shown them: then will I spare all...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Abraham answered and said,.... In a very humble and modest manner, encouraged by the answer given him: behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord; suggesting that it was bold and daring in him, and was what he was unfit for and unworthy of; or, "I have begun to speak" (e); and since he had, he intimates, it would be a favour, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Peradventure there should lack five of the fifty righteous,.... Or there should be but forty five; for Abraham perceived, by the Lord's answer, that there were not fifty righteous persons in the place: wilt thou destroy all the city for [lack of] five? Abraham proceeds gradually in his requests, and does not ask too much at once, lest he should...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he spake [unto him] yet again, and said,.... Being encouraged by such a gracious answer: Peradventure there shall be forty found there; forty righteous persons; and, from preceding passages, it must be supplied, "wilt thou destroy and not spare the place for their sakes?'' and he said, I will not do [it] for forty's sake; but spare them for...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said unto him, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak,.... He feared, through his importunity, he should be wearisome to him and incur his displeasure; this being often the case among men, especially when inferiors are soliciting their superiors, and, not content with one favour, are pressing for more: Peradventure there shall...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord,.... [See comments on Genesis 18:27]: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there; wouldest thou destroy it, such a number being in it; or, wouldest thou spare it for their sakes? and he said, I will not destroy [it] for twenty's sake; if there were no more in it, I would...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty’s sake. And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake. He went...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, Oh, let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once,.... This should be the last request he should make on this account, and therefore he desired he might be heard without any marks of his displeasure; Peradventure ten shall be found there: how would the place be dealt with then? would it be consumed or not? and he said,...