Then the men rose from there and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to send them on the way.
Parallel translations
- WEB The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
- KJV And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
- BSB When the men got up to leave, they looked out over Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them off.
- NASB Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off.
- NLT Then 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The visitors set out toward Sodom, and Abraham walks with them to send them off.
Overview
The scene shifts from the promise of life to the looming judgment of Sodom. Abraham's accompanying them reflects continued hospitality and prepares for his intercession. The narrative moves the LORD's purposes from blessing Abraham toward dealing with the wicked cities.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Acts 21:5When those days were over, we departed and went on our journey. They all, with wives and children, brought us on our way until we were out of the city. Kneeling down on the beach, we prayed.
- Acts 20:38sorrowing most of all because of the word which he had spoken, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him to the ship.
- 3 Jn 1:6They have testified about your love before the assembly. You will do well to send them forward on their journey in a way worthy of God,
- Acts 15:3They, being sent on their way by the assembly, passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles. They caused great joy to all the brothers.
- Rom 15:24whenever I travel to Spain, I will come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 18:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.