Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
- KJV Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
- BSB Let a little water be brought, that you may wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree.
- NASB Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and make yourselves comfortable under the tree;
- NLT Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet.
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
Abraham offers water to wash their feet and rest in the shade.
Overview
Foot-washing and rest were customary courtesies to weary travelers in the ancient Near East. Abraham's care for his guests' comfort shows generous, attentive hospitality. The same humble service of washing feet would later be embodied supremely by Christ (John 13).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Gen 24:32The man came into the house, and he unloaded the camels. He gave straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.
- Gen 19:2and he said, “See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you can rise up early, and go on your way.” They said, “No, but we will stay in the street all night.”
- Gen 43:24The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
- Luke 7:44Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head.
- John 13:5–15Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
- 1 Sam 25:41She arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, “Behold, your servant is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.”
- 1 Tim 5:10being approved by good works, if she has brought up children, if she has been hospitable to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, and if she has diligently followed every good work.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 18:4 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.