He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
Parallel translations
- KJV And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
- BSB Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and he set them before the men and stood by them under the tree as they ate.
- NKJV So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate.
- NASB He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate.
- NLT When the food was ready, Abraham took some yogurt and milk and the roasted meat, and he served it to the men. As they ate, Abraham waited on them in the shade of the trees.
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 serves the meal and stands attentively as his guests eat.
Overview
He takes the posture of a servant, standing by while they eat rather than reclining with them. That the visitors eat real food underscores the genuine, embodied nature of this appearance. The scene of God being hosted at a man's table is a remarkable picture of divine condescension.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Gen 19:3He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
- Deut 32:14butter from the herd, and milk from the flock, with fat of lambs, rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the finest of the wheat. From the blood of the grape, you drank wine.
- Neh 12:44On that day were men appointed over the rooms for the treasures, for the wave offerings, for the first fruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them, according to the fields of the cities, the portions appointed by the law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites who waited.
- Luke 24:30When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them.
- Judg 5:25He asked for water. She gave him milk. She brought him butter in a lordly dish.
- Acts 10:41not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen before by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
- Luke 12:37Blessed are those servants, whom the lord will find watching when he comes. Most certainly I tell you, that he will dress himself, and make them recline, and will come and serve them.
- Luke 17:8and will not rather tell him, ‘Prepare my supper, clothe yourself properly, and serve me, while I eat and drink. Afterward you shall eat and drink’?
- John 12:2So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with him.
- Rev 3:20Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me.
- Judg 13:15Manoah said to Yahweh’s angel, “Please stay with us, that we may make a young goat ready for you.”
- Luke 24:43He took them, and ate in front of them.
- Gal 5:13For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.
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 18:8 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.