Genesis 18:7
◄  Genesis 18:7  ►
New International Version (©2011)
Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Then Abraham ran out to the herd and chose a tender calf and gave it to his servant, who quickly prepared it.

English Standard Version (©2001)
And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Meanwhile, Abraham ran to the herd and got a tender, choice calf. He gave it to a young man, who hurried to prepare it.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Next, Abraham ran to the herd, found a choice and tender calf, and gave it to the young men, who went off in a hurry to prepare it.

NET Bible (©2006)
Then Abraham ran to the herd and chose a fine, tender calf, and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Then Abraham ran to the herd and took one of his best calves. He gave it to his servant, who prepared it quickly.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hastened to dress it.

American King James Version
And Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it to a young man; and he hurried to dress it.

American Standard Version
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hasted to dress it.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he himself ran to the herd, and took from thence a calf very tender and very good, and gave it to a young man: who made haste and boiled it.

Darby Bible Translation
And Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf tender and good, and gave it to the attendant; and he hasted to dress it.

English Revised Version
And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto the servant; and he hasted to dress it.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Abraham ran to the herd, and brought a calf tender and good, and gave it to a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

World English Bible
Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.

Young's Literal Translation
and Abraham ran unto the herd, and taketh a son of the herd, tender and good, and giveth unto the young man, and he hasteth to prepare it;

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

18:1-8 Abraham was waiting to entertain any weary traveller, for inns were not to be met with as among us. While Abraham was thus sitting, he saw three men coming. These were three heavenly beings in human bodies. Some think they were all created angels; others, that one of them was the Son of God, the Angel of the covenant. Washing the feet is customary in those hot climates, where only sandals are worn. We should not be forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares, Heb 13:2; nay, the Lord of angels himself; as we always do, when for his sake we entertain the least of his brethren. Cheerful and obliging manners in showing kindness, are great ornaments to piety. Though our condescending Lord vouchsafes not personal visits to us, yet still by his Spirit he stands at the door and knocks; when we are inclined to open, he deigns to enter; and by his gracious consolations he provides a rich feast, of which we partake with him, Re 3:20.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 7. - And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, - the greatness of the honor done to the strangers was evinced by the personal activity of the patriarch, and the offering of animal food, which was not a common article of consumption among Orientals - and gave it unto a young man; - i.e. the servant in attendance (cf. Genesis 14:24) - and he hasted to dress it.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Abraham ran unto the herd,.... While Sarah and her maids were kneading the dough and making the cakes:

and fetched a calf tender and good; a fine fat calf, which was reckoned very delicious food, and much in use with the ancients (q) and generally made a part in any grand entertainment, and was accounted fit for a king, see 1 Samuel 28:24,

and gave it unto a young man: one of his servants, to kill and dress as soon as possible; Jarchi says this was Ishmael, whom he trained up to such service:

and he hasted to dress it; the young man made all the haste he could to get it ready, according to the orders of Abraham.

(q) --Orpheus de lapidibus, ver. 63.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

7. Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetched a calf—Animal food is never provided, except for visitors of a superior rank when a kid or lamb is killed. A calf is still a higher stretch of hospitality, and it would probably be cooked as is usually done when haste is required—either by roasting it whole or by cutting it up into small pieces and broiling them on skewers over the fire. It is always eaten along with boiled corn swimming in butter or melted fat, into which every morsel of meat, laid upon a piece of bread, is dipped, before being conveyed by the fingers to the mouth.

Genesis 18:7 Parallel Commentaries

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Abraham's Celestial Visitors
…6And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes on the hearth. 7And Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it to a young man; and he hurried to dress it. 8And 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.

Genesis 18:6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. "Quick," he said, "get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread."
Genesis 18:8 He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.
1 Samuel 28:24 The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast.