Genesis 18:27
Then Abraham answered, "Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord--though I am but dust and ashes--
Then Abraham answered
This phrase marks a continuation of a dialogue between Abraham and God, emphasizing the relational aspect of their interaction. The Hebrew root for "answered" is "עָנָה" (anah), which implies a response or reply, often in a conversational context. This highlights the personal relationship Abraham has with God, where he feels comfortable enough to engage in a dialogue. Historically, this reflects the unique covenant relationship God established with Abraham, setting a precedent for personal communication with the divine.

Now that I have ventured
The phrase "ventured" comes from the Hebrew "אוּלַי" (ulay), suggesting a sense of boldness or daring. Abraham acknowledges the audacity of his actions, recognizing the gravity of speaking directly to God. This reflects a deep faith and trust in God's character, knowing that God is approachable and merciful. It also underscores the humility required to approach God, a theme consistent throughout Scripture.

to speak to the Lord
The term "Lord" here is "אֲדֹנָי" (Adonai), a title of respect and authority. It signifies Abraham's recognition of God's sovereignty and his own subordinate position. This acknowledgment is crucial in understanding the nature of prayer and intercession, where one approaches God with reverence and respect. The historical context of this title reflects the ancient Near Eastern understanding of divine authority, where a lord was both a ruler and a protector.

though I am but dust and ashes
This phrase is a profound expression of humility. "Dust" (עָפָר, afar) and "ashes" (אֵפֶר, efer) symbolize mortality and insignificance. Abraham's self-description echoes the creation narrative in Genesis 2:7, where man is formed from the dust of the ground. It serves as a reminder of human frailty and dependence on God. The imagery of dust and ashes is also used in contexts of repentance and mourning throughout the Bible, reinforcing the idea of humility before God. This acknowledgment of human limitation is central to the biblical understanding of humanity's place in relation to the divine.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Abraham
The central figure in this passage, Abraham is known as the father of faith. Here, he is interceding with God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah.

2. The Lord
Refers to God, who is in dialogue with Abraham. This interaction highlights God's willingness to engage with humanity.

3. Sodom and Gomorrah
The cities that are the subject of God's impending judgment, prompting Abraham's intercession.

4. Intercession
The event of Abraham pleading with God to spare the righteous within Sodom and Gomorrah.

5. Dust and Ashes
A phrase used by Abraham to express his humility and recognition of his human frailty before God.
Teaching Points
Humility Before God
Abraham's acknowledgment of being "dust and ashes" teaches us the importance of approaching God with humility, recognizing our own limitations and God's greatness.

The Power of Intercession
Abraham's boldness in interceding for Sodom and Gomorrah demonstrates the power and importance of intercessory prayer, encouraging believers to pray for others.

God's Willingness to Engage
This passage shows that God is open to dialogue with His people, inviting us to bring our concerns and requests to Him.

Recognizing Our Identity
Understanding our identity as "dust and ashes" helps us maintain a proper perspective on our relationship with God and others, fostering a spirit of humility and dependence on Him.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Abraham's approach to God in Genesis 18:27 reflect the attitude we should have in prayer?

2. In what ways does recognizing ourselves as "dust and ashes" impact our daily walk with God and our interactions with others?

3. How can Abraham's intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah inspire us to pray for our communities and nations today?

4. What other biblical figures demonstrate humility before God, and what can we learn from their examples?

5. How does understanding our human frailty enhance our appreciation for God's grace and mercy in our lives?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 3:19
This verse connects to the concept of "dust" as it refers to humanity's creation from dust and return to it, emphasizing human mortality and humility.

Job 42:6
Job uses similar language ("dust and ashes") to express repentance and humility before God, paralleling Abraham's attitude.

Psalm 103:14
This verse speaks of God's understanding of our frailty, knowing that we are made of dust, which complements Abraham's acknowledgment of his own nature.

James 4:10
Encourages believers to humble themselves before the Lord, which aligns with Abraham's humble approach in his dialogue with God.
Abraham IntercedingJ. Jowett, M. A.Genesis 18:27
Dust and AshesW. Jones, M. A.Genesis 18:27
How May We have Suitable Conceptions of God in Duty?T. Mallery, D. D.Genesis 18:27
Humility in PrayerGenesis 18:27
Necessity of HumilityGenesis 18:27
Abraham's Intercession for SodomR.A. Redford Genesis 18:16-33
A Contrast, and a ResemblanceE. Stock.Genesis 18:22-33
A Good Man the Protection of His CountryJ. Spencer.Genesis 18:22-33
Abraham Pleading for SodomGenesis 18:22-33
Abraham's Address to GodJ. Burns, D. D.Genesis 18:22-33
Abraham's IntercessionA. E. Dunning.Genesis 18:22-33
Abraham's IntercessionD. C. Hughes, M. A.Genesis 18:22-33
Abraham's IntercessionA. Fuller.Genesis 18:22-33
Abraham's Intercession for SodomH. Allen.Genesis 18:22-33
Abraham's Intercession for SodomJ. C. Gray.Genesis 18:22-33
Abraham's Intercession for SodomHomilistGenesis 18:22-33
Abraham's Intercessory PrayerLewis O. Thompson.Genesis 18:22-33
Abraham's PersistencyA. Maclaren, D. D.Genesis 18:22-33
Four Great FactsJ. Parker, D. D.Genesis 18:22-33
IntercessionDean Vaughan.Genesis 18:22-33
Intercessory PrayerT. H. Leale.Genesis 18:22-33
Intercessory PrayerBishop F. D. Hutington.Genesis 18:22-33
Pleading for SodomF. B. Meyer, B. A.Genesis 18:22-33
The Intercourse of God and His FriendA. Maclaren, D. D.Genesis 18:22-33
The Tone of Abraham's IntercessionA. Maclaren, D. D.Genesis 18:22-33
The World's Obligation to God's SaintsS. A. Walker, M. A.Genesis 18:22-33
People
Abraham, Mamre, Sarah
Places
Canaan, Gomorrah, Sodom, Sodom and Gomorrah
Topics
Although, Answereth, Answering, Ashes, Behold, Bold, Dust, Myself, Nothing, Replied, Speak, Though, Thoughts, Truly, Undertaken, Ventured, Willed
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Genesis 18:27

     1230   God, the Lord
     4050   dust
     8202   boldness

Genesis 18:1-33

     1511   Trinity, relationships in

Genesis 18:16-32

     4275   Sodom and Gomorrah

Genesis 18:16-33

     1095   God, patience of
     5077   Abraham, character

Genesis 18:17-33

     4224   cities of the plain

Genesis 18:20-32

     4113   angels, agents of judgment
     7150   righteous, the

Genesis 18:20-33

     5076   Abraham, life of
     6655   forgiveness, application

Genesis 18:22-32

     6684   mediator

Genesis 18:23-33

     8613   prayer, persistence

Genesis 18:27-28

     8221   courage, strength from God

Library
January 5. "I Know Him that He Will do the Law" (Gen. xviii. 19).
"I know him that he will do the law" (Gen. xviii. 19). God wants people that He can depend upon. He could say of Abraham, "I know him, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham all that He hath spoken." God can be depended upon; He wants us to be just as decided, as reliable, as stable. This is just what faith means. God is looking for men on whom He can put the weight of all His love, and power, and faithful promises. When God finds such a soul there is nothing He will not do for him. God's engines are
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

'Because of his Importunity'
'And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him! For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Meditations for Household Piety.
1. If thou be called to the government of a family, thou must not hold it sufficient to serve God and live uprightly in thy own person, unless thou cause all under thy charge to do the same with thee. For the performance of this duty God was so well pleased with Abraham, that he would not hide from him his counsel: "For," saith God, "I know him that he will command his sons and his household after him that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

There is a Great Question About Lying, which Often Arises in the Midst Of...
1. There is a great question about Lying, which often arises in the midst of our every day business, and gives us much trouble, that we may not either rashly call that a lie which is not such, or decide that it is sometimes right to tell a lie, that is, a kind of honest, well-meant, charitable lie. This question we will painfully discuss by seeking with them that seek: whether to any good purpose, we need not take upon ourselves to affirm, for the attentive reader will sufficiently gather from the
St. Augustine—On Lying

Whether the Proofs which Christ Made Use of Manifested Sufficiently the Truth of his Resurrection?
Objection 1: It would seem that the proofs which Christ made use of did not sufficiently manifest the truth of His Resurrection. For after the Resurrection Christ showed nothing to His disciples which angels appearing to men did not or could not show; because angels have frequently shown themselves to men under human aspect, have spoken and lived with them, and eaten with them, just as if they were truly men, as is evident from Genesis 18, of the angels whom Abraham entertained. and in the Book of
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

Epistle Lii. To Natalis, Bishop .
To Natalis, Bishop [1463] . Gregory to Natalis, Bishop of Salona. As though forgetting the tenour of former letters, I had determined to say nothing to your Blessedness but what should savour of sweetness: but, now that in your epistle you have recurred in the way of argumentation to preceding letters, I am once more compelled to say perhaps some things that I had rather not have said. For in defence of feasts your Fraternity mentions the feast of Abraham, in which by the testimony of Holy Scripture
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Miscellaneous.
THE SABBATH. THIS day is called the Lord's day, the day in which he rose from the dead. The Lord's day: every day, say some, is the Lord's day. Indeed this, for discourse' sake, may he granted; but strictly, no day can so properly be called the Lord's day, as this first day of the week; for that no day of the week, or of the year, has those hadges of the Lord's glory upon it, nor such divine grace put upon it, as his first day of the week. There is nothing, as I know of, that bears this title but
John Bunyan—The Riches of Bunyan

The Leaven.
"Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened."--MATT. xiii. 33. In the mustard-seed we saw the kingdom growing great by its inherent vitality; in the leaven we see it growing great by a contagious influence. There, the increase was attained by development from within; here, by acquisitions from without. It is not that there are two distinct ways in which the Gospel may gain complete
William Arnot—The Parables of Our Lord

Sanctification and Justification.
"Yield your members servants to righteousness unto sanctification." --Rom. vi. 19. Sanctification must remain sanctification. It may not arbitrarily be robbed of its significance, nor be exchanged for something else. It must always signify the making holy of what is unholy or less holy. Care must be taken not to confound sanctification with justification; a common mistake, frequently made by thoughtless Scripture readers. Hence the importance of a thorough understanding of this difference. Being
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Mothers, Daughters, and Wives in Israel
In order accurately to understand the position of woman in Israel, it is only necessary carefully to peruse the New Testament. The picture of social life there presented gives a full view of the place which she held in private and in public life. Here we do not find that separation, so common among Orientals at all times, but a woman mingles freely with others both at home and abroad. So far from suffering under social inferiority, she takes influential and often leading part in all movements, specially
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Debt of Irenæus to Justin Martyr
If we are to proceed with safety in forming a judgment as to the relation between Justin and Irenæus in respect of the matter which they have in common, it will be necessary not merely to consider a number of selected parallels, but also to examine the treatment of a particular theme in the two writers. Let us set side by side, for example, c. 32 of Justin's First Apology with c. 57 of the Demonstration. Justin has been explaining to his Roman readers who the Jewish prophets were, and then
Irenæus—The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching

Difficulties and Objections
"Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not My way equal? are not your ways unequal?" (Ezek. 18:25). A convenient point has been reached when we may now examine, more definitely, some of the difficulties encountered and the objections which might be advanced against what we have written in previous pages. The author deemed it better to reserve these for a separate consideration rather than deal with them as he went along, requiring as that would have done the
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

How those are to be Admonished who Praise the Unlawful Things of which they are Conscious, and those who While Condemning Them, in no Wise Guard
(Admonition 32.) Differently to be admonished are they who even praise the unlawful things which they do, and those who censure what is wrong, and yet avoid it not. For they who even praise the unlawful things which they do are to be admonished to consider how for the most part they offend more by the mouth than by deeds. For by deeds they perpetrate wrong things in their own persons only; but with the mouth they bring out wickedness in the persons of as many as there are souls of hearers, to
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

Fifteenth Day for Schools and Colleges
WHAT TO PRAY.--For Schools and Colleges "As for Me, this is My covenant with them, saith the Lord: My Spirit that is upon thee, and My words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LoThe future of the Church and the world depends, to an extent we little conceive, on the education of the day. The Church may be seeking to evangelise the heathen, and be giving up her own children to secular
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Prayer Taught and Encouraged.
(Probably Judæa.) ^C Luke XI. 1-13. ^c 1 And it came to pass, as he was praying in a certain place, that when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, even as John also taught his disciples. [Jesus had already taught his disciples how to pray in the Sermon on the Mount. This disciple probably thought that the prayer already taught was too brief to be sufficient, especially as Jesus often prayed so long. It was customary for the rabbis to give their disciples forms
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Sundry Exhortations.
HEBREWS xiii. Let love of the brethren continue. Forget not to shew love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; them that are evil entreated, as being yourselves also in the body. Let marriage be had in honour among all, and let the bed be undefiled: for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for Himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee,
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

Degrees of Sin
Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous? Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. He that delivered me unto thee, has the greater sin.' John 19: 11. The Stoic philosophers held that all sins were equal; but this Scripture clearly holds forth that there is a gradual difference in sin; some are greater than others; some are mighty sins,' and crying sins.' Amos 5: 12; Gen 18: 21. Every sin has a voice to speak, but some
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

In the Present Crusade against the Bible and the Faith of Christian Men...
IN the present crusade against the Bible and the Faith of Christian men, the task of destroying confidence in the first chapter of Genesis has been undertaken by Mr. C. W. Goodwin, M.A. He requires us to "regard it as the speculation of some Hebrew Descartes or Newton, promulgated in all good faith as the best and most probable account that could be then given of God's Universe." (p. 252.) Mr. Goodwin remarks with scorn, that "we are asked to believe that a vision of Creation was presented to him
John William Burgon—Inspiration and Interpretation

The Baptismal Covenant Can be Kept Unbroken. Aim and Responsibility of Parents.
We have gone "to the Law and to the Testimony" to find out what the nature and benefits of Baptism are. We have gathered out of the Word all the principal passages bearing on this subject. We have grouped them together, and studied them side by side. We have noticed that their sense is uniform, clear, and strong. Unless we are willing to throw aside all sound principles of interpretation, we can extract from the words of inspiration only one meaning, and that is that the baptized child is, by virtue
G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church

The Justice of God
The next attribute is God's justice. All God's attributes are identical, and are the same with his essence. Though he has several attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet he has but one essence. A cedar tree may have several branches, yet it is but one cedar. So there are several attributes of God whereby we conceive of him, but only one entire essence. Well, then, concerning God's justice. Deut 32:4. Just and right is he.' Job 37:23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

"And There is None that Calleth Upon Thy Name, that Stirreth up Himself to Take Hold on Thee,"
Isaiah lxiv. 7.--"And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee," &c. They go on in the confession of their sins. Many a man hath soon done with that a general notion of sin is the highest advancement in repentance that many attain to. You may see here sin and judgment mixed in thorough other(315) in their complaint. They do not so fix their eyes upon their desolate estate of captivity, as to forget their provocations. Many a man would spend more affection,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Wonderful.
Isaiah ix:6. HIS name shall be called "Wonderful" (Isaiah ix:6). And long before Isaiah had uttered this divine prediction the angel of the Lord had announced his name to be Wonderful. As such He appeared to Manoah. And Manoah said unto the angel of Jehovah, What is thy name, that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honor. And the angel of Jehovah said unto Him "why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is Wonderful" (margin, Judges xiii:17-18). This angel of Jehovah, the Person who
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

Wisdom and Revelation.
"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness
W. H. Griffith Thomas—The Prayers of St. Paul

Links
Genesis 18:27 NIV
Genesis 18:27 NLT
Genesis 18:27 ESV
Genesis 18:27 NASB
Genesis 18:27 KJV

Genesis 18:27 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Genesis 18:26
Top of Page
Top of Page