Genesis 18:17

Gen 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

Ver. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham?] My bosom friend. He shall be both of God’s court, and his council. His "secret is with them that fear him". {Psa 25:14} The kings of Israel had some one courtier, called the king’s friend by a specialty, to whom they imparted arcana imperii , state secrets. Such an office had Abraham about God, who calls him "Abraham my friend." See what our Saviour saith to all his, Joh 15:15. "This honour have all his saints."

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Gen 18:17. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do — Thus doth God in his counsels express himself after the manner of men, with deliberation. “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him.” Those that by faith live a life of communion with God, cannot but know more of his mind than other people. They have a better insight into what is present, and a better foresight of what is to come.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18:17-19 Abraham was responsible for teaching his descendants righteousness and justice so that they might enjoy God’s blessings. It was important for Abraham to know how God’s righteousness was at work in judgment.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Jehovah the Hebrew word which we call Lord, showeth that this Angel was Christ: for this word is only applied to God.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

the Lord said, Shall I hide--The chief stranger, no other than the Lord, disclosed to Abraham the awful doom about to be inflicted on Sodom and the cities of the plain for their enormous wickedness.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 17. Shall I hide from Abraham] That is, I will not hide. A common mode of speech in Scripture - a question asked when an affirmative is designed. Do men gather grapes of thorns? Men do not gather grapes of thorns, &c.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

17. Shall I hide from Abraham? Seeing that God here takes counsel, as if concerning a doubtful matter, he does it for the sake of men; for he had already determined what he would do. But he designed, in this manner, to render Abraham more intent upon the consideration of the causes of Sodom’s destruction. He adduces two reasons why He wished to manifest his design to Abraham, before he carried it into execution. The former is, that he had already granted him a singularly honorable privilege; the second, that it would be useful and fruitful in the instruction of posterity. Therefore, in this expression, the scope and use of revelation is briefly noted.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

17. And the Lord said] i.e. within Himself: cf. Gen_20:11, “I thought,” lit. “I said.”

Shall I hide from Abraham] With the thought of this verse, cf. Amo_3:6-7, “shall evil befall a city, and the Lord hath not done it? Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Here Jehovah purposes to reveal His intention to Abraham on account of his position as one who was in covenant relation, and the recipient of the promise (Gen_18:18).’

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the Lord said,.... Either unto Abraham himself, so leading on to what he was about to make known to him; and without supposing this it will be difficult to account for Abraham's intercession for Sodom upon this: or to the two angels with him; not as consulting them whether he should or no do what he next suggests, but to give to them Abraham's just character, and the reasons of his using him in such a friendly manner: or it may be, to the other divine Persons, the Father and Spirit, one with the Son of God, and always present with him:

shall I hide from Abraham the thing which I do? which he was about to do, namely, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah: the Jewish writers (a) observe, that these cities were given in the grant of the whole land to Abraham, and therefore it was right to acquaint him with it first: but other and better reasons are given in the next words; Abraham was a friend of the Lord, and he had showed himself friendly to him, not only now, but heretofore, and therefore will treat him as his friend, by imparting his secrets to him.

(a) Targ. Jerus. & Jarchi in loc.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

q.d. I will not, cannot hide it; it is against the laws of friendship to conceal my secrets from him. The interrogation here is in effect a negation, as elsewhere. Compare 2Sa 7:5, with 1Ch 17:4; and Mat 7:16, with Luk 6:43. See also Amo 3:7.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

17. Shall I hide… which I do — Here, again, Jehovah speaks in his own name and person, and the style of the narrative gives a lifelike reality to every circumstance. How like a bosom friend he speaks! The Septuagint reads: “By no means will I hide from Abraham, my child, what I do.” From such companionship Abraham was truly called “the friend of God.”

2Ch_20:7; Isa_41:8; Jas_2:23.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the Lord said (to himself), Shall I hide from Abraham the LXX interpolate, tou paidov mou; but, as Philo observes, tou filou mou would have been a more appropriate designation for the patriarch (cf. 2Ch_20:7; Isa_41:8; Jam_2:23) that thing which I do. Ie. propose to do, the present being used for the future, where, as m the utterances of God, whose will is equivalent to his deed, the action is regarded by the Speaker as being already as good as finished (vide Ewald, "Hebrews Synt.," Gesenius,

Ver. 17.

Sodom"s doom revealed.

I THE REASON OF THE REVELATION.

1. Abraham"s new position. Having been lately taken into covenant with God, allied by the holy tie of a celestial friendship to Jehovah, the patriarch seemed in the Lord"s eyes to occupy a footing of intimacy before him that demanded the disclosure of Sodom"s impending doom. That footing the patriarch no doubt owed to Divine grace sovereign, unmerited, free; but still, having been accorded to him, it is, by a further act of grace, represented, as laying God himself under certain" obligations towards his servant. So the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will show them his covenant". (Psa_25:14)

2. Abraham"s new prospects. About to become the head of a great nation, it was natural to suppose that Abraham would be profoundly interested in all that concerned mankind. As the head of the Old Testament Church too, which had just been constituted, (Ge 17) there existed a special reason for his being properly instructed as to the impending judgment of Sodom. Upon him would devolve the interpretation to the men of his day of the significance of that event. Rightly viewed, this is one of the proper functions of the Church on earth to explain God"s judgments to the unbelieving world. Hence "the Lord God doeth nothing but he revealeth his secret unto Ms servants the prophets". (Amo_3:7)

3. Abraham"s new responsibilities. These were the cultivation of personal and family religion, which devolved upon him with a new force and a heavier degree of obligation than they did before in consequence of his new standing as a Church member. God having graciously assigned this position within the Church in order that he might command his children and his household after him, by means of religious instruction as well as through the influence of personal example, to fear God, it was needful that he should be informed as to the ground, at least, of the coming judgment on the cities of the plain.

II THE REASON OF THE RETRIBUTION. This was the wickedness of Sodom, which was

1. Exceedingly heinous as to its character. Minutely detailed in the ensuing chapter, it is here only indirectly mentioned as something grievous in the sight of God. All sin is inherently offensive in the eyes of the Almighty; but some forms of wickedness are more presumptuously daring or more intrinsically loathsome than others, and of such sort were the sins of. (Gen_19:1)

2. Exceedingly abundant as to its measure. It was "multiplied" iniquity of which the Sodomites were guilty; and this not simply in the sense in which the sins of all may be characterized as beyond computation, (Psa_19:12 Psa_40:12) but in the sense that their hearts were set in them to do evil, (Ecc_8:11) so that they worked all manner of uncleanness with greediness. (Eph_4:19)

1. Exceedingly clear as to its commission. Though God speaks of making investigation into the sins of Sodom, this was really unnecessary. The moral degeneracy of the inhabitants of the Jordan valley was one of the "all things" that are ever "naked and manifest" unto his eye. So nothing can hide sin from God (2Ch_16:9; Pro_15:3; Amo_9:8)

2. Exceedingly patent as to its ill desert. This was the reason why God employed the language of Ver. 21. He meant that though the guilt of Sodom was great, he would not let loose his vengeance until it should be seen to be perfectly just. Nothing would be done in haste, but all with judicial calmness.

Lessons:

1. The impotence of anything but true religion to purify the heart or refine a people.

2. God is specially observant of the wickedness of great cities.

3. When great cities sink to a certain depth in their wickedness they are doomed to perish.

4. When God"s judgments overtake a nation they are ever characterized by justice.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do - Thus doth God in his councils express himself after the manner of men, with deliberation. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him. Those that by faith live a life of communion with God, cannot but know more of his mind than other people. They have a better insight into what is present, and a better foresight of what is to come.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

המכסה אני SHALL I HIDE? This is a question.

אשר אני עושה WHAT I AM DOING in Sodom. It is not proper for Me to do this thing without his knowledge. I gave him this land and these five cities therefore are his — as it is said, (10:19) “And the territory of the Canaanites was from Sidon … as thou goest towards Sodom and Gommorah etc.” I called him Abraham, the father of a multitude of nations; should I destroy the children without informing the father who loves me? (Genesis Rabbah 49:2)

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

AND THE ETERNAL SAID. I.e., to the host of heaven standing by Him, or to the angel messengers.It is possible that the word amar (He said) refers to thought, meaning that He thought He should not keep it hidden from Abraham on account of these reasons. Similarly: I ‘said,’ in the noontide of my days I shall go; And he ‘said’ to slay David. Likewise all expressions of speaking within the heart refer to thought., further, 27:41. See Ramban there.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

וה' אמר, the Lord, Who had appeared to Him initially to inform him of the sins of the Sodomites (13,13) informed Avraham now, after the departure of the angels, about His plans in detail. The Torah adds, in its narrative, what had prompted G’d to take this unusual step of informing Avraham of His plans, seeing that his own safety was not involved. G’d felt duty-bound to apprise Avraham of His intentions.

Radak on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash” (CC BY 4.0); “Rabbi Mike Feuer, Jerusalem Anthology” (CC BY 4.0); and “R. David Kimhi on the first book of Psalms, Translated by R.G. Finch, London, 1919” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.