Genesis 18:16-22 Meaning: Walking With God
16The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.
17Yahweh said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do,
18since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?
19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.”
20Yahweh said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,
21I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.”
22The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before Yahweh.
16And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;
18Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19For 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 he hath spoken of him.
20And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
22And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.
16And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do;
18seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
20And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
21I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
22And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before Jehovah.
16And the men rise from thence, and look on the face of Sodom, and Abraham is going with them to send them away;
17and Jehovah said, `Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,
18and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth?
19for I have known him, that he commandeth his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of Jehovah), to do righteousness and judgment, that Jehovah may bring on Abraham that which He hath spoken concerning him.'
20And Jehovah saith, `The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah--because great; and their sin--because exceeding grievous:
21I go down now, and see whether according to its cry which is coming unto Me they have done completely--and if not--I know;'
22and the men turn from thence, and go towards Sodom; and Abraham is yet standing before Jehovah.
16And the men rose up thence, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with them to conduct them.
17And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?
18Since Abraham shall indeed become a great and mighty nation; and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.
19For I know him that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice, in order that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham what he hath spoken of him.
20And Jehovah said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grievous,
21I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come to me; and if not, I will know [it].
22And the men turned thence, and went towards Sodom; and Abraham remained yet standing before Jehovah.
Meaning in one sentence
Abraham walks his guests to the edge of camp, and God decides to share what He is about to do to Sodom. Why? Because friendship opens doors.
Context
Abraham had just shared a meal with three visitors, strangers who turned out to be the Lord and two angels. They gave him the impossible news that Sarah would have a son. Now they rise and look toward Sodom, visible from the hills around Hebron. Abraham walks with them to send them on their way, a custom of ancient hospitality. As they go, the Lord speaks within Himself: Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? He then reveals the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah, a cry of violence and oppression that has reached heaven. He announces He will go down to see for Himself, like a judge investigating every report. The two angels turn toward Sodom. But Abraham stays standing before the Lord, and what follows is one of Scripture's most honest conversations between a human being and God.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words carry the weight of this scene. Yada (ָיַדע), "I have known him" in verse 19. This is not knowing facts about someone. It is the same word used for Adam knowing Eve, for God knowing Israel in covenant love. God knows Abraham intimately, and that closeness is why He shares His plans. The friendship of God is not distant admiration; it is being known to the core.
Za'akah (ְזָעָקה), "the outcry of Sodom." This is not a casual noise. It is the scream of the oppressed, the blood of the innocent crying from the ground like Abel's. It reaches God's ears and moves His heart. God hears what the powerful ignore.
Shamar (ָּשַׁמר), "they may keep the way of the Lord" in verse 19. It means to guard, watch over, protect. Abraham's household is called to guard God's way, to do righteousness and justice. The same care that God shows in hearing the outcry is to be lived out by Abraham's children.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions see different facets here. Reformed commentators like Calvin emphasize that God speaks "after the manner of men", He does not deliberate because He is unsure, but to teach us that judgment follows careful investigation. John Wesley and Matthew Henry highlight Abraham's character: he is called God's friend, so the Lord treats him as a confidant. The Geneva Bible notes that Abraham's family instruction, commanding his children to keep the way of the Lord, is the reason God entrusts him. Catholic and Orthodox readers often dwell on Abraham's posture of intercession: he stands before the Lord, a priest for the cities. Jewish commentators like Jarchi see in verse 21 a lesson for judges: never condemn on hearsay, but examine the facts. All agree: God invites Abraham into His counsel because their relationship is real.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers take God's words in verse 21 at face value: "I will go down and see… If not, I will know." They think God was uncertain about Sodom's condition. In fact, this is a strong anthropomorphism, God speaking in human language to show that His judgment is never hasty or based on rumor. As Adam Clarke notes, this is "a lesson to magistrates, teaching them not to judge according to report." God already knew; He chose to model careful justice for our instruction.
Living This Out
This week, you might ask yourself: do I walk with God like Abraham walked with those visitors? Not just attend church or read Scripture, but stay in His presence even when the conversation turns hard. Abraham did not shrink when God mentioned judgment. He stayed standing before the Lord, and then he began to intercede.
You do not need perfect theology to stand before God. You need honesty and persistence. Take one situation this week, a relationship that hurts, a wrong you cannot fix, a place that feels overwhelmed by darkness, and stay before the Lord with it. Let Him know you are there. Speak what is on your heart, even if you stumble. He is the same God who shared His heart with Abraham.
Main takeaway: God shares His heart with those who walk with Him and open their homes, and their lives, to His presence.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Abraham was very kind to his visitors. He walked with them to say goodbye. God was happy with Abraham, and He told him a secret about something He was going to do. When you are kind and spend time with God, He draws close to you too.
For ages 9, 12
Abraham didn't just invite God in for lunch. He walked with Him, talked with Him, and stayed near even when the conversation turned to judgment and destruction. God shared His plans with Abraham because they were truly friends. Abraham then used that closeness to pray boldly for mercy. When you spend time with God in prayer and obedience, you get to know His heart, and that changes how you see the world.
Questions People Ask
Why did God say 'I will go down and see' as if He didn't already know?
God knows everything, but He speaks in human language to teach us that judgment must be careful and fair. As the Geneva Bible notes, He sets an example for judges not to condemn based on rumor. He already knew Sodom's sin; He chose to investigate in a way we could learn from.
What does 'the cry of Sodom' mean?
It is the outcry of the oppressed and the innocent. The word conveys a desperate scream for justice that reaches heaven. In verse 20, it shows that God heard what was happening in Sodom long before He acted. He is not indifferent to suffering.
Why did Abraham stay standing before the Lord?
Standing was a posture of respectful readiness, often used for prayer or service. Abraham did not walk away after the angels left. He stayed in God's presence, and immediately he began to intercede for Sodom. His standing shows that friendship with God includes staying near even when the topic is hard.
What does 'I have known him' mean in verse 19?
The Hebrew word 'yada' means deep, personal, covenant knowledge, the same word used for Adam knowing Eve. God did not merely know facts about Abraham; He chose him, loved him, and trusted him. This intimate knowledge is why God shares His secret plans.
Did Abraham's intercession save Lot?
The passage leads directly into Abraham's bargaining with God for Sodom. Although the city was destroyed, God did spare Lot and his family because of His mercy and Abraham's prayers. The New Testament calls Lot 'righteous' (2 Peter 2:7), but Abraham's intercession may have been part of God's plan to rescue him.
For pastors & researchers
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