Genesis 18:3

3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord,^[a] do not pass your servant by.

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Genesis 18:3 in Other Translations

KJV

3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

ESV

3 and said, "O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.

NLT

3 “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while.

MSG

3 He said, "Master, if it please you, stop for a while with your servant.

CSB

3 Then he said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, please do not go on past your servant.

Genesis 18:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:3

And said, my Lord
He addressed himself to one of them who appeared to him to be the greatest and most honourable, either by the appearance of his countenance, or by his dress, or by the situation in which he was between the other two, and by their carriage and behaviour to him:

if now I have found favour in thy sight;
signifying he should esteem it an honour done him, that he and his companions would vouchsafe to stop and refresh themselves:

pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant;
they might seem, by some motion they made, as if they were going another way, and declined turning in to him.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Genesis 18:3 In-Context

1 The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.

2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.

4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.

5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.” “Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

Cross References 2

1. Genesis 19:19; Genesis 39:4; Ru 2:2,10,13; 1 Samuel 1:18; Esther 2:15
2. Ge 32:4,18,20; Genesis 33:5

Footnotes 1

[a]. Or "eyes, Lord"