Genesis 18:3

“My lord,” said Abraham, “if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Abraham addresses the three men he just saw and bowed before, urging them not to bypass his tent.

The words — אֲדֹנָ֗י ('a.do.Na/i) means "my Lord," and חֵן (chen) means "favor," forming the conditional clause "if I have found favor in your sight."

The thread — The phrasing parallels the diplomatic appeal Jacob later makes in Genesis 32:5 when seeking to secure goodwill from his brother.

Why it lands — The text explicitly records a host interrupting his routine to demand hospitality, establishing that stopping to serve strangers takes precedence over daily activity.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּאמַ֑רva/i.yo.Marand/ he said אֲדֹנָ֗י'a.do.Na/iLord/ my אִם־'im-if נָ֨אna'please מָצָ֤אתִיma.Tza.tiI have found חֵן֙chenfavor בְּעֵינֶ֔יךָbe./'ei.Nei./khain/ view/ your אַל־'al-may not נָ֥אna'please תַעֲבֹ֖רta.'a.Voryou pass by מֵעַ֥לme./'Alfrom/ with עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃'av.De./khaservant/ your

King James Version

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

Cross-references

Genesis 32:5 I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, menservants, and maidservants. I have sent this message to inform my master, so that I may find favor in your sight.’”