Genesis 18:5

And I will bring a bit of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. This is why you have passed your servant’s way. After that, you may continue on your way.” “Yes,” they replied, “you may do as you have said.”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Abraham addresses three visitors who have stopped at his tent, offering immediate hospitality to refresh them before they resume their journey.

The words — The text uses s'adû (sustain) and lechem (bread) to describe physical provisions that refresh the visitors' hearts before they pass on.

The thread — This pattern of hosts offering provisions to guests appears in Judges 6:18 and Judges 13:15, while Psalm 104:15 notes bread sustains the human heart.

Why it lands — The verse requires readers to treat hospitality as a concrete, immediate duty, prioritizing the physical restoration of guests before any further interaction.

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

וְאֶקְחָ֨הve./'ek.Chahso/ let me bring פַת־fat-a piece of לֶ֜חֶםLe.chembread וְסַעֲד֤וּve./sa.'a.Duand/ sustain <you>לִבְּכֶם֙li.be./Khemheart/ your אַחַ֣ר'a.Charafter תַּעֲבֹ֔רוּta.'a.Vo.ruyou will pass on כִּֽי־ki-for עַל־'al-since כֵּ֥ןken<thus>עֲבַרְתֶּ֖ם'a.var.Temyou have passed by עַֽל־'al-at עַבְדְּכֶ֑ם'av.de./Khemservant/ your וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּva/i.Yo.me.Ruand/ they said כֵּ֥ןkenthus תַּעֲשֶׂ֖הta.'a.Sehyou will do כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka./'a.Sherjust/ as דִּבַּֽרְתָּ׃di.Bar.tayou have said

King James Version

And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

Cross-references

Psalms 104:15 wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil that makes his face to shine, and bread that sustains his heart.
Judges 6:18 Please do not depart from this place until I return to You. Let me bring my offering and set it before You.” And the LORD said, “I will stay until you return.”
Judges 13:15 “Please stay here,” Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, “and we will prepare a young goat for you.”
Genesis 19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them to you, and you can do to them as you please. But do not do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”
Genesis 33:10 But Jacob insisted, “No, please! If I have found favor in your sight, then receive this gift from my hand. For indeed, I have seen your face, and it is like seeing the face of God, since you have received me favorably.
Judges 19:5 On the fourth day, they got up early in the morning and prepared to depart, but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, “Refresh your heart with a morsel of bread, and then you can go.”
Matthew 6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.
Isaiah 3:1 For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water,