What Does Genesis 18:2 Mean in the King James?

And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

Genesis 18:2 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

This verse in the Selah Decoded Version

THE KEY

Here, seeing becomes approach: Abraham’s eyes lift, his feet run, and his body bows.

THE MEANING

You see, and your attention moves toward what has come near: you run from the tent to meet the three, then bow toward the ground. The verse holds welcome and reverence in one bodily motion, before the visitors speak.

THE ROOT

רָאָה

ra’ah

GROWS FROM

ראה

To see, look, or perceive.

“saw” in this verse is ra’ah. The verse repeats this root: Abraham lifts his eyes and sees, then sees again before he runs. The same root can name seeing that becomes provision, adding depth to the way his perception turns into welcome.

ALSO GROWS

mar’eh: Appearance, vision

מַרְאֶה

The three men appear before Abraham; seeing makes their arrival an encounter he answers.

ro’eh: Seer, one who sees

רֹאֶה

The same root can name the one who perceives, keeping the verse’s focus on Abraham as the one whose seeing sets the motion in train.

yir’eh: He will see; in Jehovahjireh, the LORD will provide

יִרְאֶה

The same root appears in Genesis 22:14, where seeing carries the shade of provision; here, perception becomes a welcome enacted in the body.

THE PATTERN

Seeing and meeting take bodily form in welcome: the other is approached, received, or met with care.

And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

Genesis 19:1 · KJVLot’s seeing becomes movement toward the visitors and a bow toward the ground.

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

Luke 10:33 · KJVSeeing the injured man becomes compassion rather than passing by.

And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.

Acts 28:2 · KJVThe strangers are received through concrete care suited to the cold and rain.

THE THREAD

And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

Genesis 22:14 · KJV

Genesis 18 uses ⁨רָאָה⁩ (ra’ah, “see”) twice; Genesis 22:14 uses ⁨יִרְאֶה⁩ (yir’eh, “he will see”) from the same root, in the name Jehovahjireh, “the LORD will provide.” The shared root lets seeing carry a shade of provision, echoing how Abraham’s perception becomes welcome in this verse.

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