Genesis 18:11

Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah was far past the time of when she could bear children.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

In Context

10Then the leader of the group said, “I will return to you ◄about this time/in the springtime► next year, and to your amazement, your wife Sarah will have an infant son.” It happened that Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind the one who was speaking.

12So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, “My body is worn out, and my husband is old. So how can I have the pleasure of having a child?” [RHQ]

Read all of Genesis 18

Cross References

Genesis 17:17Abraham prostrated himself with his face on the ground to show respect to God. But then he laughed as he said to himself, “Can a man who is a 100 years old become a father of a son? And since Sarah is 90 years old, how can she bear a child?”

Genesis 24:1Abraham was now a very old man. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in many ways.

Genesis 31:35Rachel said to her father, “Do not be angry with me, sir, but I cannot get up in your presence to show respect for you, because I am having my monthly menstrual period. [EUP]” So when Laban searched some more, he did not find the wooden idols.

Joshua 13:1When Joshua was very old, Yahweh said to him, “Joshua, you are now an old man, but there is still a lot of land for your army to capture.

Luke 1:18Then Zechariah said to the angel, “I am very old, and my wife is also so old that she cannot bear a child. So ◄I cannot believe that what you (sg) said will happen!/how can I believe that what you (sg) said will happen?► [RHQ]”

Romans 4:18even though there was no physical reason for him to hope that he would have descendants, because he and his wife were too old to bear children. But God is the one who causes dead people to live again, and who talks about things that do not yet exist as already existing. God said to Abraham, “You will have so many descendants that they will be as impossible to count as the stars.” And Abraham believed that, and he believed that he would become the ancestor of many ethnic groups.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 18:10-16

9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent-door, which was behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 13 And the Lord… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 18:11