Genesis 18:13

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

And Jehovah said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old?

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם לָ֣מָּה זֶּה֩ צָחֲקָ֨ה שָׂרָ֜ה לֵאמֹ֗ר הַאַ֥ף אֻמְנָ֛ם אֵלֵ֖ד וַאֲנִ֥י זָקַֽנְתִּי׃

Transliteration

And-wayyōʾmer YHWH to-ʾAḇrāhām lāmmâ this ṣāḥăqâ Śārâ to-lēʾmōr indeed-truly ʾēlēḏ and-I zāqantî.

Grammar Details

*wayyōʾmer*: qal waw-consecutive imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - said
*lāmmâ*: interrogative adverb - why
*ṣāḥăqâ*: qal perfect, 3rd feminine singular - laughed
*lēʾmōr*: qal infinitive construct - saying
*ʾēlēḏ*: qal imperfect, 1st person singular - I will bear/give birth
*zāqantî*: qal perfect, 1st person singular - I have grown old

Word Meanings

*lāmmâ zeh*: why this/why indeed

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

John 2:25 : 25 and because he needed not that any one should bear witness concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Gen 18:9-12
4 verses
90%
9And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
10And he said, I will certainly return unto thee when the season cometh round; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, [and] well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Gen 17:15-19
5 verses
89%
15And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
16And I will bless her, and moreover I will give thee a son of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be [a mother of] nations; kings of peoples shall be of her.
17Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
18And Abraham said unto God, Oh that Ishmael might live before thee!
19And God said, Nay, but Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.
Gen 18:14-18
5 verses
88%
14Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the set time I will return unto thee, when the season cometh round, and Sarah shall have a son.
15Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
16And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
17And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham that which I do;
18seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Gen 21:5-7
3 verses
84%
5And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
6And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh; every one that heareth will laugh with me.
7And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should give children suck? for I have borne him a son in his old age.
Gen 21:1-2
2 verses
78%
1And Jehovah visited Sarah as he had said, and Jehovah did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2And Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
Gen 17:21
75%
21But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
Gen 24:36
73%
36And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
Gen 20:17-18
2 verses
73%
17And Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; and they bare children.
18For Jehovah had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
Rom 9:9
73%
9For this is a word of promise, According to this season will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
Gen 16:2
73%
2And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Jehovah hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
Heb 11:11
73%
11By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past {G2540} age, since she counted him faithful who had promised:
2 Kgs 4:16
71%
16And he said, At this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thy handmaid.
Gen 20:10-11
2 verses
71%
10And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
11And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
Gen 21:12
71%
12And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy handmaid; in all that Sarah saith unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Gen 15:2-3
2 verses
70%
2And Abram said, O Lord Jehovah, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and he that shall be possessor of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?
3And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
Gen 20:2
70%
2And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
Rom 4:19
70%
19And without being weakened in faith he considered {G3756} his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb;
Luke 1:18
70%
18And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
Gen 24:1
70%
1And Abraham was old, [and] well stricken in age: and Jehovah had blessed Abraham in all things.
Gen 11:30
70%
30And Sarai was barren; she had no child.
Gen 12:18
70%
18And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
Gen 22:16
70%
16and said, By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son,
Gen 21:9
70%
9And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, mocking.
Gen 25:22
69%
22And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, wherefore do I live? And she went to inquire of Jehovah.
Gen 22:1
69%
1And it came to pass after these things, that God did prove Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham; and he said, Here am I.
Gen 18:6
69%
6And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.
Gen 16:5
69%
5And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: Jehovah judge between me and thee.