Abraham offered the three men hospitality as travelers who had come to his tent, treating them as guests with water, shade, and bread.
In Genesis 18:2-5, Abraham ran to meet the three men, bowed toward the ground, and pleaded with them not to pass by, offering water to wash their feet, rest under the tree, and "a morsel of bread" to comfort their hearts. Les Feldick explicitly calls this "the hospitality that Abraham also showed back in chapter 18" when he compares it to Lot's welcome of the two angels at Sodom. Les also places the scene in Abraham's nomadic Middle Eastern world, where a landless stranger like Abraham would welcome travelers who appeared at his tent.
Genesis 18:2-5 — Here Abraham sees the three men, runs to meet them, and offers water for their feet, rest under the tree, and bread — the specific acts of hospitality the question asks about.
Genesis 18:1-2 records that "the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day." Then Abraham "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." In Genesis 18:3-5 Abraham said, "My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 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." The three answered, "So do, as thou hast said." Afterward, "he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat" (Genesis 18:8). Scripture does not record Abraham's private motive in giving this welcome. What it shows is the act itself: he treated the three as honored guests. The narrative also reveals the identity of the visitors — Genesis 19:1 says, "And there came two angels to Sodom at even," while Genesis 18:1 says the LORD appeared to Abraham — leaving the lead visitor as the LORD himself.
Les opens Genesis 18 by calling it "one of the most vivid chapters of God appearing in human form to the Old Testament patriarchs." He explains that verse 1 shows "the Lord, Jehovah, God the Son" appearing to Abraham in the plains of Mamre, while verse 2 says Abraham saw "three, what, men." When the same account resumes at Sodom, Les reminds his class, "It was the Lord and two angels." Les also keeps Abraham in his historical context. He describes Abraham as a stranger in the promised land — "he didn't own a stick of ground" — and notes that Middle Easterners were nomadic and tight-knit, moving with their flocks rather than settling in place, and that travel was done by camel over serious distances. It is in this world that the men arrive at the tent door "in the heat of the day." Most directly, while teaching Lot's story in Genesis 19, Les says of Lot's urgent invitation of the two angels into his home that "this also indicated the hospitality that Abraham also showed back in chapter 18." He later warns that in the Middle Eastern environment, speaking of "the Lord" did not necessarily mean a person knew Jehovah — even Abraham's own relatives, the children of Terah, were idolaters.
Les Feldick teaches that Genesis 18 is "one of the most vivid chapters of God appearing in human form to the Old Testament patriarchs." He notes that verse 1 says "the Lord, Jehovah, God the Son, appeared unto him" in the plains of Mamre. When the two angels later approach Lot at Sodom, Les reminds his class that the visitors were "three men. It was the Lord and two angels."
According to Genesis 18:2-5, Abraham "ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground." He invited them not to pass by, saying, "Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on." He then served them butter, milk, and a dressed calf, "and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat" (Genesis 18:8).
Les describes Abraham as a stranger in the promised land — "he didn't own a stick of ground" — and reminds us that Middle Easterners were nomadic from day one, moving from place to place with their flocks and herds, and traveling by camel over long journeys. In this setting, welcoming people who appeared at your tent was a normal part of life. Les makes the point directly when he describes Lot's urgent invitation to the two angels at Sodom and says it "indicated the hospitality that Abraham also showed back in chapter 18."
Les cautions that in the Middle Eastern environment, people could speak of "the Lord" and "God" without being actual believers who knew Jehovah — "even these relatives of Abram, all the children of Terah were idolaters." While Les makes this comment about the pagan relatives around Abraham, it shows that "Lord" language in Genesis does not automatically prove the speaker recognized the true God. Abraham's address "My Lord" in Genesis 18:3 is therefore not treated by Les as proof of what Abraham understood at that moment.
God Appears in Human Form at Mamre
Les introduces Genesis 18 as the Lord (Jehovah, God the Son) appearing in human form; the three men arrive at Abraham's tent in "the heat of the day," which is the scene where Abraham's hospitality begins.
Abraham the Landless Stranger
Les describes Abraham as a landless stranger who had to ask permission to graze his flocks — the nomadic, sojourning context that frames his welcome of the three travelers.
Long Journeys by Camel
Les describes how even "good long journeys" in the Middle East were made by camel, helping readers understand why travelers needed refreshment along the way.
Tight-Knit Middle Eastern Nomads
Les explains that Middle Easterners have been "nomadic from day one" and family-tight in their movement with flocks — the lifestyle that shaped how Abraham lived in the land.
Abraham's Hospitality Remembered at Sodom
While discussing Lot at the gate of Sodom, Les specifically points to "the hospitality that Abraham also showed back in chapter 18" — directly naming Abraham's response to the three men as hospitality.
Pagans Who Spoke of the Lord
Les cautions that in Abraham's Middle Eastern environment, people could say "Lord" without truly knowing Jehovah — Abraham's own relatives (the children of Terah) were idolaters — a reminder that Abraham's "My Lord" in Genesis 18:3 is not proof he recognized the divine identity of his guest.
Why Abram Failed in Egypt & God Restored Him | Genesis 12-14
So Bethel is what Abraham called, or Abram called, the house of God, Bethel. And there he built an altar and pitched his tent. And he called upon the name of Jehovah, but he doesn't stay there. He's nomadic. Verse 9, And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
Nomads Who Moved With Their Flocks
Les describes how nomadic people like Abraham "didn't really set their roots down" but moved with their flocks and herds — the everyday world in which strangers arriving at the tent were part of life.
Genesis 18:1: And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Sets the scene: the Lord appeared to Abraham at Mamre, and Abraham was at his tent door at midday when the three men arrived.
Genesis 18:2: 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,
Shows Abraham's immediate and humble response to the three visitors.
Genesis 18:3: And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
Abraham's invitation to the travelers not to pass by reveals his posture as a host.
Genesis 18:4: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
The specific hospitality Abraham offered: water, foot-washing, and shade.
Genesis 18:5: 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.
Abraham's stated reason for serving them — to comfort their hearts before they "pass on" — and the visitors' acceptance.
Genesis 18:8: And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
The meal Abraham prepared and served as the three men ate under the tree.
Genesis 19:1: 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;
Identifies the two companions who had been with the Lord as angels and shows Lot responding with the same kind of hospitality.
Les Feldick teaches that the visitors were "three men" as far as Abraham could see, but they were actually the Lord and two angels: "It was the Lord and two angels." He calls Genesis 18 "one of the most vivid chapters of God appearing in human form to the Old Testament patriarchs." Genesis 19:1 confirms the two companions were angels.
Abraham brought "butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed" and set it before them under the tree (Genesis 18:8). Before the meal, he had offered "a little water" to wash their feet and "a morsel of bread" to comfort their hearts, with rest under the tree (Genesis 18:4-5).
Les Feldick says Genesis 18 is "one of the most vivid chapters of God appearing in human form to the Old Testament patriarchs." Verse 1 says "the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre," and the account shows the Lord and His two angels sharing a meal that Abraham prepared.
Watch the Teaching: Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord? Genesis 18 & God in Human Form