Devine Scripture

Genesis 18:12

What does Genesis 18:12 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 18:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 18:12 means

Upon hearing the divine promise, Sarah laughed to herself within the tent. Her laughter stemmed from disbelief, rooted in her own very old age and that of her husband, Abraham. She rationalized that physical pleasure, and by extension, the ability to conceive, had ceased for her. This internal laughter reveals her initial human skepticism in the face of a seemingly impossible divine promise, highlighting the natural human tendency to doubt even God's most extraordinary declarations.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And Sarah, laughing to herself, said, Now that I am used up am I still to have pleasure, my husband himself being old?

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

and Abraham and Sarah <FI>are<Fi> aged, entering into days--the way of women hath ceased to be to Sarah;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And she laughed secretly, saying: After I am grown old, and my lord is an old man, shall I give myself to pleasure?

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am become old, shall I have pleasure, and my lord old?

Context

This verse reveals Sarah's private, internal reaction to the divine promise, occurring directly after she overheard the news in verse 10 and after the narrator provided the context of her age in verse 11. Her laughter and accompanying thoughts set the stage for the Lord's direct confrontation of her doubt. This moment becomes a defining point, challenging human limitations against divine omnipotence.

v.11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

v.12This passage

v.13And Jehovah said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, who am old?

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Luke 1:34

    And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

  • 1 Peter 3:6

    as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose children ye now are, if ye do well, and are not put in fear by any terror.

  • Genesis 17:17

    Then 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?

  • Ephesians 5:33

    Nevertheless do ye also severally love each one his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she fear her husband.

  • Psalms 126:2

    Then was our mouth filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing: Then said they among the nations, Jehovah hath done great things for them.

  • Hebrews 11:11

    By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised:

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