The LORD said: this translates the Hebrew “he said.” Revised Standard Version (but not New Revised Standard Version) has chosen to refer to Yahweh, as the text has in Gen 18.1. The same is followed by New International Version, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Moffatt. Some versions retain “he,” and others translate “one of them” (New Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Revised English Bible). Still other versions replace the pronoun with a noun. For example, New English Bible has “the stranger,” and New Jerusalem Bible “his guest.” Speiser, who understands that one of the three is now acting as spokesman for the group, translates “Then one said.” In some languages translators feel that it is necessary to make clear both that the speaker is the LORD and that he is one of the three visitors. So they say, for instance, “One of those men was the LORD, and he said…” or “One of those three was the LORD, and he spoke to Abraham.”

I will surely return to you in the spring: return means to come back to the same place, that is, to Abraham’s camp. Some translations focus on seeing Abraham (and Sarah) again; for example, “I will come to see you-two again.” Spring translates Hebrew “at the time of life” or “at about life’s interval.” This expression is used elsewhere only in verse 14 and 2 Kgs 4.16, 17, and seems to refer to the term of pregnancy. Accordingly Good News Translation translates “nine months from now….” It may also mean “at this time next year,” or it may refer to “the return of the spring of the year.” Suggestions for translation include “next year,” “nine months from now,” “next spring,” “about this time next year,” “this month next year.”

Sarah your wife shall have a son: the Hebrew for have a son is literally “behold a son to Sarah”; this does not refer to giving birth but to having a child with her.

Sarah was listening at the tent door: Sarah’s listening to the men’s conversation is necessary in the unfolding of this episode, since her reaction (laughter) is an important part of the story. Sarah is at the entrance of the tent but is careful to remain hidden. Behind him is understood by the Septuagint to mean that the tent or tent entrance was behind the speaker. The Hebrew, on the other hand, seems to mean that Sarah was behind the tent entrance. Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation, and others favor the former. Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch take behind him to mean “behind Abraham.” There is no certain way of excluding one or the other of these interpretations; but the point is not really important for the story.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .