Lucas van Leyden 1494 – 1533

Abraham and the Three Angels

copper-plate (18 × 13 cm) — 1513 Museum Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Lucas van Leyden biography

This work is linked to Genesis 18:2

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Tags: Abraham

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Abraham is sitting in front of his tent on the plains of Mamre when three men appear before him. He reckognizes them as God's messenger and receives them with great hospitality. He gives them bread, butter, and milk and orders a calf to be slaughtered.

Before they leave, the men predict that Abraham's wife Sarah will give birth to a son within a year. Sarah can't surpress her laughter, as she and her husband are much to old to have any children.

Through the three men Abraham then has a discussion with God about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham succeeds in convincing his Lord that he should let the righteous citizens escape.

In Genesis 21 Sarah will indeed give birth to a son.

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