Genesis 18 · a question people ask
Who were the three men?
The chapter opens, "The LORD appeared to him" (18:1), and Abraham sees "three men" (18:2). Later "the men" go toward Sodom while "Abraham stood yet before the LORD" (18:22), and the next chapter says, "The two angels came to Sodom" (19:1). Genesis doesn't say more than this, and Protestants read it in more than one way.
How Christians read it
Where Christians differ, Favor sets out the main views side by side and doesn't pick one.
The LORD, with two angels
Those who hold this view point out that the chapter says the LORD appeared (18:1), that the LORD speaks to Abraham at the tent (18:13), and that only two go on to Sodom, called "the two angels" (19:1), while Abraham stays "before the LORD" (18:22).
Genesis 18:1 · Genesis 18:13 · Genesis 18:22 · Genesis 19:1
The Son of God, before he was born
Many who read the visitor as the LORD go further and see the Son of God. They point to John: "No one has seen God at any time. The only born Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has declared him" (John 1:18), and to Jesus' words, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it and was glad" (John 8:56).
John 1:18 · John 8:56
Messengers who spoke for the LORD
Some read all three visitors as angels, one of them speaking for the LORD in the first person. They point to chapter 16, where the LORD's angel speaks in God's own words, "I will greatly multiply your offspring" (16:10), and Hagar names "the LORD who spoke to her" (16:13): on this reading, a messenger can speak for the LORD and be spoken of as the LORD. They also note that Hebrews says "some have entertained angels without knowing it" (Hebrews 13:2).
Genesis 16:10 · Genesis 16:13 · Hebrews 13:2
The verses
“The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,”
“The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.”
“The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the earth,”