The Lord looked upon him. — Here, as in Genesis 18:13; Genesis 18:17; Genesis 18:20, the angel speaks as the Lord, and it has been hence inferred that this angel was no created angel, but “the angel of the covenant,” “the captain of the Lord’s host.” The only other possible conclusion is to say that the angel only speaks as the mouth of God (comp. Revelation 21:15; Revelation 22:6-7). No doubt the expression is here literal, but it involves the sense of favour and acceptance (Psalms 25:6; Vulg., respexit). The look inspired him with fresh force. The reason why the LXX. retain the phrase “the angel of the Lord” throughout is because they had the true Alexandrian dislike for all anthropomorphic expressions — i.e., for all expressions which seemed to them to lower the invisible and unapproachable majesty of the Almighty.
Have not I sent thee? — See 1 Samuel 12:11 : “The Lord sent Jerubbaal.”