‘And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood over against him, and when he saw them he ran to meet them from the tent door and bowed himself to the earth.'
Yahweh is accompanied by two others who, we learn later, are messengers of God (angels = messengers). ‘Three men'. We are intended to recognise that at this point Abraham does not know who they are. But he does recognise that their coming is important. They travel at the heat of the day and there was something about them that merited the direct attention of Abraham (Genesis 18:1).
It is probable that his men had alerted Abram to the presence of strangers, but of such an important kind that they merited Abram's personal interest.
“Stood over against him”. There is an element of surprise here. He is made suddenly aware of them. This is partly already explained by the time of day. He has been dozing in the heat under his tent flap. But we, who have been told who they are, are probably intended to see here an element of the supernatural.
There is also here a deliberate contrast with Sodom. Abraham himself welcomes the men on behalf of the tribe, eagerly and rapturously and with all honour, and provides full hospitality. That he advances himself suggests that he saw them as important men.
“Bowed himself to the earth”, a traditional way of showing deep respect (compare Genesis 19:1; Genesis 33:3; Genesis 48:12). Hospitality was an important Eastern custom. Abraham does all that is right.