And Abraham answered and said,.... In a very humble and modest manner, encouraged by the answer given him:
behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord; suggesting that it was bold and daring in him, and was what he was unfit for and unworthy of; or, "I have begun to speak" e; and since he had, he intimates, it would be a favour, and what he was undeserving of, might he be permitted to proceed; or, "I am desirous to speak" f; it is a pleasure to me, as well as an honour done me, to be permitted to speak unto the Lord, though I deserve it not,
which [am but] dust and ashes; whose original was out of the dust, and to which he would return, and was now a frail, feeble, mortal creature, mean and despicable, unworthy to speak to God; the disproportion between the speaker and the person spoken to was infinite; wherefore the most profound humility and self-abasement are necessary in a creature's approach to the divine Being.
e הואלתי לדבר "coepi, loquar", V. L. "loqui", Pagninus, Montanus; so Targum Jon. f "Gestio, volo, eupio", Vatablus; "cuperem alloqui", Junius Tremellius so Jarchi and Aben Ezra, and Ben Gersom.