Why God Appeared to Abraham in the Terebinths of Mamre

"And they were the covenant-allies of Abram." For he had cut a covenant of peace with them, that when he went out to war they would guard his place. Another interpretation: "And they were the covenant-allies of Abram." When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Abraham to circumcise himself, he disclosed the matter to Aner and Eshkol. They said, "No, it is not fitting for an old man like you to circumcise yourself." But Mamre said to him, "Do what the Holy One, blessed be He, told you, for He is the One who saved you from the fiery furnace." Therefore, since he heeded the counsel of Mamre, he upheld his counsel. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, did not reveal Himself to him at the time that he circumcised himself, but rather in the terebinths of Mamre, as it is said, "And the LORD appeared to him," and so forth.