Genesis 19

Genesis 19:1

The two angels

The two men who have gone to Sodom Genesis 18:22 are really angels.

the gate of Sodom

"the entrance to the city of Sodom." The city had a wall around it, and people had to go through a gate to get into it. This was a very important place in a city. Important people often spent time there.

bowed down with his face to the ground

He put his knees on the ground then touched his forehead and nose to the ground.

Genesis 19:2

my masters

This was a term of respect Lot used for the angels.

please turn aside into your servant's house

"Please come and stay in your servant's house"

wash your feet

People liked to wash their feet after traveling.

we will spend the night

When the two angels said this, they were referring only to themselves, not to Lot. The two of them planned to spend the night in the square. Some languages would use the exclusive form of "we" here.

town square

This is a public, outdoor place in the town.

Genesis 19:4

before they lay down

"before the people in Lot's house lay down to go to sleep"

the men of the city, the men of Sodom

"the men of the city, that is, the men of Sodom" or just "the men of the city of Sodom"

the house

"Lot's house"

both young and old

"from the youngest to the oldest." This means "men of all ages" and refers to the men of Sodom who were surrounding Lot's house.

Genesis 19:5

that came in to you

"that went into your house"

that we may know them

The phrase "know them" is a polite way of saying "have sexual relations with them."

Genesis 19:6

after himself

"behind him" or "after he went through"

Genesis 19:7

my brothers

"my friends"

Genesis 19:8

See now, I

The phrase "See now" indicates that what follows is a request for the hearer to pay attention. "Please listen carefully: I"

who have not known any man

This is a polite way of saying that the daughters had not had sexual relations with any man.

whatever is good in your eyes

"whatever you desire" or "whatever you think is right"

under the shadow of my roof

"into my house, and God expects me to protect them"

Genesis 19:9

Stand back!

"Step aside!" or "Get out of our way!"

This one came here to live as a foreigner

"This one came here as an outsider" or "This foreigner came to live here"

and now

"but even though he has no good reason to"

he has become our judge

"he acts as if he has the authority to tell us what is right and what is wrong"

Now we

"Because you are telling us that what we are doing is wrong, we"

we will deal worse with you than with them

"we will act more wickedly with you than we will with them"

They pressed hard against the man, against Lot, and came near to break down the door

Possible meanings are 1) "They kept coming closer to the man, to Lot, until they were close enough to break down the door" or 2) they physically pushed Lot up against the wall or door of the house and were about to break the door down.

the man ... Lot

This is two ways of referring to Lot.

Genesis 19:10

But the men

"But Lot's two guests" or "But the two angels"

the men reached out their hands and brought ... them and shut

'the men opened the door far enough so they could reach out their hands and pull ... them, and then they shut"

Genesis 19:11

Lot's visitors struck with blindness the men

"Lot's visitors blinded the men" or "they took away their sight"

both small and great

"men of all ages" or "men of every status"

Genesis 19:12

Then the men said

"Then the two men said" or "Then the angels said"

Do you have anyone else here?

"Are there any other members of your family in the city?" or "Do you have any other family members in this place?"

Genesis 19:13

we are about to destroy

The word "we" here is exclusive. Only the two angels would destroy the city; Lot would not destroy it. If your language has an exclusive form of "we," use it here.

the accusations against it before Yahweh have become so loud

"so many people have been telling Yahweh that the people of this city are doing evil things"

Genesis 19:14

his sons-in-law, the men who had promised to marry his daughters

"the men who were going to marry his daughters"

Genesis 19:15

When dawn came

"Just before the sun came up"

you are not swept away in the punishment of the city

"so Yahweh does not also destroy you when he punishes the people of this city"

of the city

Here "city" stands for the people.

Genesis 19:16

But he lingered

"But Lot hesitated" or "But Lot did not start to leave"

So the men grabbed

"So the two men grabbed" or "So the angels grabbed"

was merciful to him

"had compassion on Lot." Yahweh is described as being "merciful" because he was sparing the lives of Lot and his family instead of destroying them when he destroyed the people of Sodom for the wrong they had done.

Genesis 19:17

When they had brought them out

"When the two men had brought Lot's family out"

Run for your lives!

"Run away and save your lives!"

on the plain

This means the plain of the Jordan River. This refers to the general region of the Jordan River.

so you are not swept away

"or else God will destroy you along with the people of the city"

Genesis 19:19

See now, your servant

"Please listen carefully: your servant"

you have shown me great kindness in saving my life

"you have been very kind to me by saving my life"

I cannot escape to the mountains, because the disaster will overtake me, and I will die

"My family and I will certainly die when God destroys the people of Sodom, because the mountains are too far away for us to get there safely"

Genesis 19:20

See now, the city

"Please listen carefully: the city"

let me escape there—Is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved

"let me escape there. You can see how small it is. If you let us go there we will live"

let me escape there

"instead of destroying that city, let me escape there"

Genesis 19:21

I am granting this request also

"I will do what you have asked"

Genesis 19:22

cannot do anything

"cannot destroy the other cities"

Zoar

Translators may add a footnote that says "The name Zoar sounds like the Hebrew word that means 'little.' Lot called this town 'little' in Genesis 19:20."

Genesis 19:23

when Lot reached Zoar

"when Lot and his family arrived at Zoar"

Genesis 19:24

Yahweh rained down upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of the sky

"Yahweh caused burning sulfur and fiery rain to fall from the sky onto Sodom and Gomorrah"

Genesis 19:25

those cities

This refers primarily to Sodom and Gomorrah, but also to three other towns.

the inhabitants of the cities

"the people who lived in the cities"

Genesis 19:26

she became a pillar of salt

"she became like a statue of salt" or "her body became like a tall stone of salt." Because she disobeyed the angel who told them not to look back at the city, God caused her to become something like a statue made out of rock salt.

Genesis 19:28

behold

The word "behold" draws attention to the surprising information that follows.

like the smoke of a furnace

"like the smoke from a very large fire"

Genesis 19:29

God called Abraham to mind

"God thought about Abraham and had mercy on him"

out of the midst of the destruction

"away from the destruction" or "away from danger"

Genesis 19:31

The firstborn ... the younger

"Lot's first daughter ... Lot's last daughter" or "The older daughter ... the younger daughter"

to lie with us

To have sexual relations with us

according to the way of all the world

"as people everywhere do"

Genesis 19:32

drink wine

"drink wine until he gets drunk" or "get drunk with wine"

we will lie with him

"we will have sexual relations with him"

so that we may keep our family line alive through our father

"so that we can bear children who will be our father's descendants"

Genesis 19:33

lay with her father

"had sexual relations with her father"

Genesis 19:34

I lay last night with my father ... lie with him

"I had sexual relations with my father ... have sexual relations with him"

drink wine

"drink wine until he gets drunk" or "get drunk with wine"

Genesis 19:35

lay with him

"had sexual relations with him"

Genesis 19:36

conceived by their father

"became pregnant by their father" or "conceived children with their father"

Genesis 19:37

He became

"He is"

the Moabites of today

"the Moab people who are now living"

of today

The word "today" refers to the time when the author of Genesis was living. The author was born and wrote this many years after Lot's family lived and died.

Genesis 19:38

Ben-Ammi

This is a male name.

the people of Ammon

"the descendants of Ammon" or "the Ammon people"