Genesis 19:4

4 Before they went to bed, the men of the city of Sodom—everyone from the youngest to the oldest—surrounded the house

Genesis 19:4 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 19:4

But before they lay down
Upon their beds to sleep; it was between supper time and bedtime that the following affair happened, while the angels were talking to Lot about the men of Sodom, and inquiring what sort of men they were, as the Jewish writers ^F12 suggest:

the men of the city, [even] the men of Sodom, compassed the house round
about;
the house of Lot, where the angels were:

both old and young:
the males of the city of every age; some that were past committing the sin they were so infamous for, as well as those that burned with that unnatural lust; some that could not be actors were willing to be spectators; and all were curious to see the lovely persons, that it was reported all over the city were seen to go into Lot's house:

all the people from every quarter;
all from one end of the city to the other, and from every corner in it: which shows the general corruption and depravity of the city, that it was so far from having ten righteous persons in it, that of the proper inhabitants of it, there was not, as Jarchi notes, one righteous person, no, not one.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F12 Bereshit Rabba, ut supra. (sect. 50. fol. 44. 4.)

Genesis 19:4 In-Context

2 He said, "Come to your servant's house, spend the night, and wash your feet. Then you can get up early and go on your way." But they said, "No, we will spend the night in the town square."

3 He pleaded earnestly with them, so they went with him and entered his house. He made a big meal for them, even baking unleavened bread, and they ate.

4 Before they went to bed, the men of the city of Sodom—everyone from the youngest to the oldest—surrounded the house

5 and called to Lot, "Where are the men who arrived tonight? Bring them out to us so that we may have sex with them."

6 Lot went out toward the entrance, closed the door behind him,