I will go down now
The Son of God in an human form now with Abraham, who proposes to
go from the place where he was, which perhaps was on higher
ground, to the plain in which Sodom and Gomorrah stood; and
whither it seems certain he did go down, after he had done
talking with Abraham, see ( Genesis
19:24 ) : and see whether they have done
altogether;
committed all the sins, and in such manner, and with such
circumstances as reported; or, "have made a full end" F3, have
tilled up the measure of their iniquities, and so are ripe for
ruin: according to the cry of it which is come unto
me;
this is spoken after the manner of men; for otherwise God saw all
their wickedness, and knew full well the nature and circumstances
of it, and how general it was; but this method he proposes to
take, to show the justice of his proceedings, and to instruct
judges, and set an example to them, not to condemn any without
thoroughly examining their cause: and if not, I will
know:
the reason of this cry, and what is proper to be done. The note
of Aben Ezra is,
``if they have so done (according to the cry) I will make a consumption among them (so he takes the sense of the word F4 we render "altogether"); but if not, "I will know", I will have mercy on them.''