Genesis 19:21

21 He answered, "All right, I agree. I won't destroy that town.

Genesis 19:21 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 19:21

And he said unto him, see, I have accepted thee concerning
this thing also
Accepted thy prayer and granted thy request, as well as in other things; shown grace and mercy to thee: or, "have lifted up thy face" ^F5; alluding to the custom of the eastern countries, where persons, when they come into the presence of their superiors, used to prostrate their faces to the ground; when, as a token of their acceptance of them, and good will to them, they used to order them to be lifted up, or them to lift up their faces, and stand before them:

that I will not overthrow this city for the which thou hast spoken;
for, though he had not in express words petitioned that the city might be spared, yet he had tacitly done it, insomuch as he had requested he might flee unto it, where he could not have been safe had it been destroyed.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 (Kynp ytavn) "suscepi faciem tuam", Pagninus, Moatanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Piscator.

Genesis 19:21 In-Context

19 You have done me a great favor and saved my life. But the hills are too far away; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die before I get there.

20 Do you see that little town? It is near enough. Let me go over there - you can see it is just a small place - and I will be safe."

21 He answered, "All right, I agree. I won't destroy that town.

22 Hurry! Run! I can't do anything until you get there." Because Lot called it small, the town was named Zoar.

23 The sun was rising when Lot reached Zoar.