Genèse 19:18

18 Et Lot leur répondit: Non, Seigneur, je te prie;

Genèse 19:18 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 19:18

And Lot said unto them
Supposing three present, not observing that the two angels had left him that had brought him thither; though it is but to one of them he addresses himself, even to him who had bid him make the best of his way to the mountain, as appears by what follows: oh, not so, my Lord;
that is, let me not be obliged to go so far as to the mountain; though R. Samuel takes it to be an assent, and interprets the phrase of his being willing: but this does not agree with what follows, and is rejected by Aben Ezra, who relates it; and who also observes, that the word "Lord" is a common name, that is, that belongs to a creature; but Jarchi says their Rabbins take it to be an holy name, that is, a name that belongs to God, and gives a good reason why it is so to be understood here; since the person spoken to had it in his power to kill or make alive, to save or destroy, as the following words show; so Ben Melech and the Targum of Oukelos render it by Jehovah.

Genèse 19:18 In-Context

16 Et comme il tardait, ces hommes le prirent par la main; ils prirent aussi par la main sa femme et ses deux filles, parce que l'Éternel voulait l'épargner; et ils l'emmenèrent, et le mirent hors de la ville.
17 Or, dès qu'ils les eurent fait sortir, l'un d'eux dit: Sauve ta vie; ne regarde point derrière toi, et ne t'arrête en aucun endroit de la plaine; sauve-toi vers la montagne, de peur que tu ne périsses.
18 Et Lot leur répondit: Non, Seigneur, je te prie;
19 Voici, ton serviteur a trouvé grâce devant tes yeux, et tu as signalé ta miséricorde envers moi, en me sauvant la vie. Mais moi, je ne puis me sauver vers la montagne, que le mal ne m'atteigne, et que je ne meure.
20 Voici, je te prie, cette ville est assez proche pour s'y enfuir, et elle est petite; que je m'y sauve, je te prie, - n'est-elle pas petite? - et que mon âme vive.
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.