Genesis 19:11-21

11 And they smote with blindness they that were withoutforth (And then they struck with blindness those who were outside), from the least till to the most; so that they might not find the door.
12 Forsooth they said to Lot, Hast thou here any man of thine, (a) husband of thy daughter, or sons, or daughters(?); (if so,) lead thou out of this city all men that be thine,
13 for we shall do away this place, for the cry of them increased before the Lord, which sent us that we (should) lose them. (for we shall do away this place, for the outcry against them hath increased before the Lord, who sent us to destroy them.)
14 And Lot went out, and spake to the husbands (to be) of his daughters, that should take his daughters, and said, Rise ye, and go ye out of this place; for the Lord shall do away this city. And he was seen to them to speak as playing. (And Lot went out, and spoke to the husbands-to-be of his daughters, who were betrothed to his daughters, and said, Rise ye up, and go ye out of this place; for the Lord shall do away this city. But he was seen by them as only to be joking.)
15 And when the morrowtide was (made), the angels constrained Lot, and said, Rise thou (up), and take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which thou hast, lest also thou perish (al)together in the sin of the city (lest also thou altogether perish amidst the sin of this city).
16 While he dissembled, they took his hand, and the hand of his wife, and of his two daughters; for the Lord spared him. And they led out him, and set him without the city. (And while he hesitated, they took his hand, and the hand of his wife, and the hands of his two daughters; for the Lord had spared him. And they led them away, and brought them outside the city.)
17 There they spake to him, and said, Save thou thy life; do not thou behold behind thy back, neither stand thou in all the country(side) about, but make thee safe in the hill(s); lest also thou perish (al)together. (And they spoke to him there, and said, Save thou thy life; do not thou look behind thy back, nor stand thou in all the countryside about, but make thee safe in the hills; lest also thou altogether perish.)
18 And Lot said to them, My Lord (My lords), I beseech,
19 for thy servant hath found grace before thee, and thou hast magnified thy grace and mercy, which thou hast done to me, (so) that thou shouldest save my life, (I am most grateful); (but) I may not be saved in the hill(s), lest peradventure evil (over)take me, and I die (but I cannot be saved in the hills, for before that I can get there, the destruction shall surely overtake me, and I shall die);
20 a little city is here beside (there is a little city here), to which I may flee, and I shall be safe therein; whether it is not (such) a little city? and my soul shall live therein.
21 And he said to Lot, Lo! also in this I have received thy prayers, that I destroy not the city, for which thou hast spoken; (And he said to Lot, Lo! also in this I have received thy prayers, and I shall not destroy the city, of which thou hast spoken;)

Genesis 19:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 19

The contents of this chapter are Lot's entertainment of two angels that came to Sodom, Ge 19:1-3; the rude behaviour of the men of Sodom towards them, who for it were smote with blindness, Ge 19:4-11; the deliverance of Lot, his wife and two daughters, by means of the angels he entertained, Ge 19:12-17; the sparing of the city of Zoar at the entreaty of Lot, to which he was allowed to flee, Ge 19:18-22; the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah, Ge 19:23-25; Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt for looking back, Ge 19:26; Abraham's view of the conflagration of the cities, Ge 19:28,29; Lot's betaking himself to a mountain, and dwelling in a cave with his two daughters, by whom he had two sons, the one called Moab, and the other Benammi, Ge 19:30-38.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.