Genesis 19 summary meaning ai explained commentary

Genesis 19 meaning explained in AI Summary

Lot and his family flee Sodom, but his wife looks back and is turned into a pillar of salt. Lot and his daughters settle in a cave, where they engage in incestuous relationships. The chapter concludes with the birth of Moab and Ben-Ammi, the ancestors of the Moabites and Ammonites.

Genesis 19 tells the story of Lot and his family's escape from Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities known for their wickedness.

1. Angelic Visitors: Two angels, disguised as men, arrive in Sodom and are invited by Lot to stay at his house.

2. The Depravity of Sodom: The men of Sodom, young and old, surround Lot's house and demand he send out the visitors so they can "know" them (engage in homosexual acts). Lot refuses and offers his two virgin daughters instead, highlighting the extreme depravity of the city but also raising moral questions about Lot's actions.

3. Divine Intervention: The angels strike the men outside with blindness and reveal their true nature to Lot, warning him of the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

4. Fleeing the City: The angels urge Lot to gather his family and flee, forbidding them to look back. Lot hesitates, and the angels take his hand and his family's hands, leading them out of the city.

5. The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah: The Lord rains down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying the cities and all their inhabitants.

6. Lot's Wife's Fate: Lot's wife disobeys the angels' command and looks back at the city. She is instantly turned into a pillar of salt.

7. Lot and his Daughters: Lot and his two daughters find refuge in a cave. Fearing they are the only survivors, the daughters get Lot drunk and sleep with him on consecutive nights to become pregnant and "preserve their line." This act raises further moral questions and highlights the desperation of their situation.

8. The Birth of Moab and Ben-Ammi: Lot's daughters give birth to sons, Moab (father of the Moabites) and Ben-Ammi (father of the Ammonites), who become the ancestors of nations that would later be in conflict with the Israelites.

Key Themes:

God's Justice and Judgment: The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah serves as a stark reminder of God's judgment on wickedness and sin.
The Consequences of Disobedience: Lot's wife's fate highlights the importance of obeying God's commands, even in the face of danger.
Hospitality and Protection: Lot's willingness to offer hospitality to strangers, even at great personal risk, is a central theme.
The Complexities of Morality: The story raises challenging questions about morality and ethics, particularly regarding Lot's actions and the choices made by his daughters.

Genesis 19 is a powerful and disturbing chapter that has resonated throughout history, serving as a cautionary tale about the consequences of sin and the importance of obedience to God.

Genesis 19 bible study ai commentary

Genesis 19 describes the climatic judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah, acting as a stark illustration of divine justice against total societal depravity. It simultaneously highlights God's mercy in delivering the righteous, exemplified by the dramatic rescue of Lot. The chapter serves as a potent and enduring biblical archetype for judgment, the peril of worldly attachment ("looking back"), and the consequences of moral compromise that ripple through generations.

Genesis 19 Context

This chapter occurs in the Ancient Near East, where the code of hospitality was paramount. A host had a sacred duty to protect a guest at all costs. The total violation of this code by the men of Sodom signifies a complete breakdown of moral and social order. The story serves as a polemic against the Canaanite city-states' perceived depravity and provides a negative origin story (etiology) for Moab and Ammon, two of Israel's perennial adversaries, framing them as products of corruption and incest.

Genesis 19:1–3

The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

In-depth-analysis

Sitting in the gate: This position suggests Lot held a place of social standing or official capacity as a judge or city elder.
Bowed himself (yishtahu): This is an act of deep reverence and respect, immediately recognizing their significance. It contrasts Abraham's more peer-like welcome in chapter 18, perhaps indicating Lot's heightened sense of their otherness or his own insecurity.
He pressed them strongly: Lot's urgent insistence that they not stay in the public square reveals his awareness of the city's profound danger, a danger not apparent to a casual visitor.
Unleavened bread: Baking unleavened bread (matzot) signifies haste, as there is no time to let the dough rise. This detail subtly injects a sense of urgency and foreshadows the impending need for a quick escape.

Bible references

Hebrews 13:2: "...some have entertained angels unawares." (A direct allusion to Lot and Abraham's hospitality.)
Genesis 18:2-5: "He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him..." (Draws a direct parallel between Abraham's hospitality and Lot's.)

Cross references

Gen 18:22 (Abraham stood before God), Jdg 19:15-21 (a horrific counter-example of inhospitality in Israel), Ruth 4:1 (sitting at the gate).

Genesis 19:4–5

But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.”

In-depth-analysis

All the people to the last man: This hyperbole emphasizes the total and unanimous corruption of the city. There were no righteous left to find, validating God's judgment from chapter 18.
Know them (neda`ah): The Hebrew verb yada` ("to know") can mean to be acquainted with, but in this violent, demanding context, it is a clear euphemism for homosexual gang rape. This was an act of brutal domination and humiliation of outsiders, not merely sexual preference.

Bible references

Jude 1:7: "Sodom and Gomorrah... indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh..." (Identifies the sin as severe sexual immorality and unnatural desire.)
Ezekiel 16:49–50: "This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy." (Broadens the sin of Sodom beyond just sexual acts to include pride, social injustice, and profound inhospitality.)
Judges 19:22: "...worthless fellows of the city...beat on the door. And they said to the old man, the master of the house, 'Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may know him.'" (An almost identical event showing this form of depravity was not unique to Sodom.)

Polemics

The primary sin is not simply desire but violent, predatory inhospitality expressed through homosexual assault. Scholars emphasize this as an act of power to demean and conquer strangers, rather than a consensual act. The text indicts the city's collective, violent nature.

Genesis 19:6–8

Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.”

In-depth-analysis

My brothers: Lot's appeal to kinship and shared decency falls on deaf ears, as the mob has no such values.
Horrific Offer: Lot's offer to sacrifice his virgin daughters is morally reprehensible. It demonstrates, however, the absolute sacredness of the duty of hospitality in his cultural context. It also shows how deeply his own moral compass has been warped by living in Sodom.
Under the shelter of my roof: This is the core principle Lot is trying to uphold—the protection of guests. In his panicked state, he values this law above the safety of his own family.

Bible references

2 Peter 2:7-8: "...and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man...was vexed in his righteous soul...)..." (Establishes Lot as "righteous" but tormented daily, explaining his compromised but ultimately saved state.)

Cross references

Jdg 19:23-24 (the Levite makes a similar horrific offer), Prov 27:10 (value of a neighbor/brother).

Genesis 19:9–11

But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge!”...And they struck the men who were at the entrance of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door.

In-depth-analysis

He has become the judge: The crowd resents Lot, an immigrant (ger), for setting a moral standard they reject. His righteousness condemns them.
Blindness (sanwerim): This is not a simple medical blindness but a supernatural state of confusion and disorientation. It is used only one other time in Scripture (2 Kings 6:18), where Elisha’s enemies are bewildered. This divine act both protects Lot and exposes the crowd's utter helplessness before God.

Bible references

2 Kings 6:18: "...And Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, 'Please strike this people with blindness.' So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha." (The only other use of sanwerim, confirming its supernatural quality.)
John 9:39: "Jesus said, 'For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.'" (Thematically links physical blindness to spiritual blindness.)

Cross references

Isa 6:10 (making people blind to truth), Acts 13:11 (Paul strikes Elymas with blindness).

Genesis 19:12–14

Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place. For we are about to destroy this place... So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law... “Up, get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city!” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.

In-depth-analysis

Jestling (m'tsahek): The Hebrew word is from the same root as Isaac's name (Yitzhak), meaning "he laughs." His sons-in-law, fully assimilated into Sodom's culture, laugh at the idea of divine judgment. Their mockery shows they are spiritually dead and beyond saving.
The call for salvation is extended to Lot's entire household, but only those who believe the warning can be saved.

Bible references

Jeremiah 5:12–13: "They have spoken falsely of the LORD... and the prophets will become wind, the word is not in them." (Parallels the disbelief in the face of divine warning.)
2 Peter 3:3-4: "...scoffers will come in the last days... saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming?'" (Echoes the mocking dismissal of coming judgment.)

Cross references

Gen 18:12 (Sarah laughed), Luk 17:28-30 (life as usual before judgment).

Genesis 19:15-17

As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.

In-depth-analysis

He lingered (vayitmahmah): Lot hesitates, tragically attached to his home, possessions, and life in Sodom despite knowing its evil. His spiritual paralysis requires direct, physical intervention.
The LORD being merciful to him (bechemlat Yahweh alayv): The text explicitly states that Lot's deliverance is not due to his own merit or quick obedience, but purely due to God's compassionate mercy. He is literally dragged to safety.
Escape for your life! Do not look behind you: This command is absolute. Looking back signifies a longing for the world under judgment, a divided heart, and a failure to fully embrace God's deliverance.

Bible references

Philippians 3:13-14: "...forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize..." (The spiritual principle of not looking back.)

Cross references

Num 16:26 (separate from the wicked), Jer 51:45 (flee from Babylon).

Genesis 19:18–22

And Lot said to them, “Oh, no, my lords... I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die... Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there... and my life will be saved!” He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this favor also... for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

In-depth-analysis

Lot's Negotiation: Even while being saved, Lot exhibits weak faith. He fears God's provision in the mountains and tries to bargain for a "little" city of his own choosing.
Zoar: The name means "little" or "insignificant." God, in his patience, accommodates Lot's weakness. The entire judgment on the plain is held back until this one man reaches his place of fragile safety. This highlights the immense value God places on a single righteous person.

Bible references

1 Kings 19:3–4: "Elijah was afraid and ran for his life... and he asked that he might die." (Parallels a righteous man showing fear and weakness in a moment of crisis.)

Cross references

Psa 103:13-14 (God knows our frame), Jer 48:47 (Zoar later mentioned).

Genesis 19:23–26

The sun had risen on the earth when Lot entered Zoar. Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven... But Lot's wife, from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

In-depth-analysis

From the LORD out of heaven: This repetition emphasizes that the destruction is not a natural disaster but a direct, divine act of judgment.
Lot's wife looked back: Her action was not a casual glance but an act of will, a longing for the life, people, and possessions she was leaving. She was physically leaving Sodom, but her heart was still there.
Pillar of Salt: She becomes a permanent, desolate monument—a timeless warning against half-hearted obedience and worldly attachment. The mineral salt is abundant around the Dead Sea, making this a powerful and geographically relevant image.

Bible references

Luke 17:32: "Remember Lot's wife." (Jesus uses her as the ultimate cautionary tale for those not ready for the day of judgment.)
Deuteronomy 29:23: "The whole land is brimstone and salt... it is not sown, nor does it bear... like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah..." (Sodom's judgment became the defining example of cursed, barren land.)

Cross references

Heb 10:38-39 (if he shrinks back...), 1 Joh 2:15 (do not love the world).

Genesis 19:27-29

And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD. And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah... and he saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of a furnace. So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow...

In-depth-analysis

Abraham as Witness: This scene brings the narrative full circle to Abraham's intercession in chapter 18. He sees the horrific confirmation that the cities' wickedness was absolute and not even ten righteous could be found.
God remembered Abraham: This is the theological key to Lot's salvation. While God acted in mercy (chemlah), the explicit reason given for plucking Lot out is God's covenant relationship with Abraham. Lot was saved for Abraham's sake.

Bible references

Genesis 18:23–32: "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?" (Abraham's intercession is directly answered and fulfilled here, though not in the way he hoped.)
Exodus 2:24: "And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob." (The concept of God "remembering" His covenant as a basis for action.)

Cross references

Psa 105:42 (He remembered His promise), Gen 8:1 (God remembered Noah).

Genesis 19:30-38

Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills... for he was afraid to live in Zoar... So both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father... The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

In-depth-analysis

Fear and Isolation: Lot ends up in the hills anyway, the very place he feared. His compromise and lack of faith brought him no lasting peace or security.
Sodom's Influence: The daughters' rationale ("there is not a man on earth to come in to us") is likely a panicked exaggeration, but their solution—incest—shows the corrupting moral influence of their upbringing in Sodom. They act pragmatically, without reference to God.
Etiological Ending: The story provides a deeply shameful origin for two of Israel's most persistent enemies, Moab and Ammon. In Israelite thought, this history defined their character and justified their exclusion. The name Moab (מואב) sounds like the Hebrew for "from my father" (me'av). Ben-Ammi (בן-עמי) means "son of my people."

Bible references

Deuteronomy 23:3: "No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation..." (The sinful origin has lasting covenantal consequences.)
Ruth 1:4: "...they took Moabite wives, the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth..." (Shows that despite the nation's origin, individual Moabites, like Ruth, could be grafted into God's people through faith.)

Cross references

Lev 18:6-7 (prohibition of incest), Isa 15-16 (prophecies against Moab), Jdg 11:4-6 (Ammonites oppress Israel).

Genesis 19 analysis

The Vexed Righteous: 2 Peter 2:8 is crucial for understanding Lot. He is not a hero, but a righteous man corrupted and distressed ("vexed") by his environment. His poor decisions (offering daughters, lingering, negotiating with God) stem from this compromised state. His story is a warning about the spiritual danger of living in and loving a wicked world.
Judgment and Mercy: The chapter holds these two themes in perfect tension. The judgment on Sodom is absolute and terrifying. The mercy shown to Lot is equally absolute and unearned—he is dragged to safety, and judgment is held back until he is secure, all because God "remembered Abraham."
Contrast between Abraham and Lot: Lot chooses the "well-watered" but wicked plain for material gain (Gen 13) and ends up losing everything, living in a cave. Abraham, who gives Lot first choice, dwells in tents as a sojourner and is blessed as the friend of God, inheriting all the promises.
Spiritual Polemics: The destruction narrative serves as a polemic against the fertility cults and perceived immorality of Canaan. It asserts Yahweh's total moral authority over all nations and his power to execute judgment.
Forward-Looking Warning: Sodom and Gomorrah become the primary biblical archetypes for ultimate sin and divine judgment, referenced by prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos) and in the New Testament (Matthew, Luke, 2 Peter, Jude) as a warning for future generations.

Genesis 19 summary

The two angels arrive in Sodom and are urgently sheltered by Lot, who recognizes the city's depravity. When the city's men demand to rape the visitors, the angels strike them blind. They command Lot to flee with his family before the coming destruction. Lot hesitates and is dragged to safety out of God's mercy. As sulfur and fire rain down, Lot's wife looks back longingly and becomes a pillar of salt. The chapter ends with a postscript of moral degradation, where Lot, living in a cave, is tricked by his daughters into an incestuous act, fathering the ancestors of Israel's enemies, Moab and Ammon.

Genesis 18 AI Genesis 20 AI

Genesis 19 AI Image Audio and Video

Genesis chapter 19 kjv

¹ And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
² And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
³ And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
⁴ But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
⁵ And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
⁶ And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
⁷ And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
⁸ Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
⁹ And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
¹⁰ But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
¹¹ And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
¹² And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
¹³ For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
¹⁴ And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
¹⁵ And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
¹⁶ And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
¹⁷ And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
¹⁸ And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my LORD:
¹⁹ Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
²⁰ Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
²¹ And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
²² Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
²³ The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
²⁴ Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
²⁵ And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
²⁶ But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
²⁷ And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:
²⁸ And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
²⁹ And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
³⁰ And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
³¹ And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
³² Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
³³ And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
³⁴ And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
³⁵ And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
³⁶ Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
³⁷ And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
³⁸ And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

Genesis chapter 19 nkjv

¹ Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.
² And he said, "Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant's house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way." And they said, "No, but we will spend the night in the open square."
³ But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
⁴ Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house.
⁵ And they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally."
⁶ So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him,
⁷ and said, "Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly!
⁸ See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof."
⁹ And they said, "Stand back!" Then they said, "This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them." So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door.
¹⁰ But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door.
¹¹ And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.
¹² Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city? take them out of this place!
¹³ For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it."
¹⁴ So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, "Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!" But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.
¹⁵ When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, "Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city."
¹⁶ And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife's hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
¹⁷ So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, "Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed."
¹⁸ Then Lot said to them, "Please, no, my lords!
¹⁹ Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.
²⁰ See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live."
²¹ And he said to him, "See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken.
²² Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
²³ The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar.
²⁴ Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens.
²⁵ So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.
²⁶ But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
²⁷ And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD.
²⁸ Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.
²⁹ And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.
³⁰ Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave.
³¹ Now the firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth.
³² Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father."
³³ So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.
³⁴ It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, "Indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father."
³⁵ Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.
³⁶ Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father.
³⁷ The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day.
³⁸ And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.

Genesis chapter 19 niv

¹ The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.
² "My lords," he said, "please turn aside to your servant's house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning." "No," they answered, "we will spend the night in the square."
³ But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.
⁴ Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom?both young and old?surrounded the house.
⁵ They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."
⁶ Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him
⁷ and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing.
⁸ Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof."
⁹ "Get out of our way," they replied. "This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! We'll treat you worse than them." They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.
¹⁰ But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door.
¹¹ Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.
¹² The two men said to Lot, "Do you have anyone else here?sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here,
¹³ because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it."
¹⁴ So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, "Hurry and get out of this place, because the LORD is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
¹⁵ With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished."
¹⁶ When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the LORD was merciful to them.
¹⁷ As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, "Flee for your lives! Don't look back, and don't stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!"
¹⁸ But Lot said to them, "No, my lords, please!
¹⁹ Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can't flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I'll die.
²⁰ Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it?it is very small, isn't it? Then my life will be spared."
²¹ He said to him, "Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of.
²² But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it." (That is why the town was called Zoar.)
²³ By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land.
²⁴ Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah?from the LORD out of the heavens.
²⁵ Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities?and also the vegetation in the land.
²⁶ But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
²⁷ Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD.
²⁸ He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.
²⁹ So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.
³⁰ Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave.
³¹ One day the older daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children?as is the custom all over the earth.
³² Let's get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father."
³³ That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
³⁴ The next day the older daughter said to the younger, "Last night I slept with my father. Let's get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father."
³⁵ So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.
³⁶ So both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father.
³⁷ The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today.
³⁸ The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the Ammonites of today.

Genesis chapter 19 esv

¹ The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth
² and said, "My lords, please turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way." They said, "No; we will spend the night in the town square."
³ But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
⁴ But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house.
⁵ And they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them."
⁶ Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him,
⁷ and said, "I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly.
⁸ Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof."
⁹ But they said, "Stand back!" And they said, "This fellow came to sojourn, and he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them." Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down.
¹⁰ But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door.
¹¹ And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door.
¹² Then the men said to Lot, "Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, bring them out of the place.
¹³ For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it."
¹⁴ So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, "Up! Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city." But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.
¹⁵ As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city."
¹⁶ But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
¹⁷ And as they brought them out, one said, "Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away."
¹⁸ And Lot said to them, "Oh, no, my lords.
¹⁹ Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die.
²⁰ Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there ? is it not a little one? ? and my life will be saved!"
²¹ He said to him, "Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.
²² Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
²³ The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.
²⁴ Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven.
²⁵ And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.
²⁶ But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
²⁷ And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD.
²⁸ And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.
²⁹ So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.
³⁰ Now Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters.
³¹ And the firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth.
³² Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father."
³³ So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose.
³⁴ The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, "Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father."
³⁵ So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.
³⁶ Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father.
³⁷ The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.
³⁸ The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi. He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

Genesis chapter 19 nlt

¹ That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom. Lot was sitting there, and when he saw them, he stood up to meet them. Then he welcomed them and bowed with his face to the ground.
² "My lords," he said, "come to my home to wash your feet, and be my guests for the night. You may then get up early in the morning and be on your way again." "Oh no," they replied. "We'll just spend the night out here in the city square."
³ But Lot insisted, so at last they went home with him. Lot prepared a feast for them, complete with fresh bread made without yeast, and they ate.
⁴ But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house.
⁵ They shouted to Lot, "Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!"
⁶ So Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him.
⁷ "Please, my brothers," he begged, "don't do such a wicked thing.
⁸ Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them as you wish. But please, leave these men alone, for they are my guests and are under my protection."
⁹ "Stand back!" they shouted. "This fellow came to town as an outsider, and now he's acting like our judge! We'll treat you far worse than those other men!" And they lunged toward Lot to break down the door.
¹⁰ But the two angels reached out, pulled Lot into the house, and bolted the door.
¹¹ Then they blinded all the men, young and old, who were at the door of the house, so they gave up trying to get inside.
¹² Meanwhile, the angels questioned Lot. "Do you have any other relatives here in the city?" they asked. "Get them out of this place ? your sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else.
¹³ For we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the LORD, and he has sent us to destroy it."
¹⁴ So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters' fianc?s, "Quick, get out of the city! The LORD is about to destroy it." But the young men thought he was only joking.
¹⁵ At dawn the next morning the angels became insistent. "Hurry," they said to Lot. "Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. Get out right now, or you will be swept away in the destruction of the city!"
¹⁶ When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the LORD was merciful.
¹⁷ When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, "Run for your lives! And don't look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!"
¹⁸ "Oh no, my lord!" Lot begged.
¹⁹ "You have been so gracious to me and saved my life, and you have shown such great kindness. But I cannot go to the mountains. Disaster would catch up to me there, and I would soon die.
²⁰ See, there is a small village nearby. Please let me go there instead; don't you see how small it is? Then my life will be saved."
²¹ "All right," the angel said, "I will grant your request. I will not destroy the little village.
²² But hurry! Escape to it, for I can do nothing until you arrive there." (This explains why that village was known as Zoar, which means "little place.")
²³ Lot reached the village just as the sun was rising over the horizon.
²⁴ Then the LORD rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah.
²⁵ He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation.
²⁶ But Lot's wife looked back as she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt.
²⁷ Abraham got up early that morning and hurried out to the place where he had stood in the LORD's presence.
²⁸ He looked out across the plain toward Sodom and Gomorrah and watched as columns of smoke rose from the cities like smoke from a furnace.
²⁹ But God had listened to Abraham's request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain.
³⁰ Afterward Lot left Zoar because he was afraid of the people there, and he went to live in a cave in the mountains with his two daughters.
³¹ One day the older daughter said to her sister, "There are no men left anywhere in this entire area, so we can't get married like everyone else. And our father will soon be too old to have children.
³² Come, let's get him drunk with wine, and then we will have sex with him. That way we will preserve our family line through our father."
³³ So that night they got him drunk with wine, and the older daughter went in and had intercourse with her father. He was unaware of her lying down or getting up again.
³⁴ The next morning the older daughter said to her younger sister, "I had sex with our father last night. Let's get him drunk with wine again tonight, and you go in and have sex with him. That way we will preserve our family line through our father."
³⁵ So that night they got him drunk with wine again, and the younger daughter went in and had intercourse with him. As before, he was unaware of her lying down or getting up again.
³⁶ As a result, both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their own father.
³⁷ When the older daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Moab. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Moabites.
³⁸ When the younger daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Ben-ammi. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Ammonites.