Genesis 19 19

Genesis 19:19 kjv

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:

Genesis 19:19 nkjv

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.

Genesis 19:19 niv

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.

Genesis 19:19 esv

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.

Genesis 19:19 nlt

"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.

Genesis 19 verses

Genesis 19 19 meaning

Genesis 19:19 presents Lot's plea to the angels, acknowledging their already extended mercy in delivering him from Sodom's impending destruction. He expresses profound gratitude for his life being preserved, recognizing it as a direct act of divine favor. However, despite this gratitude, Lot then reveals a fear regarding the instructed escape to the mountains, believing he lacks the strength or speed to reach safety there, fearing that the judgment intended for Sodom will somehow still overtake him if he attempts it. He therefore proposes an alternative: fleeing to a smaller, nearer town, implicitly requesting that this less strenuous escape route be granted out of continued mercy.

Genesis 19 19 Context

Genesis chapter 19 describes the immediate divine judgment upon the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Before the cataclysm, two angels, disguised as men, visit Lot's household. Lot offers them hospitality, but the depraved men of Sodom surround his house, demanding access to the visitors. After Lot attempts to protect his guests (even offering his own daughters), the angels strike the mob with blindness and reveal their true mission: to destroy the city. They instruct Lot and his family to flee to the mountains and not to look back. Verse 19 follows Lot's delay and the angels' forceful removal of him, his wife, and two daughters from the city. At the brink of destruction, Lot is now presented with a final, urgent command, which he receives with a mixture of recognition of grace and debilitating fear, leading to his specific plea.

Genesis 19 19 Word analysis

• Behold, now (הִנֵּה נָא - hinnēh nā’): "Behold" (hinnēh) is an emphatic interjection, drawing attention. "Now" or "Please" (nā’) functions as a polite yet earnest request. It signals a shift to Lot's direct plea after the angelic command.

• your servant (עַבְדְּךָ - ‘aḇdəḵā): Lot humbles himself before the angels, acknowledging their divine authority and his own subordinate position. This phrasing indicates dependence and respect, commonly used in petitions to superiors.

• has found (מָצָא - māṣā’): Means to find, attain, or obtain. Lot recognizes that he did not earn or deserve the grace but rather that it was extended to him.

• favor (חֶסֶד - ḥesed): This is a pivotal word, often translated as lovingkindness, steadfast love, or mercy. Here, it highlights the undeserved divine mercy shown in preserving Lot's life. It signifies a compassionate act initiated by the superior party without obligation.

• in your sight (בְעֵינֶיךָ - bə‘êněyḵā): Implies direct divine approval or good will perceived by Lot. It suggests a personal, direct manifestation of God's favor through His angelic messengers.

• and you have shown your steadfast love/mercy (וַתַּגְדֵּל חַסְדְּךָ - waṯṯaḡdēl ḥasdəkā): "You have shown" (literally "you have made great") indicates the magnitude and extensiveness of the mercy already received. Lot acknowledges the vastness of the angels' intervention on his behalf.

• which you have shown to me to preserve my life (אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ עִמָּדִי לְהַחֲיֹות אֶת־נַפְשִׁי - ’ăšer ‘āśîtā ‘immāḏî ləhaḥăyōwt ’eṯ-nap̄šî): "To preserve" (לְהַחֲיֹות - ləhaḥăyōwt) means to cause to live or keep alive. "My life" (נַפְשִׁי - nap̄šî) refers to his very being, his soul, his existence. Lot clearly attributes his very survival to their active, saving intervention.

• But I cannot escape to the mountains (וְאָנֹכִי לֹא אוּכַל לְהִמָּלֵט הָהָרָה - wə’ānōḵî lō’ ’ûḵal ləhimmāləṭ hāhārâ): "Cannot" (לֹא אוּכַל - lō’ ’ûḵal) expresses Lot's perceived inability or lack of strength. "Escape" (לְהִמָּלֵט - ləhimmāləṭ) denotes a hasty, fleeing exit. "To the mountains" (הָהָרָה - hāhārâ) refers to the designated place of safety as commanded by the angels, indicating the difficulty or distance Lot perceives.

• lest (פֶּן - pen): A conjunction introducing a negative purpose or fear, implying "for fear that" or "so that...not."

• the disaster (הָרָעָה - hārā‘â): "The evil" or "the calamity," referring to the imminent judgment and destruction descending upon the land.

• overtake me (תִּדְבָּקֵנִי - tiḏbāqênî): Literally "cleave to me" or "clash with me," implying that the calamity will catch up to and destroy him before he reaches the safe haven.

Genesis 19 19 Bonus section

Lot's focus on the 'mountains' as too great a challenge contrasts sharply with Abraham's earlier experience on a mountain (Moriah), which represented a place of divine provision and obedience. The "greatness" (gaddel) of the angels' mercy, explicitly acknowledged by Lot, stands in ironic opposition to Lot's fear and his desire for the "smallness" (miz‘ar) of Zoar. This reveals a subtle but profound theological point: human fear and perceived limitation can hinder one from receiving the full scope of God's perfect provision. Yet, God's grace often condescends to human weakness, accommodating our fears even when it means adjusting the optimal path of deliverance, proving His unwavering commitment to salvation. Lot's perceived "disaster overtaking" him also foreshadows the swiftness and inevitability of God's judgment, from which only immediate and obedient flight, empowered by divine grace, can save.

Genesis 19 19 Commentary

Lot's plea in Genesis 19:19 is a vivid portrayal of human weakness and limited faith in the face of overwhelming divine power and instruction. While he begins by beautifully acknowledging the extraordinary "favor" (ḥesed) and "steadfast love" extended to him – recognizing that his very life has been preserved by an undeserved divine act – his gratitude quickly gives way to self-doubt and fear. Despite the angels having forcefully extracted him and explicitly commanded flight to the mountains, Lot's "cannot" (lō’ ’ûḵal) reveals a lack of courage and trust in God's ability to see him through the full journey. He prefers a "lesser" salvation, a "small" town (Zoar, v. 20) that is closer, more attainable in his human estimation, rather than relying fully on the power that had already rescued him from imminent death. This fear of the unknown path (mountains) and the residual terror of judgment highlights how easily even a "righteous" person can default to self-reliance and compromise, choosing what feels safer in the moment over full obedience to God's ideal provision. Lot's unheroic request serves as a humbling example of human frailty yet underscores the profound depth of God's patience and accommodating mercy (as seen in the granting of Zoar as a refuge), confirming His desire to preserve life even in the face of human shortcomings.