Genesis 19:3 kjv

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.

Genesis 19:3 nkjv

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.

Genesis 19:3 niv

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.

Genesis 19:3 esv

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.

Genesis 19:3 nlt

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.

Genesis 19 verses

Genesis 19 3 Meaning

Lot strongly urged the two angels, who appeared as men, to accept his hospitality rather than staying in the city square overnight. His insistence led them to his home, where he promptly prepared a feast, including unleavened bread, for them, and they ate. This act highlights Lot's urgent demonstration of traditional Middle Eastern hospitality in a morally corrupt city, signaling an imminent situation.

Genesis 19 3 Context

Genesis chapter 19 describes the events leading to the catastrophic judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. The previous chapter, Genesis 18, details Abraham's encounter with the Lord and two angels, during which God reveals His intention to destroy Sodom due to its grievous sin. Abraham intercedes, but it's clear the cities' wickedness is profound. Chapter 19 opens with these two angels arriving at the gate of Sodom. Lot, sitting there, immediately perceives their vulnerability as strangers and insists on providing shelter. This verse sets the stage for the dramatic confrontation that follows, where the true depths of Sodom's depravity are exposed when the city's inhabitants demand Lot's guests for sexual assault, in stark contrast to Lot's urgent act of sacred hospitality. Lot’s actions here align him, at least in this instance, with Abraham's earlier commendable hospitality, reflecting a remnant of righteousness despite his dwelling in such a sinful environment.

Genesis 19 3 Word analysis

• But: Signals a shift or an opposition, implying the visitors might have preferred to stay in the open (as per verse 2) but Lot's intensity changed their minds.
• he: Refers to Lot, highlighting his initiative and concern for the strangers.
• pressed them: Hebrew: וַיִּפְצַר (vayyiphtzar) from the root פָּצַר (patzar), meaning "to urge," "to insist," or "to press upon strongly." This isn't a gentle invitation but a vehement, almost forceful persuasion, indicative of Lot's acute awareness of the dangers awaiting strangers in Sodom.
• strongly: Hebrew: מְאֹד (m'od), meaning "very," "exceedingly," "greatly." It intensifies the verb "pressed," emphasizing the vehemence and success of Lot's plea. It suggests Lot's deep conviction or perhaps an intuitive sense of peril for the guests.
• so they turned in to him: This indicates their yielding to Lot's insistent appeal. Their initial intention was to stay in the street (v. 2), but Lot's compelling hospitality redirected them.
• and entered his house: Signifies their acceptance of shelter and safety within the confines of his home, moving from the exposed dangers of the city square. The house became a temporary sanctuary.
• Then he made them a feast: Hebrew: וַיַּעַשׂ לָהֶם מִשְׁתֶּה (vayya'as lahem mishteh), meaning "he made for them a drinking party" or "a banquet." This highlights full, lavish hospitality, not merely basic provision, demonstrating honor and welcoming them as esteemed guests.
• and baked unleavened bread: Hebrew: וּמַצּוֹת אָפָה (u'matzot afah). The choice of "unleavened bread" (matzah) is highly significant. It requires no time for fermentation, signifying haste, urgency, or sudden preparation. This detail subtly hints at the impending doom and the necessity of immediate action. It echoes the Passover narrative (Exod 12) where the bread of affliction was eaten in haste, just before rapid deliverance and judgment.
• and they ate: Confirms that the "men" (angels) accepted the hospitality and physically partook of the meal. This demonstrates their ability to appear in full human form and interact with the physical world, emphasizing the reality of their visitation and the genuineness of Lot's hospitality.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But he pressed them strongly": This phrase portrays Lot's urgent and persistent plea. Unlike the rest of Sodom, he understood the paramount importance of offering refuge to strangers. This intensity is pivotal, overriding the angels' initial inclination to remain exposed, setting the stage for their safety and the revelation of Sodom's depravity.
• "so they turned in to him and entered his house": This phrase depicts the successful culmination of Lot's hospitality. It highlights the protective space his house represents against the imminent danger outside. The acceptance of shelter is key for the divine intervention that follows.
• "Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate": This describes the immediate and practical outcome of Lot's hospitality. The preparation of a "feast" signifies generosity, while the specific mention of "unleavened bread" is a crucial symbolic detail, signifying haste and an underlying urgency. This hurried meal foreshadows the abrupt and rapid divine judgment and deliverance that is about to unfold. It echoes future redemptive history narratives.

Genesis 19 3 Bonus section

The act of baking "unleavened bread" is not merely practical; it holds deep theological significance by connecting this immediate deliverance from Sodom's judgment to future and past divine judgments and salvations. It strongly foreshadows the Exodus from Egypt (Exod 12:8, 34, 39), where the consumption of unleavened bread signifies the urgent, decisive, and unexpected act of divine redemption amidst swift judgment. This motif reappears in the Passover, serving as a permanent reminder of God's quick and mighty hand in deliverance. Therefore, Lot's hasty meal becomes a poignant, unconscious re-enactment of God's pattern of acting swiftly in crisis and judgment, highlighting divine readiness to move from preparation to decisive action. While Lot had allowed himself to be assimilated into the wealth and society of Sodom, this act demonstrates a core adherence to God's law of hospitality, setting him apart in a critical moment.

Genesis 19 3 Commentary

Genesis 19:3 offers a stark contrast between Lot's vestige of righteousness and the deep depravity of Sodom. Lot's "strong" pressing of the visitors to accept his hospitality reflects a critical understanding of the sacred duty of hosting strangers, a principle tragically absent in the rest of the city. His urgency in baking "unleavened bread" is a vital detail, not merely mundane; it signifies haste, echoing the "bread of affliction" eaten rapidly during the Passover and prefiguring the swift, imminent judgment upon Sodom and the urgent deliverance of Lot. It points to a situation requiring immediate preparation for an abrupt and monumental event. The angels' acceptance of the meal underscores the tangibility of their presence and the genuine nature of their engagement with Lot, emphasizing that God's messengers operate within human reality to fulfill divine purposes. This single act of hospitality by Lot ultimately serves as the narrow window through which divine salvation could occur for him and his family.