Genesis 19:4 kjv
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:
Genesis 19:4 nkjv
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.
Genesis 19:4 niv
Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom?both young and old?surrounded the house.
Genesis 19:4 esv
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.
Genesis 19:4 nlt
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.
Genesis 19 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 13:13 | But the men of Sodom were wicked and great sinners against the Lord. | Establishes Sodom's pervasive wickedness. |
| Gen 18:20 | Then the Lord said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous..." | Confirms the magnitude and severity of their sin. |
| Gen 18:32 | Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten are found there?" He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it." | Reveals God's search for a righteous remnant, none found. |
| Gen 19:5 | They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can 'know' them." | Reveals the specific, violent, and perverse intent. |
| Deut 29:23 | ...all its soil burned with sulfur and salt, unsown and unproductive, where no grass grows, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah... | Describes the enduring desolation as a warning. |
| Ezek 16:49-50 | Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness...neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination... | Broadens understanding of Sodom's sins, including lack of charity and social injustice. |
| Matt 10:15 | Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. | Jesus uses Sodom's judgment as a standard of severity. |
| Matt 11:23-24 | ...if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day... it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you. | Highlights Sodom's deep moral rejection despite less privilege. |
| Lk 17:28-30 | Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking... until the day when Lot went out from Sodom; fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all. | Parallel to Christ's return, showing sudden judgment. |
| 2 Pet 2:6-8 | ...condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes... he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men. | Focuses on God's judgment and Lot's righteousness amid depravity. |
| Jude 1:7 | ...Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. | Directly names the sin as sexual immorality and unnatural desire. |
| Heb 13:2 | Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. | Contrasts Lot's hospitality with Sodom's lack thereof, and danger of abusing guests. |
| Rom 1:24-27 | Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie...men committed shameless acts with men. | Theological explanation of people given over to their unnatural desires and sexual depravity. |
| Eph 5:11-12 | Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of what is done by them in secret. | Reflects the nature of hidden or open sin that needs exposing. |
| Prov 2:13-15 | ...who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil... | Describes those who revel in wickedness. |
| Jer 23:14 | Also in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers...therefore they are all like Sodom to Me. | Uses Sodom as a benchmark for societal corruption and evil. |
| Amos 4:11 | "I overthrew some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning..." | God's powerful judgment upon the cities. |
| Isa 1:9-10 | If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we would have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah! | Compares Judah's sin to Sodom's, showing their collective guilt. |
| 1 Thess 5:7-8 | For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober... | Juxtaposes the works of darkness with those of light, underscoring Sodom's nature. |
| Rom 13:12-13 | The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness... not in sensuality and debauchery, not in quarreling and jealousy. | Call to shun practices reminiscent of Sodom's nightlife. |
| Ps 14:1 | The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is no one who does good. | Depicts universal depravity when God is rejected, mirroring Sodom's state. |
Genesis 19 verses
Genesis 19 4 Meaning
Genesis 19:4 describes the immediate onset of darkness over Sodom: before Lot's angelic guests had rested, the entire male population of the city—from the elderly to the young men—converged en masse to surround Lot's house. This action vividly portrays the complete moral corruption and unified, hostile intent of the city's inhabitants, highlighting their brazen embrace of depravity and their clear agenda to assault Lot's guests. It underscores that this sin was not isolated to a few individuals but pervaded every segment of society.
Genesis 19 4 Context
Genesis 19:4 is set immediately after Lot receives two angelic visitors into his home in Sodom. In the ancient Near East, hospitality was a sacred duty, especially towards strangers. Lot, like his uncle Abraham, extended this courtesy, sensing the dangers present in the city. The city of Sodom had been identified by God as exceedingly wicked, with their outcry reaching Him (Gen 18:20-21). Abraham had interceded, questioning if God would destroy the city if even a few righteous people were found, descending to as few as ten, to which God affirmed He would spare it for ten (Gen 18:23-33). The arrival of the angels serves as God's final investigation and mercy extended to Lot. Verse 4 shatters any hope of finding ten righteous people, demonstrating the pervasive moral decay that gripped the entire city, making its judgment inevitable. It portrays a society not merely tolerant of depravity, but one that actively and publicly demanded it, laying siege to a home to fulfill their vile intentions, disregarding all norms of hospitality and decency.
Genesis 19 4 Word Analysis
- But before they lay down (וְטֶ֣רֶם יִשְׁכָּ֑בוּ, w’ṭerem yišḵāḇū): This phrase indicates the extreme haste and urgency of the impending assault. The angels and Lot had just entered and were settling in, suggesting a rapid response from the city's inhabitants, as if they were perpetually ready for such acts or their sin was so brazen it could not wait.
- the men of the city (אַנְשֵׁ֣י הָעִיר, ’anšē hā‘îr): This is a general term for the inhabitants, specifically the males. It indicates the broad participation, setting the stage for what is to follow.
- the men of Sodom (אַנְשֵׁ֣י סְדֹ֔ם, ’anšē s’dōm): This phrase repeats and emphasizes their identity, directly associating them with the infamous city itself, known for its extreme wickedness. The repetition underscores the unified nature of their malevolent character and intent.
- both old and young (מִנַּ֙עַר֙ וְעַד־זָקֵ֔ן, minna‘ar wə‘aḏ-zāqēn):
- minna‘ar (מִנַּ֙עַר֙): From the young man/youth.
Na'arrefers to an individual who is not yet mature but old enough to engage in such activity, not necessarily a child. - wə‘aḏ-zāqēn (וְעַד־זָקֵ֔ן): And even to the old/aged.
- This collective phrase demonstrates the complete and comprehensive moral corruption across all adult age groups. It signifies that depravity had seeped into every demographic, with no age cohort remaining exempt from its influence or participation. This directly contrasts with the hope of finding a remnant of righteous individuals, which Abraham sought in Gen 18.
- minna‘ar (מִנַּ֙עַר֙): From the young man/youth.
- all the people (כָּל־הָעָ֣ם, kol-hā‘ām): Literally "all the people/nation." This is another strong emphatic phrase confirming the universal involvement. It highlights the consensus in their evil desires, leaving no room for dissent or a moral minority.
- to the last man (מִקָּצֶ֥ה אֶל־קָצֶֽהוּ, miqqāṣeh ’el-qāṣēhū): Literally "from the extremity to its extremity," or "from one end to the other." This idiomatic expression forcefully conveys the absolute totality and universality of their gathering. It indicates every single person from one boundary of the city to the other was present, signifying the full force of Sodom's collective evil descended upon Lot's dwelling.
- surrounded the house (נָסַבּ֥וּ עַל־הַבַּ֖יִת, nāsaḇbū ‘al-habba yiṯ):
- nāsaḇbū (נָסַבּ֥וּ):
Nasavmeaning "to turn," "to go about," "to encircle," "to surround." It implies a deliberate, aggressive encirclement, laying siege to the property. - ‘al-habba yiṯ (עַל־הַבַּ֖יִת): "Upon the house."
- This phrase illustrates a hostile act, a mob action demonstrating clear intent to overwhelm Lot and force his compliance. It paints a picture of menace and a readiness to break through the bounds of Lot's hospitality.
- nāsaḇbū (נָסַבּ֥וּ):
Genesis 19 4 Bonus Section
- The lack of a righteous remnant, highlighted by the phrase "all the people to the last man," starkly contrasts with God's patient search for ten righteous individuals in Gen 18. This verse demonstrates Abraham's plea for mercy had reached its boundary as Sodom could not even produce such a minimal number.
- The immediate response of the men of Sodom upon the angels' arrival signifies a city utterly consumed by vice, where immorality was not only practiced but brazenly pursued and demanded publicly, showing no regard for sacred hospitality or personal privacy.
- This verse serves as a historical and theological anchor point, referenced throughout Scripture to describe egregious collective sin and its divine consequences (e.g., Deut 29:23; Isa 1:9; Ezek 16:49; Jude 1:7). The event at Lot's door became the quintessential example of profound societal perversion and the ultimate judgment it provokes.
Genesis 19 4 Commentary
Genesis 19:4 is a pivotal verse that seals Sodom's fate. It removes any lingering doubt from the narrative of God's justice. The city's wickedness is not depicted as a hidden vice, nor limited to a fringe element; it is a blatant, city-wide phenomenon, a public spectacle of moral bankruptcy. The detailed description, "both old and young, all the people to the last man," emphasizes an unprecedented societal consensus in depravity. This unanimous, hostile congregation demonstrates that Sodom had collectively chosen perversion and violence, leaving no remnant of righteousness, which Lot had unknowingly entertained within his home. This collective action signifies that Sodom had become utterly steeped in sin, making their ultimate judgment not only deserved but an unavoidable consequence of their unrepentant rebellion against divine order and common human decency.