Genesis 19:5 kjv
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.
Genesis 19:5 nkjv
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."
Genesis 19:5 niv
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."
Genesis 19:5 esv
And they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them."
Genesis 19:5 nlt
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!"
Genesis 19 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 13:13 | "But the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD." | Introduces Sodom's wickedness early. |
| Gen 18:20-21 | "Then the LORD said, 'The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great...' | God's assessment of Sodom's great sin. |
| Judg 19:22-25 | "they called to the master of the house, 'Bring out the man who came into... | Parallel account of gang rape demand in Gibeah. |
| Lev 18:22 | "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination." | Clear Mosaic law prohibition of male homosexual acts. |
| Lev 20:13 | "If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death;" | Severe punishment for homosexual acts. |
| Deut 10:19 | "Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt." | Mandate for hospitality towards strangers, contrast with Sodom. |
| Isa 1:10 | "Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!" | Prophetically uses Sodom/Gomorrah as a metaphor for wicked Israel. |
| Isa 3:9 | "The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom..." | Openness and lack of shame in sin. |
| Ezek 16:49-50 | "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread... and did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy... abomination." | Broader context of Sodom's sin (social injustice, arrogance, idolatry). |
| Jer 23:14 | "...they commit adultery and live a lie... they are all like Sodom to me..." | Spiritual parallel to wicked prophets in Israel. |
| Matt 10:14-15 | "Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment..." | Sodom's judgment as a benchmark for ultimate condemnation. |
| Matt 11:23-24 | "...it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you." | Judgment of unrepentant cities harsher than Sodom. |
| Luke 17:28-29 | "It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling... But on the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven..." | Historical context and suddenness of Sodom's judgment. |
| Rom 1:26-27 | "For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men..." | Explicit New Testament condemnation of homosexual acts as unnatural and a consequence of abandoning God. |
| 1 Cor 6:9-10 | "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." | Lists specific sins that exclude from God's kingdom, including homosexual acts. |
| 1 Tim 1:9-10 | "Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient... for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for manslayers," | Identifies "those who defile themselves with mankind" as violating the law. |
| Heb 13:2 | "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." | Direct instruction emphasizing hospitality, contrasting with Sodom's failure. |
| 2 Pet 2:6-7 | "if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes he condemned them to destruction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked" | Sodom as an example of ungodly behavior and divine judgment. |
| Jude 1:7 | "Likewise, just as 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." | Highlights Sodom's sexual immorality ("unnatural desire" / "strange flesh") and its fate. |
| Rev 11:8 | "And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that prophetically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified." | Sodom used metaphorically for a city hostile to God and His witnesses. |
Genesis 19 verses
Genesis 19 5 Meaning
Genesis 19:5 depicts the profound moral corruption of Sodom, as its inhabitants, from young to old, surround Lot's house demanding the immediate release of his guests. Their purpose, openly declared with the phrase "that we may know them," signifies a collective and aggressive intent to sexually assault the visitors. This verse reveals the city's brazen depravity, not only in violating sacred laws of hospitality but in their open desire for illicit, homosexual relations.
Genesis 19 5 Context
Genesis chapter 19 describes the immediate consequences of Sodom's persistent and egregious wickedness, following Abraham's failed intercession in chapter 18. Two angels, disguised as men, arrive in Sodom and are welcomed by Lot into his home, contrasting sharply with the city's general attitude towards strangers. Lot's offering of hospitality, a deeply sacred custom in the ancient Near East, is swiftly met with violent contempt by the entire male population of the city. Verse 5 is the climax of this immediate tension, where the depravity of Sodom manifests in a unified, aggressive demand that not only violates hospitality but overtly expresses a collective intent for violent sexual perversion. This action confirms God's earlier judgment and precipitates the city's destruction.
Genesis 19 5 Word analysis
- And they called: The "they" refers to "the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man" (Gen 19:4), indicating a pervasive and universal corruption within the community. The act of calling is immediate and forceful.
- unto Lot: Lot, as the host, is directly confronted and held responsible for his guests.
- and said unto him: A direct command, not a request, indicating their perceived authority and their hostile intent.
- Where are the men: A question revealing they are aware of the guests' presence and location.
- which came in to thee: Acknowledging Lot's act of hospitality, yet preparing to violently abuse it.
- this night?: Emphasizes urgency and opportunism; their wickedness thrives in darkness.
- bring them out unto us: A collective demand for Lot to surrender his guests. This is an act of extreme inhospitality and coercive violence.
- that we may know them: This is the pivotal phrase. The Hebrew word is "יָדַע" (yada'), which means "to know" in a general sense. However, in this specific context and throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Gen 4:1; Num 31:18; Judg 19:22), "to know" often functions as a euphemism for sexual intercourse, particularly in the violent and coercive manner implied here. Their intent was to engage in forced, non-consensual sexual acts, specifically homosexual in nature, with Lot's guests. This explicit demand signifies the depth of Sodom's depravity.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- And they called unto Lot, and said unto him: Shows the direct confrontation and aggressive intent of the collective men of Sodom towards Lot, the head of the household. It indicates a public, rather than secret, demand.
- Where are the men which came in to thee this night?: This question confirms their awareness of Lot's guests and highlights their surveillance and premeditated intent. The emphasis on "this night" points to their impatience and readiness to act.
- bring them out unto us, that we may know them: This is a blatant, explicit demand for the forcible handover of Lot's guests for violent sexual assault. The phrase "that we may know them" in this context is widely understood as a demand for sexual penetration, revealing the specific nature of their perversion and disregard for basic human dignity and hospitality laws.
Genesis 19 5 Bonus section
- The collective nature of the demand in Genesis 19:5, involving "young and old, all the people from every quarter" (v.4), underlines the deep-seated and widespread moral decay of Sodom. This was not a fringe element, but a pervasive cultural reality.
- The event stands in stark contrast to Abraham's exemplary hospitality demonstrated just before, in Genesis 18, where he humbly served divine messengers without knowing their true identity. Sodom, instead, sought to violate and exploit.
- Lot's desperate offer of his daughters in the subsequent verse (v.8), while morally reprehensible by today's standards, further underscores the perceived gravity and horrifying nature of the men's demand for the male guests, in line with ancient cultural hierarchies and Lot's twisted sense of protective duty.
- The incident not only highlights the sin of homosexuality, but equally the sins of violent sexual assault, inhospitality, pride, and total disregard for moral and divine order. This combination marks Sodom's specific abomination.
Genesis 19 5 Commentary
Genesis 19:5 captures the culmination of Sodom's renowned wickedness, confirming God's prior declaration that their outcry was great. The unified demand of "all the people to the last man" demonstrates that the city's sin was not isolated to a few individuals but had permeated the entire community, transcending age. Their direct, brazen, and unashamed request to "know" Lot's guests highlights the depraved and coercive nature of their sexual perversion, specifically homosexual violence, coupled with a flagrant disregard for sacred hospitality. This incident reveals a complete breakdown of moral order and social norms, where lust, aggression, and contempt for the stranger dominated the city. It serves as the immediate catalyst for Sodom's swift and definitive divine judgment.