Sodom und Gomorra werden ausgelöscht

19 Am Abend kamen die beiden Boten Gottes nach Sodom. Lot saß gerade beim Stadttor. Als er sie sah, ging er ihnen entgegen, verneigte sich tief und sagte: »Meine Herren, ich bin euch gerne zu Diensten! Kommt doch mit in mein Haus, um euch die Füße zu waschen und über Nacht meine Gäste zu sein! Morgen könnt ihr dann eure Reise fortsetzen.« »Nein danke, wir werden einfach hier draußen auf dem Platz übernachten«, antworteten die beiden. Aber Lot drängte sie, mitzukommen, bis sie schließlich einwilligten. Zu Hause brachte er ihnen ein gutes Essen und frisches Brot.

Danach wollten sie sich schlafen legen, doch in der Zwischenzeit waren alle Männer Sodoms, junge und alte, herbeigelaufen und hatten Lots Haus umstellt. Sie brüllten: »Lot, wo sind die Männer, die heute Abend zu dir gekommen sind? Gib sie raus, wir wollen unseren Spaß mit ihnen haben!«

Lot zwängte sich durch die Tür nach draußen und schloss sofort wieder hinter sich zu. »Freunde, ich bitte euch, begeht doch nicht so ein Verbrechen!«, rief er. »Hier, ich habe zwei Töchter, die noch kein Mann berührt hat. Die gebe ich euch heraus. Ihr könnt mit ihnen machen, was ihr wollt! Nur lasst die Männer in Ruhe, sie stehen unter meinem Schutz, denn sie sind meine Gäste!«

»Hau ab!«, schrien sie. »Von einem dahergelaufenen Ausländer lassen wir uns doch keine Vorschriften machen! Pass bloß auf, mit dir werden wir es noch schlimmer treiben als mit den beiden anderen!« Sie überwältigten Lot und wollten gerade die Tür aufbrechen, 10 da streckten die beiden Männer die Hand aus, zogen Lot ins Haus und verschlossen die Tür. 11 Sie schlugen alle Leute, die draußen standen, mit Blindheit, so dass sie die Tür nicht mehr finden konnten.

12 Zu Lot sagten sie: »Hast du irgendwelche Verwandte hier in der Stadt? Seien es Schwiegersöhne, Söhne, Töchter oder sonst jemand von deiner Familie – bring sie alle von hier fort! 13 Der Herr hat uns nämlich geschickt, die Stadt zu vernichten; er hat von dem abscheulichen Verhalten der Einwohner Sodoms gehört. Deshalb werden wir diese Stadt zerstören.«

14 Sofort eilte Lot zu den Verlobten seiner Töchter und rief ihnen zu: »Schnell, verschwindet aus dieser Stadt, denn der Herr wird sie vernichten!« Aber sie dachten, er mache Witze.

15 Bei Tagesanbruch drängten die Männer Lot zur Eile: »Schnell, nimm deine Frau und deine beiden Töchter, bevor ihr in den Untergang der Stadt mit hineingerissen werdet!« 16 Weil er noch zögerte, fassten sie ihn, seine Frau und seine beiden Töchter bei der Hand, führten sie hinaus und ließen sie erst außerhalb der Stadt wieder los, denn der Herr wollte sie verschonen.

17 »Lauft um euer Leben!«, sagte einer der beiden Boten. »Schaut nicht zurück, bleibt nirgendwo stehen, sondern flieht ins Gebirge! Sonst werdet ihr umkommen!«

18 »Ach, bitte nicht, Herr«, flehte Lot, 19 »du warst so gnädig und hast mir das Leben gerettet! Aber bis ins Gebirge schaffe ich es nicht mehr, bevor das Unglück auch mich packt und vernichtet. 20 Die kleine Stadt dort ist nah genug, die kann ich noch gut erreichen. Bitte lass mich dorthin laufen, dann bin ich gerettet. Verschone sie – siehst du nicht, wie klein sie ist?«

21 »Gut«, bekam er zur Antwort, »auch diesen Wunsch will ich dir erfüllen. Ich zerstöre die Stadt nicht. 22 Flieh schnell dorthin, denn ich kann nichts tun, bevor du dort in Sicherheit bist!« Von da an wurde die Stadt Zoar genannt, was »klein« bedeutet.

23 Die Sonne ging auf, als Lot in Zoar ankam. 24 Da ließ der Herr Feuer und Schwefel vom Himmel auf Sodom und Gomorra herabregnen. 25 Er vernichtete sie völlig, zusammen mit den anderen Städten der Jordan-Ebene. Er löschte alles Leben in dieser Gegend aus – Menschen, Tiere und Pflanzen. 26 Lots Frau drehte sich auf der Flucht um und schaute zurück. Sofort erstarrte sie zu einer Salzsäule.

27 Am selben Morgen stand Abraham früh auf und eilte zu der Stelle, wo er vor dem Herrn für die Bewohner der Stadt eingetreten war. 28 Als er auf die Jordan-Ebene hinunterschaute, bot sich ihm ein trauriger Anblick: Dort, wo Sodom und Gomorra einmal gestanden hatten, stiegen dichte Rauchwolken auf, wie aus einem großen Ofen.

29 Gott hatte an Abrahams Bitte gedacht: Er zerstörte zwar die Städte, in denen Lot gewohnt hatte, Lot selbst aber brachte er vorher in Sicherheit.

Lots Töchter

30 Lot hatte Angst, länger in Zoar zu bleiben. Er ging mit seinen beiden Töchtern ins Gebirge hinauf; dort fanden sie eine Höhle, in der sie von nun an lebten.

31-32 Eines Tages sagte die ältere Tochter zur jüngeren: »Überall auf der Welt wird geheiratet – nur hier gibt es weit und breit keinen Mann für uns. Und unser Vater ist auch schon alt geworden. Wenn unsere Familie nicht aussterben soll, dann müssen wir etwas unternehmen. Deshalb habe ich mir einen Plan ausgedacht: Wir machen ihn mit Wein betrunken und legen uns zu ihm.«

33 Noch am selben Abend machten sie ihren Vater betrunken, und die ältere Tochter legte sich zu ihm. Lot schlief mit seiner Tochter. In seiner Trunkenheit merkte er nichts, und am nächsten Morgen konnte er sich nicht mehr erinnern. 34 Die ältere Schwester ging zur jüngeren und sagte: »Hör zu, ich habe diese Nacht mit unserem Vater geschlafen. Das Beste ist, wir machen ihn heute wieder betrunken und du schläfst auch mit ihm, damit es sicher ist, dass unsere Familie erhalten bleibt.« 35 Am Abend gaben sie ihrem Vater erneut viel Wein zu trinken, und die Jüngere ging zu ihm. Lot bemerkte wieder nichts.

36 So wurden beide Töchter von ihrem eigenen Vater schwanger. 37 Die Ältere bekam einen Sohn und nannte ihn Moab (»von meinem Vater«). Er wurde der Stammvater der Moabiter. 38 Auch die Jüngere bekam einen Sohn und nannte ihn Ben-Ammi (»Sohn meines Verwandten«). Er wurde der Stammvater der Ammoniter.

19 At nagsidating ang dalawang anghel sa Sodoma, nang nagtatakip silim; at si Lot ay nakaupo sa pintuang-bayan ng Sodoma: at sila'y nakita ni Lot, at nagtindig upang salubungin sila; at iniyukod ang mukha sa lupa;

At nagsabi, Ngayon nga mga panginoon ko, ipinamamanhik ko sa inyo na kayo'y magsiliko at magsipasok sa bahay ng inyong lingkod, at kayo'y matira sa buong magdamag, at maghugas ng inyong mga paa, at sa madaling araw ay magsipagbangon kayo at magpatuloy ng inyong paglakad. At kanilang sinabi, Hindi, kundi sa langsangan mananahan kami sa buong magdamag.

At kaniyang pinakapilit sila; at sila'y nagsiliko, at nagsipasok sa kaniyang bahay; at sila'y kaniyang pinaghandaan, at ipinagluto ng mga tinapay na walang levadura, at nagsikain.

Datapuwa't bago nagsihiga, ang bahay ay kinulong ng mga tao sa bayan sa makatuwid baga'y ng mga tao sa Sodoma, na mga binata at gayon din ng mga matanda ng buong bayan sa buong palibot;

At kanilang tinawagan si Lot, at sinabi sa kaniya, Saan nangaroon ang mga lalaking dumating sa iyo ng gabing ito? ilabas mo sila sa amin upang kilalanin namin sila.

At nilabas sila ni Lot sa pintuan, at isinara ang pinto sa likuran niya.

At sinabi niya, Ipinamamanhik ko sa inyo, mga kapatid ko, na huwag kayong gumawa ng ganiyang kasamaan.

Narito, ngayon, may dalawa akong anak na babae, na hindi nakakilala ng lalake; ipinamamanhik ko sa inyo, na sila'y aking ilalabas sa inyo, at gawin ninyo sa kanila ang magalingin ninyo sa inyong paningin: huwag lamang ninyong gawan ng anoman ang mga lalaking ito; yamang sila'y nangasa silong ng aking bubungan.

At sinabi nila, Umurong ka! At sinabi pa nila, Ang taong ito'y naparito upang makipamayan, at ibig niyang maging hukom: ngayon nga'y gagawan ka namin ng lalong masama kay sa kanila. At kanilang ipinagtulakan ang lalaking si Lot, at nagsilapit upang sirain ang pintuan.

10 Datapuwa't iniunat ng mga lalake ang kanilang kamay at binatak si Lot sa loob ng bahay at kanilang sinarhan ang pintuan.

11 At ang mga taong nangasa pintuan ng bahay ay mga pinagbulag nila, ang munti't malaki: ano pa't sila'y nangayamot sa paghahanap ng pintuan.

12 At sinabi ng mga lalake kay Lot, Mayroon ka pa ritong kamaganakan? Ang iyong mga manugang, at ang iyong mga anak na lalake at babae, at ang lahat ng iyong tinatangkilik sa bayan: ay ipagaalis mo sa dakong ito:

13 Sapagka't aming lilipulin ang dakong ito dahil sa napakalakas ang kanilang sigaw sa harap ng Panginoon; at kami ay sinugo ng Panginoon upang aming lipulin.

14 At si Lot ay lumabas, at pinagsabihan niya ang kaniyang mga manugang na nagasawa sa kaniyang mga anak na babae, at sinabi, Magtindig kayo, magsialis kayo sa dakong ito; sapagka't gugunawin ng Panginoon ang bayan. Datapuwa't ang akala ng kaniyang mga manugang ay nagbibiro siya.

15 At nang umumaga ay pinapagmadali ng mga anghel si Lot, na sinasabi, Magbangon ka, ipagsama mo ang iyong asawa at ang iyong dalawang anak na babae na narito, baka pati ikaw ay madamay sa parusa sa bayan.

16 Datapuwa't siya'y nagluluwat; at hinawakan ng mga lalake ang kaniyang kamay, at ang kamay ng kaniyang asawa, at ang kamay ng kaniyang dalawang anak na babae; sa habag sa kaniya ng Panginoon: at siya'y kanilang inilabas, at siya'y kanilang inilagay sa labas ng bayan.

17 At nangyari, na nang sila'y mailabas na nila, ay sinabi, Itakas mo ang iyong buhay; huwag kang lumingon o huminto man sa buong kapatagan; tumakas ka hanggang sa bundok, baka ikaw ay mamatay.

18 At sinabi sa kanila ni Lot, Huwag ganiyan, panginoon ko:

19 Narito, ngayo't ang lingkod mo ay nakasumpong ng biyaya sa iyong paningin, at pinakalaki mo ang iyong awang ipinakita sa akin sa pagliligtas ng aking buhay; at ako'y di makatatakas sa bundok, baka ako'y abutan ng sama, at ako'y mamatay.

20 Narito, ang bayang ito ay malapit takasan at maliit: Oh tulutan mong tumakas ako roon, (di ba yao'y maliit?) at mabubuhay ako.

21 At sinabi sa kaniya, Narito, sa bagay mang ito ay pinayagan din kita, na hindi ko gugunawin ang bayang iyong sinalita.

22 Magmadali ka, tumakas ka roon; sapagka't wala akong magagawa hanggang sa dumating ka roon. Kaya't ang pangalang itinawag sa bayang yaon ay Zoar.

23 Ang araw ay nakalitaw na sa lupa nang dumating si Lot sa Zoar.

24 Nang magkagayo'y nagpaulan ang Panginoon sa Sodoma at Gomorra ng azufre at apoy mula sa Panginoon na buhat sa langit;

25 At ginunaw niya ang mga bayang yaon, at ang buong Kapatagan at ang lahat ng nangananahan sa mga bayang yaon, at ang tumutubo sa lupang yaon.

26 Datapuwa't ang asawa ni Lot ay lumingon sa likuran ni Lot, at naging haliging asin.

27 At si Abraham ay sumampang maaga ng kinaumagahan sa dakong kinatayuan niya sa harap ng Panginoon.

28 At siya'y tumingin sa dakong Sodoma at Gomorra, at sa buong lupain ng Kapatagan, at tumanaw, at narito, ang usok ng lupain ay napaiilanglang na parang usok ng isang hurno.

29 At nangyari, na nang gunawin ng Dios ang mga bayan ng Kapatagan, na naalaala ng Dios si Abraham, at pinalabas si Lot, mula sa gitna ng pinaggunawan, nang gunawin ang mga bayan na kinatitirahan ni Lot.

30 At sumampa si Lot mula sa Zoar at tumira sa bundok, at ang kaniyang dalawang anak na babae na kasama niya; sapagka't siya'y natakot na tumira sa Zoar: at siya'y tumira sa isang yungib, siya at ang kaniyang dalawang anak na babae.

31 At sinabi ng panganay sa bunso: Ang ating ama ay matanda, at walang lalake sa lupa na sumiping sa atin, ayon sa ugali ng sangkalupaan:

32 Halika, painumin natin ng alak ang ating ama, at tayo'y sumiping sa kaniya; upang mapalagi natin ang binhi ng ating ama.

33 At pinainom nila ng alak ang kanilang ama ng gabing yaon: at pumasok ang panganay at sumiping sa kaniyang ama; at hindi naalaman, ng ama nang siya'y mahiga ni nang siya'y magbangon.

34 At nangyari nang kinabukasan, na sinabi ng panganay sa bunso. Narito, ako'y sumiping kagabi sa aking ama; painumin din natin ng alak sa gabing ito; at pumasok ka, at sumiping ka sa kaniya; upang mapalagi natin ang binhi ng ating ama.

35 At pinainom din nila ng alak ang kanilang ama ng gabing yaon: at nagtindig ang bunso, at sumiping sa ama; at hindi naalaman ng ama nang siya'y mahiga, ni nang siya'y magbangon.

36 Sa ganito'y kapuwa nagdalangtao ang mga anak ni Lot sa pamamagitan ng kanilang ama.

37 At nanganak ang panganay ng isang lalake, at tinawag ang kaniyang ngalang Moab: na siya ngang ama ng mga Moabita, hanggang sa araw na ito.

38 At ang bunso ay nanganak din ng isang lalake, at tinawag ang kaniyang pangalang Ben-ammi: na siya ngang ama ng mga anak ni Ammon, hanggang ngayon.

19 That evening the two angels came to the entrance of the city of Sodom, and Lot was sitting there as they arrived. When he saw them he stood up to meet them, and welcomed them.

“Sirs,” he said, “come to my home as my guests for the night; you can get up as early as you like and be on your way again.”

“Oh, no thanks,” they said, “we’ll just stretch out here along the street.”

But he was very urgent, until at last they went home with him, and he set a great feast before them, complete with freshly baked unleavened bread. After the meal, as they were preparing to retire for the night, the men of the city—yes, Sodomites, young and old from all over the city—surrounded the house and shouted to Lot, “Bring out those men to us so we can rape them.”

Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. “Please, fellows,” he begged, “don’t do such a wicked thing. Look—I have two virgin daughters, and I’ll surrender them to you to do with as you wish. But leave these men alone, for they are under my protection.”

“Stand back,” they yelled. “Who do you think you are? We let this fellow settle among us and now he tries to tell us what to do! We’ll deal with you far worse than with those other men.” And they lunged at Lot and began breaking down the door.

10 But the two men reached out and pulled Lot in and bolted the door 11 and temporarily blinded the men of Sodom so that they couldn’t find the door.

12 “What relatives do you have here in the city?” the men asked. “Get them out of this place—sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone else. 13 For we will destroy the city completely. The stench of the place has reached to heaven and God has sent us to destroy it.”

14 So Lot rushed out to tell his daughters’ fiancés, “Quick, get out of the city, for the Lord is going to destroy it.” But the young men looked at him as though he had lost his senses.

15 At dawn the next morning the angels became urgent. “Hurry,” they said to Lot, “take your wife and your two daughters who are here and get out while you can, or you will be caught 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 “Flee for your lives,” the angels told him. “And don’t look back. Escape to the mountains. Don’t stay down here on the plain or you will die.”

18-20 “Oh no, sirs, please,” Lot begged, “since you’ve been so kind to me and saved my life, and you’ve granted me such mercy, let me flee to that little village over there instead of into the mountains, for I fear disaster in the mountains. See, the village is close by and it is just a small one. Please, please, let me go there instead. Don’t you see how small it is? And my life will be saved.”

21 “All right,” the angel said, “I accept your proposition and won’t destroy that little city. 22 But hurry! For I can do nothing until you are there.” (From that time on that village was named Zoar, meaning “Little City.”)

23 The sun was rising as Lot reached the village. 24 Then the Lord rained down fire and flaming tar from heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah, 25 and utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, eliminating all life—people, plants, and animals alike. 26 But Lot’s wife looked back as she was following along behind him and became a pillar of salt.

27 That morning Abraham was up early and hurried out to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 He looked out across the plain to Sodom and Gomorrah and saw columns of smoke and fumes, as from a furnace, rising from the cities there. 29 So God heeded Abraham’s plea and kept Lot safe, removing him from the maelstrom of death that engulfed the cities.

30 Afterwards Lot left Zoar, fearful of the people there, and went to live in a cave in the mountains with his two daughters. 31 One day the older girl said to her sister, “There isn’t a man anywhere in this entire area that our father would let us marry. And our father will soon be too old for having children. 32 Come, let’s fill him with wine and then we will sleep with him, so that our clan will not come to an end.” 33 So they got him drunk that night, and the older girl went in and had sexual intercourse with her father; but he was unaware of her lying down or getting up again.

34 The next morning she said to her younger sister, “I slept with my father last night. Let’s fill him with wine again tonight, and you go in and lie with him, so that our family line will continue.” 35 So they got him drunk again that night, and the younger girl went in and lay with him, and, as before, he didn’t know that anyone was there. 36 And so it was that both girls became pregnant from their father. 37 The older girl’s baby was named Moab; he became the ancestor of the nation of the Moabites. 38 The name of the younger girl’s baby was Benammi; he became the ancestor of the nation of the Ammonites.

Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed

19 The two angels(A) arrived at Sodom(B) in the evening, and Lot(C) was sitting in the gateway of the city.(D) When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.(E) “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet(F) 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.”(G)

But he insisted(H) so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house.(I) He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast,(J) and they ate.(K) Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom(L)—both young and old—surrounded the house. 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.”(M)

Lot went outside to meet them(N) and shut the door behind him and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. 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.”(O)

“Get out of our way,” they replied. “This fellow came here as a foreigner,(P) and now he wants to play the judge!(Q) 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(R) 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(S) 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?(T) Get them out of here, 13 because we(U) are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the Lord against its people is so great(V) that he has sent us to destroy it.”(W)

14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry[a] his daughters. He said, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city!(X)” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.(Y)

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(Z) when the city is punished.(AA)

16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters(AB) and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them.(AC) 17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives!(AD) Don’t look back,(AE) and don’t stop anywhere in the plain!(AF) Flee to the mountains(AG) or you will be swept away!”

18 But Lot said to them, “No, my lords,[b] please! 19 Your[c] servant has found favor in your[d] eyes,(AH) and you[e] have shown great kindness(AI) to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains;(AJ) 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(AK) 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.[f](AL))

23 By the time Lot reached Zoar,(AM) the sun had risen over the land. 24 Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur(AN) on Sodom and Gomorrah(AO)—from the Lord out of the heavens.(AP) 25 Thus he overthrew those cities(AQ) and the entire plain,(AR) destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.(AS) 26 But Lot’s wife looked back,(AT) and she became a pillar of salt.(AU)

27 Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord.(AV) 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.(AW)

29 So when God destroyed the cities of the plain,(AX) he remembered(AY) Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe(AZ) that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.(BA)

Lot and His Daughters

30 Lot and his two daughters left Zoar(BB) and settled in the mountains,(BC) 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(BD) through our father.”(BE)

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.(BF)

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.”(BG) 35 So they got their father to drink wine(BH) 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.(BI)

36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.(BJ) 37 The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab[g];(BK) he is the father of the Moabites(BL) of today. 38 The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi[h]; he is the father of the Ammonites[i](BM) of today.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 19:14 Or were married to
  2. Genesis 19:18 Or No, Lord; or No, my lord
  3. Genesis 19:19 The Hebrew is singular.
  4. Genesis 19:19 The Hebrew is singular.
  5. Genesis 19:19 The Hebrew is singular.
  6. Genesis 19:22 Zoar means small.
  7. Genesis 19:37 Moab sounds like the Hebrew for from father.
  8. Genesis 19:38 Ben-Ammi means son of my father’s people.
  9. Genesis 19:38 Hebrew Bene-Ammon