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Genesis 19
New Catholic Bible
Genesis 19
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 19
Revelation of God the Judge.[a] 1 The two angels arrived in Sodom toward the evening. Lot was seated at the gate to Sodom. As soon as he saw them, Lot got up and went over to them and bowed down to the ground. 2 He said, “My lords, come to the house of your servant. Pass the night, wash your feet, and then, in the morning, you can go on your way.”
They answered, “No, we will spend the night in the town square.”
3 But he insisted so much that they went with him to his house. He prepared a banquet for them, making unleavened bread,[b] and they ate their meal. 4 But before they went to bed, the men of the city, the inhabitants of Sodom, gathered around the house, the young and the old, all of them without exception. 5 They called out to Lot and said, “Where are those men who are staying with you tonight? Make them come out to us so that we can know them!”[c]
6 Lot went out to them at the door and, after closing the door behind himself, 7 said, “No, my brothers, do not do this evil thing! 8 Listen, I have two daughters who have not yet known a man; let me bring them outside and you can do whatever you want with them. Just do not do anything to these men, for they have entered under the shelter of my roof.”
9 But they answered, “Move out of the way. This one has come into our midst as a foreigner and he would dare to judge us! Now we are going to treat you even worse than them.” And they so violently pushed against Lot that they almost broke open the door. 10 But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot inside the house, closing the door. 11 They struck all of those who were standing outside the door with blindness so that none of them could find the door.
12 The men then said to Lot, “Who else do you have here? Your sons-in-law, your sons, and your daughters, and anyone that you have in the city, bring them out of this place 13 for we are ready to destroy this place. The complaint raised against them before the Lord is great, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”
14 Lot left to speak to his sons-in-law, the men who were to marry his daughters, and he said, “Get up, let us go from this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
15 As dawn was breaking, the angels urged Lot on, saying, “Get up, take your wife and the two daughters who are here and leave before you are caught up in the punishment of this city.”
16 Lot hesitated, but the men took him by the hand, along with his wife and his two daughters. They showed him the mercy of the Lord by bringing him out and leading him out of the city. 17 After they had led him out, one of them said, “Flee for your life. Do not look back and do not stop while you are still in the valley. Flee to the mountains lest you be swept away.”
18 But Lot replied, “No, my lord! 19 Look, your servant has found favor in your sight, and now you have shown even greater mercy to me by saving my life. Yet, I will not be able to flee to the mountains to keep the disaster from overtaking me. I will die. 20 Look at this city ahead. It is close enough for me to reach, and it is so small! Let me flee there. It is such a small place. That way my life will be saved.”
21 He answered, “Behold, I will grant you even this, that I will not destroy the city of which you have spoken. 22 Hurry, flee there because I cannot do anything until you have arrived.” For this reason the city is called Zoar.
23 The sun was rising when Lot arrived in Zoar. 24 The Lord then rained sulfur and fire from the heavens upon Sodom and Gomorrah. 25 He destroyed these cities and the entire valley and all the inhabitants of the cities and even the plants in the soil. 26 But the wife of Lot looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
27 Abraham went out early in the morning to the place where he had been with the Lord. 28 He looked down from the height on Sodom and Gomorrah and the entire extension of the valley, and he saw smoke rising out of the earth, like the smoke coming out of a furnace.
29 Thus God, who destroyed the cities of the valley, remembered Abraham and had Lot flee from the disaster, while he destroyed the cities in which Lot had been living.
30 Degeneration of Lot’s Children.[d] Lot then left Zoar and went to live in the mountains together with his two daughters, for they were afraid to stay in Zoar. He lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31 The older one said to the younger one, “Our father is getting old and there is no one in this territory to marry us as happens all over the earth. 32 Come, we will give wine to our father and then lie with him; thus we will provide descendants for our father.”
33 That night they gave wine to their father, and the older sister laid with her father. He did not realize what was happening, not even when she lay down or when she got out of bed. 34 The next day the older sister said to the younger, “Behold, yesterday I slept with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight as well and you can sleep with him. Thus, we will provide descendants for our father.” 35 That night as well they made their father drink wine, and the younger sister slept with him. He did not realize what had happened, not even when she lay down or when she got out of bed.
36 Thus, the two daughters of Lot conceived children for their father. 37 The older sister gave birth to a son whom she called Moab, “from my father.” He is the forefather of the present-day Moabites. 38 The younger sister also gave birth to a son, and she called him Ben Ammi, “son of my people.” He is the forefather of the present-day Ammonites.
Footnotes
- Genesis 19:1 The story probably reflects memories of fires in naphtha deposits in this region and of earthquakes that caused collapses in the area south of the Dead Sea. It also draws on legends created by the popular imagination that had been struck by the desolate landscape there, with its sulfur-infected air and its odd blocks of salt in the shape of statues.
- Genesis 19:3 Unleavened bread could be prepared more quickly than bread that had to rise.
- Genesis 19:5 Homosexuality, which was widespread among the Canaanites, was sternly prohibited by the Mosaic Law (Lev 18:22, 24; 20:13, 23; Jdg 19:22).
- Genesis 19:30 Since it was regarded as a dishonor and a curse not to have children, the daughters, being without husbands, make up for their state by a primitive makeshift. It is in this way that the story explains the origin of the Moabites and Ammonites, neighbors and enemies of Israel, who are remembered as being the fruit of the cursed cities. The condemnation of incest is implicit in the story, not only because it was condemned by the laws of Mesopotamia and the conscience of the time but also because Lot is made drunk in order to prevent his resistance (see also Lev 18:7).
Genesis 19
New International Version
Genesis 19
New International Version
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) 2 “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)
3 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) 4 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. 5 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)
6 Lot went outside to meet them(N) and shut the door behind him 7 and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. 8 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)
9 “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
- Genesis 19:14 Or were married to
- Genesis 19:18 Or No, Lord; or No, my lord
- Genesis 19:19 The Hebrew is singular.
- Genesis 19:19 The Hebrew is singular.
- Genesis 19:19 The Hebrew is singular.
- Genesis 19:22 Zoar means small.
- Genesis 19:37 Moab sounds like the Hebrew for from father.
- Genesis 19:38 Ben-Ammi means son of my father’s people.
- Genesis 19:38 Hebrew Bene-Ammon
Genesis 19
King James Version
Genesis 19
King James Version
19 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
3 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.
4 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:
5 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.
6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.
14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord:
28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
37 And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
New International Version (NIV) 
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