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Genesis 19-21
New English Translation

The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah

19 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening while[a] Lot was sitting in the city’s gateway.[b] When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face toward the ground.

2 He said, “Here, my lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house. Stay the night[c] and wash your feet. Then you can be on your way early in the morning.”[d] “No,” they replied, “we’ll spend the night in the town square.”[e]

3 But he urged[f] them persistently, so they turned aside with him and entered his house. He prepared a feast for them, including bread baked without yeast, and they ate. 4 Before they could lie down to sleep,[g] all the men—both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom—surrounded the house.[h] 5 They shouted to Lot,[i] “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so we can take carnal knowledge of[j] them!”

6 Lot went outside to them, shutting the door behind him. 7 He said, “No, my brothers! Don’t act so wickedly![k] 8 Look, I have two daughters who have never been intimate with[l] a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do to them whatever you please.[m] Only don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection[n] of my roof.”[o]

9 “Out of our way!”[p] they cried, “This man came to live here as a foreigner,[q] and now he dares to judge us![r] We’ll do more harm[s] to you than to them!” They kept pressing in on Lot[t] until they were close enough[u] to break down the door.

10 So the men inside[v] reached out[w] and pulled Lot back into the house[x] as they shut the door. 11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, from the youngest to the oldest,[y] with blindness. The men outside[z] wore themselves out trying to find the door. 12 Then the two visitors[aa] said to Lot, “Who else do you have here?[ab] Do you have[ac] any sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or other relatives in the city?[ad] Get them out of this[ae] place 13 because we are about to destroy[af] it. The outcry against this place[ag] is so great before the Lord that he[ah] has sent us to destroy it.”

14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters.[ai] He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy[aj] the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them.[ak]

15 At dawn[al] the angels hurried Lot along, saying, “Get going! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here,[am] or else you will be destroyed when the city is judged!”[an] 16 When Lot[ao] hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters because the Lord had compassion on them.[ap] They led them away and placed them[aq] outside the city. 17 When they had brought them outside, they[ar] said, “Run[as] for your lives! Don’t look[at] behind you or stop anywhere in the valley![au] Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!”

18 But Lot said to them, “No, please, Lord![av] 19 Your[aw] servant has found favor with you,[ax] and you have shown me great[ay] kindness[az] by sparing[ba] my life. But I am not able to escape to the mountains because[bb] this disaster will overtake[bc] me and I’ll die.[bd] 20 Look, this town[be] over here is close enough to escape to, and it’s just a little one.[bf] Let me go there.[bg] It’s just a little place, isn’t it?[bh] Then I’ll survive.”[bi]

21 “Very well,” he replied,[bj] “I will grant this request too[bk] and will not overthrow[bl] the town you mentioned. 22 Run there quickly,[bm] for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” (This incident explains why the town was called Zoar.)[bn]

23 The sun had just risen[bo] over the land as Lot reached Zoar.[bp] 24 Then the Lord rained down[bq] sulfur and fire[br] on Sodom and Gomorrah. It was sent down from the sky by the Lord.[bs] 25 So he overthrew those cities and all that region,[bt] including all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation that grew from the ground.[bu] 26 But Lot’s[bv] wife looked back longingly[bw] and was turned into a pillar of salt.

27 Abraham got up early in the morning and went[bx] to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 He looked out toward[by] Sodom and Gomorrah and all the land of that region.[bz] As he did so, he saw the smoke rising up from the land like smoke from a furnace.[ca]

29 So when God destroyed[cb] the cities of the region,[cc] God honored[cd] Abraham’s request. He removed Lot[ce] from the midst of the destruction when he destroyed[cf] the cities Lot had lived in.

30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31 Later the older daughter said[cg] to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man in the country[ch] to sleep with us,[ci] the way everyone does. 32 Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine[cj] so we can go to bed with[ck] him and preserve[cl] our family line through our father.”[cm]

33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine,[cn] and the older daughter[co] came in and went to bed with[cp] her father. But he was not aware of when she lay down with him or when she got up. 34 So in the morning the older daughter[cq] said to the younger, “Since I went to bed with[cr] my father last night, let’s make him drunk[cs] again tonight. Then you go in and go to bed with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.”[ct] 35 So they made their father drunk[cu] that night as well, and the younger one came and went to bed with him.[cv] But he was not aware of when she lay down with him or when she got up.

36 In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older daughter[cw] gave birth to a son and named him Moab.[cx] He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben Ammi.[cy] He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today.

Abraham and Abimelech

20 Abraham journeyed from there to the Negev[cz] region and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he lived as a temporary resident[da] in Gerar, 2 Abraham said about his wife Sarah, “She is my sister.” So Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for Sarah and took her.

3 But God appeared[db] to Abimelech in a dream at night and said to him, “You are as good as dead[dc] because of the woman you have taken, for she is someone else’s wife.”[dd]

4 Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, “Lord,[de] would you really slaughter an innocent nation?[df] 5 Did Abraham[dg] not say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said,[dh] ‘He is my brother.’ I have done this with a clear conscience[di] and with innocent hands!”

6 Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience.[dj] That is why I have kept you[dk] from sinning against me and why[dl] I did not allow you to touch her. 7 But now give back the man’s wife. Indeed[dm] he is a prophet[dn] and he will pray for you; thus you will live.[do] But if you don’t give her back,[dp] know that you will surely die[dq] along with all who belong to you.”

8 Early in the morning[dr] Abimelech summoned[ds] all his servants. When he told them about all these things,[dt] they[du] were terrified. 9 Abimelech summoned Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? What sin did I commit against you that would cause you to bring such great guilt on me and my kingdom?[dv] You have done things to me that should not be done!”[dw] 10 Then Abimelech asked[dx] Abraham, “What prompted you to do this thing?”[dy]

11 Abraham replied, “Because I thought,[dz] ‘Surely no one fears God in this place. They will kill me because of[ea] my wife.’ 12 What’s more,[eb] she is indeed my sister, my father’s daughter, but not my mother’s daughter. She became my wife. 13 When God made me wander[ec] from my father’s house, I told her, ‘This is what you can do to show your loyalty to me:[ed] Every place we go, say about me, “He is my brother.”’”

14 So Abimelech gave[ee] sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. 15 Then Abimelech said, “Look, my land is before you; live wherever you please.”[ef]

16 To Sarah he said, “Look, I have given 1,000 pieces of silver[eg] to your ‘brother.’[eh] This is compensation for you so that you will stand vindicated before all who are with you.”[ei]

17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children. 18 For the Lord[ej] had caused infertility to strike every woman[ek] in the household of Abimelech because he took[el] Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

The Birth of Isaac

21 The Lord visited[em] Sarah just as he had said he would and did[en] for Sarah what he had promised.[eo] 2 So Sarah became pregnant[ep] and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him. 3 Abraham named his son—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac.[eq] 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old,[er] Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do.[es] 5 (Now Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.)[et]

6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh.[eu] Everyone who hears about this[ev] will laugh[ew] with me.” 7 She went on to say,[ex] “Who would[ey] have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!”

8 The child grew and was weaned. Abraham prepared[ez] a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.[fa] 9 But Sarah noticed[fb] the son of Hagar the Egyptian—the son whom Hagar had borne to Abraham—mocking.[fc] 10 So she said to Abraham, “Banish[fd] that slave woman and her son, for the son of that slave woman will not be an heir along with my son Isaac!”

11 Sarah’s demand displeased Abraham greatly because Ishmael was his son.[fe] 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be upset[ff] about the boy or your slave wife. Do[fg] all that Sarah is telling[fh] you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted.[fi] 13 But I will also make the son of the slave wife into a great nation,[fj] for he is your descendant too.”

14 Early in the morning Abraham took[fk] some food[fl] and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulders, gave her the child,[fm] and sent her away. So she went wandering[fn] aimlessly through the wilderness[fo] of Beer Sheba. 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she shoved[fp] the child under one of the shrubs. 16 Then she went and sat down by herself across from him at quite a distance, about a bowshot,[fq] away; for she thought,[fr] “I refuse to watch the child die.”[fs] So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably.[ft]

17 But God heard the boy’s voice.[fu] The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, “What is the matter,[fv] Hagar? Don’t be afraid, for God has heard[fw] the boy’s voice right where he is crying. 18 Get up! Help the boy up and hold him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God enabled Hagar to see a well of water.[fx] She went over and filled the skin with water, and then gave the boy a drink.

20 God was with the boy as he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran.[fy] His mother found a wife for him from the land of Egypt.[fz]

22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you[ga] in all that you do. 23 Now swear to me right here in God’s name[gb] that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants.[gc] Show me, and the land[gd] where you are staying,[ge] the same loyalty[gf] that I have shown you.”[gg]

24 Abraham said, “I swear to do this.”[gh] 25 But Abraham lodged a complaint against[gi] Abimelech concerning a well[gj] that Abimelech’s servants had seized.[gk] 26 “I do not know who has done this thing,” Abimelech replied. “Moreover,[gl] you did not tell me. I did not hear about it until today.”

27 Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. The two of them made a treaty.[gm] 28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs apart from the flock by themselves. 29 Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning[gn] of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 30 He replied, “You must take these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal proof[go] that I dug this well.”[gp] 31 That is why he named that place[gq] Beer Sheba,[gr] because the two of them swore an oath[gs] there.

32 So they made a treaty[gt] at Beer Sheba; then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, returned[gu] to the land of the Philistines.[gv] 33 Abraham[gw] planted a tamarisk tree[gx] in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the Lord,[gy] the eternal God. 34 So Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for quite some time.[gz]

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 19:1 tn The disjunctive clause is temporal here, indicating what Lot was doing at the time of their arrival.
  2. Genesis 19:1 tn Heb “sitting in the gate of Sodom.” The phrase “the gate of Sodom” has been translated “the city’s gateway” for stylistic reasons.sn The expression sitting in the city’s gateway may mean that Lot was exercising some type of judicial function (see the use of the idiom in 2 Sam 19:8; Jer 26:10; 38:7; 39:3).
  3. Genesis 19:2 tn The imperatives have the force of invitation.
  4. Genesis 19:2 tn These two verbs form a verbal hendiadys: “you can rise up early and go” means “you can go early.”
  5. Genesis 19:2 sn The town square refers to the wide street area at the gate complex of the city.
  6. Genesis 19:3 tn The Hebrew verb פָּצַר (patsar, “to press, to insist”) ironically foreshadows the hostile actions of the men of the city (see v. 9, where the verb also appears). The repetition of the word serves to contrast Lot to his world.
  7. Genesis 19:4 tn The verb שָׁכַב (shakhav) means “to lie down, to recline,” that is, “to go to bed.” Here what appears to be an imperfect is a preterite after the adverb טֶרֶם (terem). The nuance of potential (perfect) fits well.
  8. Genesis 19:4 tn Heb “and the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from the young to the old, all the people from the end [of the city].” The repetition of the phrase “men of” stresses all kinds of men.
  9. Genesis 19:5 tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to him.” This is redundant in English and has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
  10. Genesis 19:5 tn Heb “know.” The expression יָדַע (yadaʿ) “to know” is a euphemism for sexual relations. Elsewhere NET employs the English euphemism “be intimate with” for this use of יָדַע, but uses a different euphemism here because of the perverse overtones of force in this context. Their intent is to molest them, but their rhetoric tries to minimize their wickedness.sn The sin of the men of Sodom is debated. The fact that the sin involved a sexual act (see note on the phrase “take carnal knowledge of” in 19:5) precludes an association of the sin with inhospitality as is sometimes asserted (see W. Roth, “What of Sodom and Gomorrah? Homosexual Acts in the Old Testament,” Explor 1 [1974]: 7-14). The text at a minimum condemns forced sexual intercourse, i.e., rape. Other considerations, though, point to a condemnation of homosexual acts more generally. The narrator emphasizes the fact that the men of Sodom wanted to have sex with men: They demand that Lot release the angelic messengers (seen as men) to them for sex, and when Lot offers his daughters as a substitute they refuse them and attempt to take the angelic messengers by force. In addition the wider context of the Pentateuch condemns homosexual acts as sin (see, e.g., Lev 18:22). Thus a reading of this text within its narrative context, both immediate and broad, condemns not only the attempted rape but also the attempted homosexual act.
  11. Genesis 19:7 tn Heb “may my brothers not act wickedly.”
  12. Genesis 19:8 tn Heb “who have not known.” Here this expression is a euphemism for sexual relations.
  13. Genesis 19:8 tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes.”
  14. Genesis 19:8 tn Heb “shadow.”
  15. Genesis 19:8 sn This chapter portrays Lot as a hypocrite. He is well aware of the way the men live in his city and is apparently comfortable in the midst of it. But when confronted by the angels, he finally draws the line. But he is nevertheless willing to sacrifice his daughters’ virginity to protect his guests. His opposition to the crowds leads to his rejection as a foreigner by those with whom he had chosen to live. The one who attempted to rescue his visitors ends up having to be rescued by them.
  16. Genesis 19:9 tn Heb “approach out there” which could be rendered “Get out of the way, stand back!”
  17. Genesis 19:9 tn Heb “to live as a resident foreigner.”
  18. Genesis 19:9 tn Heb “and he has judged, judging.” The infinitive absolute follows the finite verbal form for emphasis. This emphasis is reflected in the translation by the phrase “dares to judge.”
  19. Genesis 19:9 tn The verb “to do wickedly” is repeated here (see v. 7). It appears that whatever “wickedness” the men of Sodom had intended to do to Lot’s visitors—probably nothing short of homosexual rape—they were now ready to inflict on Lot.
  20. Genesis 19:9 tn Heb “and they pressed against the man, against Lot, exceedingly.”
  21. Genesis 19:9 tn Heb “and they drew near.”
  22. Genesis 19:10 tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “inside” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  23. Genesis 19:10 tn The Hebrew text adds “their hand.” These words have not been translated for stylistic reasons.
  24. Genesis 19:10 tn Heb “to them into the house.”
  25. Genesis 19:11 tn Heb “from the least to the greatest.”
  26. Genesis 19:11 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the men of Sodom outside the door) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  27. Genesis 19:12 tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “visitors” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  28. Genesis 19:12 tn Heb “Yet who [is there] to you here?”
  29. Genesis 19:12 tn The words “Do you have” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  30. Genesis 19:12 tn Heb “a son-in-law and your sons and your daughters and anyone who (is) to you in the city.”
  31. Genesis 19:12 tn Heb “the place.” The Hebrew article serves here as a demonstrative.
  32. Genesis 19:13 tn The Hebrew participle expresses an imminent action here.
  33. Genesis 19:13 tn Heb “for their outcry.” The words “this place” have been moved from earlier in the sentence for stylistic reasons, and "about" has been added.
  34. Genesis 19:13 tn Heb “the Lord.” The repetition of the divine name has been replaced in the translation by the pronoun “he” for stylistic reasons.
  35. Genesis 19:14 sn The language has to be interpreted in the light of the context and the social customs. The men are called “sons-in-law” (literally “the takers of his daughters”), but the daughters had not yet had sex with a man. It is better to translate the phrase “who were going to marry his daughters.” Since formal marriage contracts were binding, the husbands-to-be could already be called sons-in-law.
  36. Genesis 19:14 tn The Hebrew active participle expresses an imminent action.
  37. Genesis 19:14 tn Heb “and he was like one taunting in the eyes of his sons-in-law.” These men mistakenly thought Lot was ridiculing them and their lifestyle. Their response illustrates how morally insensitive they had become.
  38. Genesis 19:15 tn Heb “When dawn came up.”
  39. Genesis 19:15 tn Heb “who are found.” The wording might imply he had other daughters living in the city, but the text does not explicitly state this.
  40. Genesis 19:15 tn Or “with the iniquity [i.e., punishment] of the city” (cf. NASB, NRSV).
  41. Genesis 19:16 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  42. Genesis 19:16 tn Heb “in the compassion of the Lord to them.”
  43. Genesis 19:16 tn Heb “brought him out and placed him.” The third masculine singular suffixes refer specifically to Lot, though his wife and daughters accompanied him (see v. 17). For stylistic reasons these have been translated as plural pronouns (“them”).
  44. Genesis 19:17 tn Or “one of them”; Heb “he.” Several ancient versions (LXX, Vulgate, Syriac) read the plural “they.” See also the note on “your” in v. 19.
  45. Genesis 19:17 tn Heb “escape.”
  46. Genesis 19:17 tn The Hebrew verb translated “look” signifies an intense gaze, not a passing glance. This same verb is used later in v. 26 to describe Lot’s wife’s self-destructive look back at the city.
  47. Genesis 19:17 tn Or “in the plain”; Heb “in the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
  48. Genesis 19:18 tn Or “my lords.” See the following note on the problem of identifying the addressee here. The Hebrew term is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay).
  49. Genesis 19:19 tn The second person pronominal suffixes are singular in this verse (note “your eyes,” “you have made great,” and “you have acted”). Verse 18a seems to indicate that Lot is addressing the angels, but the use of the singular and the appearance of the divine title “Lord” (אֲדֹנָי, ʾadonay) in v. 18b suggests he is speaking to God.
  50. Genesis 19:19 tn Heb “in your eyes.”
  51. Genesis 19:19 tn Heb “you made great your kindness.”
  52. Genesis 19:19 tn Heb “kindness that you have done with me.”sn The Hebrew word חֶסֶד (khesed) can refer to “faithful love” or to “kindness,” depending on the context. The precise nuance here is uncertain.
  53. Genesis 19:19 tn The infinitive construct explains how God has shown Lot kindness.
  54. Genesis 19:19 tn Heb “lest.”
  55. Genesis 19:19 tn The Hebrew verb דָּבַק (davaq) normally means “to stick to, to cleave, to join.” Lot is afraid he cannot outrun the coming calamity.
  56. Genesis 19:19 tn The perfect verb form with vav consecutive carries the nuance of the imperfect verbal form before it.
  57. Genesis 19:20 tn The Hebrew word עִיר (ʿir) can refer to either a city or a town, depending on the size of the place. Given that this place was described by Lot later in this verse as a “little place,” the translation uses “town.”
  58. Genesis 19:20 tn Heb “Look, this town is near to flee to there. And it is little.”
  59. Genesis 19:20 tn Heb “Let me escape to there.” The cohortative here expresses Lot’s request.
  60. Genesis 19:20 tn Heb “Is it not little?”
  61. Genesis 19:20 tn Heb “my soul will live.” After the cohortative the jussive with vav conjunctive here indicates purpose/result.
  62. Genesis 19:21 tn Heb “And he said to him, ‘Look, . . . .’” The order of the clauses has been rearranged for stylistic reasons. The referent of the speaker (“he”) is somewhat ambiguous: It could be taken as the angel to whom Lot has been speaking (so NLT; note the singular references in vv. 18-19), or it could be that Lot is speaking directly to the Lord here. Most English translations leave the referent of the pronoun unspecified and maintain the ambiguity.
  63. Genesis 19:21 tn Heb “I have lifted up your face [i.e., shown you favor] also concerning this matter.”
  64. Genesis 19:21 tn The negated infinitive construct indicates either the consequence of God’s granting the request (“I have granted this request, so that I will not”) or the manner in which he will grant it (“I have granted your request by not destroying”).
  65. Genesis 19:22 tn Heb “Be quick! Escape to there!” The two imperatives form a verbal hendiadys, the first becoming adverbial.
  66. Genesis 19:22 tn Heb “Therefore the name of the city is called Zoar.” The name of the place, צוֹעַר (tsoʿar) apparently means “Little Place,” in light of the wordplay with the term “little” (מִצְעָר, mitsʿar) used twice by Lot to describe the town (v. 20).
  67. Genesis 19:23 sn The sun had just risen. There was very little time for Lot to escape between dawn (v. 15) and sunrise (here).
  68. Genesis 19:23 tn The juxtaposition of the two disjunctive clauses indicates synchronic action. The first action (the sun’s rising) occurred as the second (Lot’s entering Zoar) took place. The disjunctive clauses also signal closure for the preceding scene.
  69. Genesis 19:24 tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of the next scene and highlights God’s action.
  70. Genesis 19:24 tn Or “burning sulfur” (the traditional “fire and brimstone”).
  71. Genesis 19:24 tn Heb “from the Lord from the heavens.” The words “It was sent down” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.sn The text explicitly states that the sulfur and fire that fell on Sodom and Gomorrah was sent down from the sky by the Lord. What exactly this was, and how it happened, can only be left to intelligent speculation, but see J. P. Harland, “The Destruction of the Cities of the Plain,” BA 6 (1943): 41-54.
  72. Genesis 19:25 tn Or “and all the plain”; Heb “and all the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
  73. Genesis 19:25 tn Heb “and what sprouts of the ground.”
  74. Genesis 19:26 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Lot) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  75. Genesis 19:26 tn The Hebrew verb means “to look intently; to gaze” (see 15:5).sn Longingly. Lot’s wife apparently identified with the doomed city and thereby showed lack of respect for God’s provision of salvation. She, like her daughters later, had allowed her thinking to be influenced by the culture of Sodom.
  76. Genesis 19:27 tn The words “and went” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  77. Genesis 19:28 tn Heb “upon the face of.”
  78. Genesis 19:28 tn Or “all the land of the plain”; Heb “and all the face of the land of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
  79. Genesis 19:28 tn Heb “And he saw, and look, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.”sn It is hard to imagine what was going on in Abraham’s mind, but this brief section in the narrative enables the reader to think about the human response to the judgment. Abraham had family in that area. He had rescued those people from the invasion. That was why he interceded. Yet he surely knew how wicked they were. That was why he got the number down to ten when he negotiated with God to save the city. But now he must have wondered, “What was the point?”
  80. Genesis 19:29 tn The construction is a temporal clause comprised of the temporal indicator, an infinitive construct with a preposition, and the subjective genitive.
  81. Genesis 19:29 tn Or “of the plain”; Heb “of the circle,” referring to the “circle” or oval area of the Jordan Valley.
  82. Genesis 19:29 tn Heb “remembered,” but this means more than mental recollection here. Abraham’s request (Gen 18:23-32) was that the Lord not destroy the righteous with the wicked. While the requisite minimum number of righteous people (ten, v. 32) needed for God to spare the cities was not found, God nevertheless rescued the righteous before destroying the wicked.sn God showed Abraham special consideration because of the covenantal relationship he had established with the patriarch. Yet the reader knows that God delivered the “righteous” (Lot’s designation in 2 Pet 2:7) before destroying their world—which is what he will do again at the end of the age.
  83. Genesis 19:29 sn God’s removal of Lot before the judgment is paradigmatic. He typically delivers the godly before destroying their world.
  84. Genesis 19:29 tn Heb “the overthrow when [he] overthrew.”
  85. Genesis 19:31 tn Heb “and the firstborn said.”
  86. Genesis 19:31 tn Or perhaps “on earth,” in which case the statement would be hyperbolic. sn Presumably there had been some men living in the town of Zoar to which Lot and his daughters had initially fled. Perhaps they feared that the destruction was more widespread than it really was, or perhaps they feared some sort of stigma following the disaster that fell on their former town.
  87. Genesis 19:31 tn Heb “to come over us according to the manner of the whole world.” “To come over us” is a euphemism for sexual relations. “According to the manner of the whole world” is an idiom for what is customary and normal, elsewhere (Josh 23:14; 1 Kgs 2:2) used to describe dying.
  88. Genesis 19:32 tn Heb “drink wine.”
  89. Genesis 19:32 tn Heb “and we will lie down with.” The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive is subordinated to the preceding cohortative and indicates purpose or result. The phrase “to lie down with” is a euphemism for sexual relations; the translation, in turn, also supplies a euphemism.
  90. Genesis 19:32 tn Or “that we may preserve.” Here the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates their ultimate goal.
  91. Genesis 19:32 tn Heb “and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”sn For a discussion of the cultural background of the daughters’ desire to preserve our family line see F. C. Fensham, “The Obliteration of the Family as Motif in the Near Eastern Literature,” AION 10 (1969): 191-99.
  92. Genesis 19:33 tn Heb “drink wine.”
  93. Genesis 19:33 tn Heb “the firstborn.”
  94. Genesis 19:33 tn Heb “came and lied down with.” Both of the expressions can be a euphemism for sexual relations. See the note at 2 Sam 12:24.
  95. Genesis 19:34 tn Heb “the firstborn.”
  96. Genesis 19:34 tn Heb “to lie with.” The phrase is a euphemism for sexual relations.
  97. Genesis 19:34 tn Heb “Let’s make him drink wine.”
  98. Genesis 19:34 tn Heb “And we will keep alive descendants from our father.”
  99. Genesis 19:35 tn Heb “drink wine.”
  100. Genesis 19:35 tn Heb “lied down with him.”
  101. Genesis 19:37 tn Heb “the firstborn.”
  102. Genesis 19:37 sn The meaning of the name Moab is not certain. The name sounds like the Hebrew phrase “from our father” (מֵאָבִינוּ, meʾavinu) which the daughters used twice (vv. 32, 34). This account is probably included in the narrative in order to portray the Moabites, who later became enemies of God’s people, in a negative light.
  103. Genesis 19:38 sn The name Ben Ammi means “son of my people.” Like the account of Moab’s birth, this story is probably included in the narrative to portray the Ammonites, another perennial enemy of Israel, in a negative light.
  104. Genesis 20:1 tn Or “the South [country]”; Heb “the land of the Negev.”sn Negev is the name for the southern desert region in the land of Canaan.
  105. Genesis 20:1 tn Heb “and he sojourned.”
  106. Genesis 20:3 tn Heb “came.”
  107. Genesis 20:3 tn Heb “Look, you [are] dead.” The Hebrew construction uses the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with a second person pronominal particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) with by the participle. It is a highly rhetorical expression.
  108. Genesis 20:3 tn Heb “and she is owned by an owner.” The disjunctive clause is causal or explanatory in this case.
  109. Genesis 20:4 tn The Hebrew term translated “Lord” here is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay).
  110. Genesis 20:4 tn Apparently Abimelech assumes that God’s judgment will fall on his entire nation. Some, finding the reference to a nation problematic, prefer to emend the text and read, “Would you really kill someone who is innocent?” See E. A. Speiser, Genesis (AB), 149.
  111. Genesis 20:5 tn Heb “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  112. Genesis 20:5 tn Heb “and she, even she.”
  113. Genesis 20:5 tn Heb “with the integrity of my heart.”
  114. Genesis 20:6 tn Heb “with the integrity of your heart.”
  115. Genesis 20:6 tn Heb “and I, even I, kept you.”
  116. Genesis 20:6 tn Heb “therefore.”
  117. Genesis 20:7 tn Or “for,” if the particle is understood as causal (as many English translations do) rather than asseverative.
  118. Genesis 20:7 sn For a discussion of the term prophet see N. Walker, “What is a Nabhi?” ZAW 73 (1961): 99-100.
  119. Genesis 20:7 tn After the preceding jussive (or imperfect), the imperative with vav conjunctive here indicates result.sn He will pray for you that you may live. Abraham was known as a man of God whose prayer would be effectual. Ironically and sadly, he was also known as a liar.
  120. Genesis 20:7 tn Heb “if there is not you returning.” The suffix on the particle becomes the subject of the negated clause.
  121. Genesis 20:7 tn The imperfect is preceded by the infinitive absolute to make the warning emphatic.
  122. Genesis 20:8 tn Heb “And Abimelech rose early in the morning and he summoned.”
  123. Genesis 20:8 tn The verb קָרָא (qaraʾ) followed by the preposition ל (lamed) means “to summon.”
  124. Genesis 20:8 tn Heb “And he spoke all these things in their ears.”
  125. Genesis 20:8 tn Heb “the men.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “they” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  126. Genesis 20:9 tn Heb “How did I sin against you that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin?” The expression “great sin” refers to adultery. For discussion of the cultural background of the passage, see J. J. Rabinowitz, “The Great Sin in Ancient Egyptian Marriage Contracts,” JNES 18 (1959): 73, and W. L. Moran, “The Scandal of the ‘Great Sin’ at Ugarit,” JNES 18 (1959): 280-81.
  127. Genesis 20:9 tn Heb “Deeds which should not be done you have done to me.” The imperfect has an obligatory nuance here.
  128. Genesis 20:10 tn Heb “And Abimelech said to.”
  129. Genesis 20:10 tn Heb “What did you see that you did this thing?” The question implies that Abraham had some motive for deceiving Abimelech.
  130. Genesis 20:11 tn Heb “Because I said.”
  131. Genesis 20:11 tn Heb “over the matter of.”
  132. Genesis 20:12 tn Heb “but also.”
  133. Genesis 20:13 tn The Hebrew verb is plural. This may be a case of grammatical agreement with the name for God, which is plural in form. However, when this plural name refers to the one true God, accompanying predicates are usually singular in form. Perhaps Abraham is accommodating his speech to Abimelech’s polytheistic perspective. (See GKC 463 §145.i.) If so, one should translate, “when the gods made me wander.”
  134. Genesis 20:13 tn Heb “This is your loyal deed which you can do for me.”
  135. Genesis 20:14 tn Heb “took and gave.”
  136. Genesis 20:15 tn Heb “In the [place that is] good in your eyes live!”
  137. Genesis 20:16 sn A thousand pieces [Heb “shekels”] of silver. The standards for weighing money varied considerably in the ancient Near East, but the generally accepted weight for the shekel is 11.5 grams (0.4 ounce). This makes the weight of silver here 11.5 kilograms, or 400 ounces (about 25 pounds).
  138. Genesis 20:16 sn To your ‘brother.’ Note the way that the king refers to Abraham. Was he being sarcastic? It was surely a rebuke to Sarah. What is amazing is how patient this king was. It is proof that the fear of God was in that place, contrary to what Abraham believed (see v. 11).
  139. Genesis 20:16 tn Heb “Look, it is for you a covering of the eyes, for all who are with you, and with all, and you are set right.” The exact meaning of the statement is unclear. Apparently it means that the gift of money somehow exonerates her in other people’s eyes. They will not look on her as compromised (see G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:74).
  140. Genesis 20:18 tn In the Hebrew text the clause begins with “because.”
  141. Genesis 20:18 tn Heb had completely closed up every womb.” In the Hebrew text infinitive absolute precedes the finite verb for emphasis.sn The Lord had closed up every womb. This fact indicates that Sarah was in Abimelech’s household for weeks or months before the dream revelation was given (20:6-7). No one in his household could have children after Sarah arrived on the scene.
  142. Genesis 20:18 tn Heb “because of the matter of.” The words “he took” are used in the translation for clarity.
  143. Genesis 21:1 sn The Hebrew verb translated “visit” (פָּקַד, paqad) often describes divine intervention for blessing or cursing; it indicates God’s special attention to an individual or a matter, always with respect to his people’s destiny. He may visit (that is, destroy) the Amalekites; he may visit (that is, deliver) his people in Egypt. Here he visits Sarah, to allow her to have the promised child. One’s destiny is changed when the Lord “visits.” For a more detailed study of the term, see G. André, Determining the Destiny (ConBOT).
  144. Genesis 21:1 tn Heb “and the Lord did.” The divine name has not been repeated here in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  145. Genesis 21:1 tn Heb “spoken.”
  146. Genesis 21:2 tn Or “she conceived.”
  147. Genesis 21:3 tn Heb “the one born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.” The two modifying clauses, the first introduced with an article and the second with the relative pronoun, are placed in the middle of the sentence, before the name Isaac is stated. They are meant to underscore that this was indeed an actual birth to Abraham and Sarah in fulfillment of the promise.
  148. Genesis 21:4 tn Heb “Isaac his son, the son of eight days.”
  149. Genesis 21:4 sn Just as God had commanded him to do. With the birth of the promised child, Abraham obeyed the Lord by both naming (Gen 17:19) and circumcising Isaac (17:12).
  150. Genesis 21:5 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause underscores how miraculous this birth was. Abraham was 100 years old. The fact that the genealogies give the ages of the fathers when their first son is born shows that this was considered a major milestone in one’s life (G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:80).
  151. Genesis 21:6 tn Heb “Laughter God has made for me.”
  152. Genesis 21:6 tn The words “about this” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  153. Genesis 21:6 sn Sarah’s words play on the name “Isaac” in a final triumphant manner. God prepared “laughter” (צְחֹק, tsekhoq) for her, and everyone who hears about this “will laugh” (יִצְחַק, yitskhaq) with her. The laughter now signals great joy and fulfillment, not unbelief (cf. Gen 18:12-15).
  154. Genesis 21:7 tn Heb “said.”
  155. Genesis 21:7 tn The perfect form of the verb is used here to describe a hypothetical situation.
  156. Genesis 21:8 tn Heb “made.”
  157. Genesis 21:8 sn Children were weaned closer to the age of two or three in the ancient world, because infant mortality was high. If an infant grew to this stage, it was fairly certain he or she would live. Such an event called for a celebration, especially for parents who had waited so long for a child.
  158. Genesis 21:9 tn Heb “saw.”
  159. Genesis 21:9 tn The Piel participle used here is from the same root as the name “Isaac.” In the Piel stem the verb means “to jest; to make sport of; to play with,” not simply “to laugh,” which is the meaning of the verb in the Qal stem. What exactly Ishmael was doing is not clear. Interpreters have generally concluded that the boy was either (1) mocking Isaac (cf. NASB, NIV, NLT) or (2) merely playing with Isaac as if on equal footing (cf. NAB, NRSV). In either case Sarah saw it as a threat. The same participial form was used in Gen 19:14 to describe how some in Lot’s family viewed his attempt to warn them of impending doom. It also appears later in Gen 39:14, 17, where Potiphar accuses Joseph of mocking them. sn Mocking. Here Sarah interprets Ishmael’s actions as being sinister. Ishmael probably did not take the younger child seriously and Sarah saw this as a threat to Isaac. Paul in Gal 4:29 says that Ishmael persecuted Isaac. He uses a Greek word that can mean “to put to flight; to chase away; to pursue” and may be drawing on a rabbinic interpretation of the passage. In Paul’s analogical application of the passage, he points out that once the promised child Isaac (symbolizing Christ as the fulfillment of God’s promise) has come, there is no room left for the slave woman and her son (who symbolize the Mosaic law).
  160. Genesis 21:10 tn Heb “drive out.” The language may seem severe, but Sarah’s maternal instincts sensed a real danger in that Ishmael was not treating Isaac with the proper respect.
  161. Genesis 21:11 tn Heb “and the word was very wrong in the eyes of Abraham on account of his son.” The verb רָעַע (raʿaʿ) often refers to what is morally or ethically “evil.” It usage here suggests that Abraham thought Sarah’s demand was ethically (and perhaps legally) wrong.
  162. Genesis 21:12 tn Heb “Let it not be evil in your eyes.”
  163. Genesis 21:12 tn Heb “listen to her voice.” The idiomatic expression means “obey; comply.” Here her advice, though harsh, is necessary and conforms to the will of God. Later (see Gen 25), when Abraham has other sons, he sends them all away as well.
  164. Genesis 21:12 tn The imperfect verbal form here draws attention to an action that is underway.
  165. Genesis 21:12 tn Or perhaps “will be named”; Heb “for in Isaac offspring will be called to you.” The exact meaning of the statement is not clear, but it does indicate that God’s covenantal promises to Abraham will be realized through Isaac, not Ishmael.
  166. Genesis 21:13 tc The translation follows the Smr, LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate here in adding “great” (cf. 21:18); MT reads simply “a nation.”
  167. Genesis 21:14 tn Heb “and Abraham rose up early in the morning and he took.”
  168. Genesis 21:14 tn Heb “bread,” although the term can be used for food in general.
  169. Genesis 21:14 tn Heb “He put upon her shoulder, and the boy [or perhaps, “and with the boy”], and he sent her away.” It is unclear how “and the boy” relates syntactically to what precedes. Perhaps the words should be rearranged and the text read, “and he put [them] on her shoulder and he gave to Hagar the boy.”
  170. Genesis 21:14 tn Heb “she went and wandered.”
  171. Genesis 21:14 tn Or “desert,” although for English readers this usually connotes a sandy desert like the Sahara rather than the arid wasteland of this region with its sparse vegetation.
  172. Genesis 21:15 tn Heb “threw,” but the child, who was now thirteen years old, would not have been carried, let alone thrown under a bush. The exaggerated language suggests Ishmael is limp from dehydration and is being abandoned to die. See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 2:85.
  173. Genesis 21:16 sn A bowshot would be a distance of about 100 yards (90 meters).
  174. Genesis 21:16 tn Heb “said.”
  175. Genesis 21:16 tn Heb “I will not look on the death of the child.” The cohortative verbal form (note the negative particle אַל, ʾal) here expresses her resolve to avoid the stated action.
  176. Genesis 21:16 tn Heb “and she lifted up her voice and wept” (that is, she wept uncontrollably). The LXX reads “he” (referring to Ishmael) rather than “she” (referring to Hagar), but this is probably an attempt to harmonize this verse with the following one, which refers to the boy’s cries.
  177. Genesis 21:17 sn God heard the boy’s voice. The text has not to this point indicated that Ishmael was crying out, either in pain or in prayer. But the text here makes it clear that God heard him. Ishmael is clearly central to the story. Both the mother and the Lord are focused on the child’s imminent death.
  178. Genesis 21:17 tn Heb “What to you?”
  179. Genesis 21:17 sn Here the verb heard picks up the main motif of the name Ishmael (“God hears”), introduced back in chap. 16.
  180. Genesis 21:19 tn Heb “And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.” The referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  181. Genesis 21:21 sn The wilderness of Paran is an area in the east central region of the Sinai peninsula, northeast from the traditional site of Mt. Sinai and with the Arabah and the Gulf of Aqaba as its eastern border.
  182. Genesis 21:21 tn Heb “And his mother took for him a wife from the land of Egypt.”
  183. Genesis 21:22 sn God is with you. Abimelech and Phicol recognized that Abraham enjoyed special divine provision and protection.
  184. Genesis 21:23 tn Heb “And now swear to me by God here.”
  185. Genesis 21:23 tn Heb “my offspring and my descendants.”
  186. Genesis 21:23 tn The word “land” refers by metonymy to the people in the land.
  187. Genesis 21:23 tn The Hebrew verb means “to stay, to live, to sojourn” as a temporary resident without ownership rights.
  188. Genesis 21:23 tn Or “kindness.”
  189. Genesis 21:23 tn Heb “According to the loyalty which I have done with you, do with me and with the land in which you are staying.”
  190. Genesis 21:24 tn Heb “I swear.” No object is specified in the Hebrew text, but the content of the oath requested by Abimelech is the implied object.
  191. Genesis 21:25 tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to argue; to dispute”; it can focus on the beginning of the dispute (as here), the dispute itself, or the resolution of a dispute (Isa 1:18). Apparently the complaint was lodged before the actual oath was taken.
  192. Genesis 21:25 tn Heb “concerning the matter of the well of water.”
  193. Genesis 21:25 tn The Hebrew verb used here means “to steal; to rob; to take violently.” The statement reflects Abraham’s perspective.
  194. Genesis 21:26 tn Heb “and also.”
  195. Genesis 21:27 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
  196. Genesis 21:29 tn Heb “What are these?”
  197. Genesis 21:30 tn Heb “that it be for me for a witness.”
  198. Genesis 21:30 sn This well. Since the king wanted a treaty to share in Abraham’s good fortune, Abraham used the treaty to secure ownership of and protection for the well he dug. It would be useless to make a treaty to live in this territory if he had no rights to the water. Abraham consented to the treaty, but added his rider to it.
  199. Genesis 21:31 tn Heb “that is why he called that place.” Some translations render this as an impersonal passive, “that is why that place was called.”
  200. Genesis 21:31 sn The name Beer Sheba (בְּאֵר שָׁבַע, beʾer shavaʿ) means “well of the oath” or “well of the seven.” Both the verb “to swear” and the number “seven” have been used throughout the account. Now they are drawn in as part of the explanation of the significance of the name.
  201. Genesis 21:31 sn The verb forms a wordplay with the name Beer Sheba.
  202. Genesis 21:32 tn Heb “cut a covenant.”
  203. Genesis 21:32 tn Heb “arose and returned.”
  204. Genesis 21:32 sn The Philistines mentioned here may not be ethnically related to those who lived in Palestine in the time of the judges and the united monarchy. See D. M. Howard, “Philistines,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 238.
  205. Genesis 21:33 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Abraham) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  206. Genesis 21:33 sn The planting of the tamarisk tree is a sign of Abraham’s intent to stay there for a long time, not a religious act. A growing tree in the Negev would be a lasting witness to God’s provision of water.
  207. Genesis 21:33 tn Heb “he called there in the name of the Lord.” The expression refers to worshiping the Lord through prayer and sacrifice (see Gen 4:26; 12:8; 13:4; 26:25). See G. J. Wenham, Genesis (WBC), 1:116, 281.
  208. Genesis 21:34 tn Heb “many days.”
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Genesis 18
Genesis 22
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Genesis 25:12-18
New English Translation

The Sons of Ishmael

12 This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael,[a] whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to Abraham.

13 These are the names of Ishmael’s sons, by their names according to their records:[b] Nebaioth (Ishmael’s firstborn), Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their settlements and their camps—twelve princes[c] according to their clans.

17 Ishmael lived a total of[d] 137 years. He breathed his last and died; then he joined his ancestors.[e] 18 His descendants[f] settled from Havilah to Shur, which runs next to[g] Egypt all the way[h] to Asshur.[i] They settled[j] away from all their relatives.[k]

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 25:12 sn This is the account of Ishmael. The Book of Genesis tends to tidy up the family records at every turning point. Here, before proceeding with the story of Isaac’s family, the narrative traces Ishmael’s family line. Later, before discussing Jacob’s family, the narrative traces Esau’s family line (see Gen 36).
  2. Genesis 25:13 tn The meaning of this line is not easily understood. The sons of Ishmael are listed here “by their names” and “according to their descendants.”
  3. Genesis 25:16 tn Or “tribal chieftains.”
  4. Genesis 25:17 tn Heb “And these are the days of the years of Ishmael.”
  5. Genesis 25:17 tn Heb “And he was gathered to his people.” In the ancient Israelite view he joined his deceased ancestors in Sheol, the land of the dead.
  6. Genesis 25:18 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Ishmael’s descendants) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  7. Genesis 25:18 tn Heb “which is by the face of,” or near the border. The territory ran along the border of Egypt.
  8. Genesis 25:18 tn Heb “as you go.”
  9. Genesis 25:18 sn The name Asshur refers here to a tribal area in the Sinai.
  10. Genesis 25:18 tn Heb “he fell.”
  11. Genesis 25:18 tn Heb “upon the face of all his brothers.” This last expression, obviously alluding to the earlier oracle about Ishmael (Gen 16:12), could mean that the descendants of Ishmael lived in hostility to others or that they lived in a territory that was opposite the lands of their relatives. While there is some ambiguity about the meaning, the line probably does give a hint of the Ishmaelite-Israelite conflicts to come.
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Genesis 26
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1 Chronicles 1:28-31
New English Translation

28 The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael.

29 These were their descendants:

Ishmael’s Descendants

Ishmael’s firstborn son was Nebaioth; the others were[a] Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 1:29 tn The words “the others were” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
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1 Chronicles 2
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New English Translation (NET)

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