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19 Ora i due angeli giunsero a Sodoma verso sera, mentre Lot era seduto alla porta di Sodoma; come li vide egli si alzó per andar loro incontro e si prostrò con la faccia a terra,

e disse: «Miei signori, vi prego, venite in casa del vostro servo, passatevi la notte e lavatevi i piedi; poi domattina potrete alzarvi presto e continuare il vostro cammino». Essi risposero: «No; passeremo la notte sulla piazza».

Ma egli insistette così tanto che vennero da lui ed entrarono in casa sua. Quindi egli preparò loro un banchetto e cosse dei pani senza lievito, ed essi mangiarono.

Ma prima che andassero a coricarsi, gli uomini della città, gli uomini di Sodoma, circondarono la casa, giovani e vecchi l'intera popolazione venuta da ogni dove;

chiamarono Lot e gli dissero: «Dove sono gli uomini che sono venuti da te questa notte? Portaceli fuori. affinché li possiamo conoscere!».

Lot uscì verso di loro davanti alla porta di casa, chiuse la porta dietro di sé e disse:

«Deh fratelli miei, non comportatevi in modo così malvagio!

Sentite, io ho due figlie che non hanno conosciuto uomo; deh, lasciate che ve le porti fuori e fate loro quel che vi pare; ma non fate nulla a questi uomini, perché essi sono entrati sotto la protezione del mio tetto».

Ma essi dissero: «fatti in là!». Poi continuarono: «Costui è venuto qui come straniero, e vuol far da giudice! Ora faremo a te peggio che a quelli!». E spingendo Lot con violenza si avvicinarono per sfondare la porta.

10 Ma quegli uomini allungarono le loro mani e tirarono Lot in casa con loro, e chiusero la porta.

11 colpirono quindi di cecità la gente che era alla porta della casa, dal piú piccolo al piú grande, cosicché si stancarono nel tentativo i trovare la porta.

12 Allora quegli uomini dissero a Lot: «Chi altro hai tu qui? Fa' uscire da questo luogo i tuoi generi, i tuoi figli e le tue figlie, e chiunque tu abbia in città,

13 poiché noi stiamo per distruggere questo luogo, perché il grido dei suoi abitanti è grande davanti all'Eterno e l'Eterno ci ha mandati a distruggerlo».

14 Allora Lot uscì e parlò ai suoi generi che avevano sposato le sue figlie, e disse: «Levatevi, uscite da questo luogo, perché l'Eterno sta per distruggere la città». Ma ai generi parve che egli volesse scherzare.

15 Come spuntò l'alba, gli angeli sollecitarono Lot, dicendo: «Levati, prendi tua moglie e le tue figlie che si trovano qui, affinché tu non perisca nel castigo di questa città».

16 Ma siccome egli si indugiava, quegli uomini presero per mano lui, sua moglie e le sue due figlie, perché l'Eterno aveva avuto misericordia di lui, lo fecero uscire e lo condussero in salvo fuori della città.

17 Come essi li conducevano fuori uno di loro disse: «Fuggi per salvare la tua vita! Non guardare indietro e non ti fermare in alcun luogo della pianura; salvati al monte che tu non abbia a perire!».

18 Ma Lot rispose loro: «No, mio signore!

19 Ecco, il tuo servo ha trovato grazia agli occhi tuoi e tu hai usato grande misericordia verso di me, salvandomi la vita; ma io non riuscirò a raggiungere il monte prima che il disastro mi sopraggiunga ed io perisca.

20 Ecco, questa città è abbastanza vicina per potervi arrivare, ed è piccola. Deh, lascia che io fugga là (non è essa piccola?), e così avrò salva la vita».

21 L'angelo gli disse: «Ecco, io ti concedo anche questa richiesta: di non distruggere la città, di cui hai parlato.

22 Affrettati, fuggi là, perché io non posso fare nulla finché tu vi sia giunto». Perciò quella città fu chiamata Tsoar.

23 Il sole si levava sulla terra quando Lot arrivò a Tsoar.

24 Allora l'Eterno fece piovere dal cielo su Sodoma e Gomorra zolfo e fuoco, da parte dell'Eterno.

25 Così egli distrusse quelle città, tutta la pianura, tutti gli abitanti della città e quanto cresceva sul suolo.

26 Ma la moglie di Lot si volse a guardare indietro e diventò una statua di sale.

27 Abrahamo si levò al mattino presto e andò al luogo dove si era fermato davanti all'Eterno;

28 poi guardò verso Sodoma e Gomorra e verso tutta la regione della pianura, ed ecco vide un fumo che si levava dalla terra, come il fumo di una fornace

29 Così avvenne che, quando DIO distrusse la città della pianura, DIO si ricordò di Abrahamo e fece allontanare Lot di mezzo al disastro, quando distrusse le città dove Lot aveva dimorato.

30 Poi lot uscì da Tsoar e andò ad abitare sul monte insieme con le sue due figlie, perché aveva paura di stare a Tsoar; e si stabilì in una caverna con le sue due figlie.

31 Ora la maggiore disse alla minore: «Nostro padre è vecchio, e non vi è piú alcun uomo nel paese che possa unirsi a noi, come si usa su tutta la terra.

32 vieni, facciamo bere del vino a nostro padre e corichiamoci con lui; così potremo assicurare una discendenza a nostro padre».

33 Così quella stessa notte fecero bere del vino al loro padre; e la maggiore entrò e si coricò con suo padre: ed egli non si accorse né quando ella si coricò né quando si levò.

34 All'indomani la maggiore disse alla minore: «ecco, la notte scorsa io mi sono coricata con mio padre; Facciamogli bere del vino anche questa notte; poi tu entra e coricati con lui, affinché possiamo assicurare una discendenza a nostro padre».

35 Anche quella notte fecero bere del vino al loro padre, e la minore andò a coricarsi con lui; ed egli non si accorse né quando ella si coricò né quando si levò.

36 Così le due figlie di Lot rimasero incinte per mezzo del loro padre.

37 La maggiore diede alla luce un figlio, al quale pose nome Moab. Questi è il padre dei Moabiti, che sussistono fino al giorno d'oggi.

38 Anche la minore partorì un figlio, al quale pose nome Ben-Ammi. Questi è il padre degli Ammoniti, ce sussistono fino al giorno d'oggi.

Sodom’s Depravity

19 Now (A)the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and (B)Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. And he said, “Here now, my lords, please (C)turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and (D)wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.”

And they said, (E)“No, but we will spend the night in the open square.”

But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. (F)Then he made them a feast, and baked (G)unleavened bread, and they ate.

Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. (H)And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? (I)Bring them out to us that we (J)may know them carnally.

So (K)Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! (L)See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, (M)since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.”

And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one (N)came in to [a]stay here, (O)and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door. 10 But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. 11 And they (P)struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.

Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed(Q)

12 Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city—(R)take them out of this place! 13 For we will destroy this place, because the (S)outcry against them has grown great before the face of the Lord, and (T)the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”

14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, (U)who had married his daughters, and said, (V)“Get up, get out of this place; for the Lord will destroy this city!” (W)But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.

15 When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, (X)“Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” 16 And while he lingered, the men (Y)took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the (Z)Lord being merciful to him, (AA)and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that [b]he said, (AB)“Escape for your life! (AC)Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape (AD)to the mountains, lest you be [c]destroyed.”

18 Then Lot said to them, “Please, (AE)no, my lords! 19 Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. 20 See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.”

21 And he said to him, “See, (AF)I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. 22 Hurry, escape there. For (AG)I cannot do anything until you arrive there.”

Therefore (AH)the name of the city was called [d]Zoar.

23 The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. 24 Then the Lord rained (AI)brimstone and (AJ)fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 So He [e]overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and (AK)what grew on the ground.

26 But his wife looked back behind him, and she became (AL)a pillar of salt.

27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where (AM)he had stood before the Lord. 28 Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, (AN)the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. 29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God (AO)remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.

The Descendants of Lot

30 Then Lot went up out of Zoar and (AP)dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave. 31 Now the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth (AQ)to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth. 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we (AR)may preserve the [f]lineage of our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

34 It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, “Indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the [g]lineage of our father.” 35 Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

36 Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; (AS)he is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; (AT)he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 19:9 As a resident alien
  2. Genesis 19:17 LXX, Syr., Vg. they
  3. Genesis 19:17 Lit. swept away
  4. Genesis 19:22 Lit. Little or Insignificant
  5. Genesis 19:25 devastated
  6. Genesis 19:32 Lit. seed
  7. Genesis 19:34 Lit. seed

God Rescues Lot

19 The (A)two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, (B)please turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night (C)and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, (D)“No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. (E)And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? (F)Bring them out to us, that we (G)may know them.” Lot went out to the men at the entrance, shut the door after him, and said, “I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. (H)Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.” But they said, “Stand back!” And they said, “This fellow (I)came to sojourn, and (J)he has become the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and drew near to break the door down. 10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them and shut the door. 11 And they struck with (K)blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they wore themselves out groping for the door.

12 Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city, (L)bring them out of the place. 13 For we are about to destroy this place, (M)because the outcry against its people has become great before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.” 14 So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, (N)“Up! Get out of this place, for the Lord is about to destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.

15 As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, (O)the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city. 17 And as they brought them out, one said, “Escape for your life. (P)Do not look back or stop anywhere in the (Q)valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.” 18 And Lot said to them, “Oh, no, my lords. 19 Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die. 20 Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!” 21 He said to him, “Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22 Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called (R)Zoar.[a]

God Destroys Sodom

23 The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24 Then (S)the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26 But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became (T)a pillar of salt.

27 And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had (U)stood before the Lord. 28 And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.

29 So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God (V)remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.

Lot and His Daughters

30 Now Lot went up out of Zoar and (W)lived in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31 And the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to 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 offspring from our father.” 33 So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

34 The next day, the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine tonight also. Then you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve offspring from our father.” 35 So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. 36 Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab.[b] (X)He is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38 The younger also bore a son and called his name Ben-ammi.[c] (Y)He is the father of the Ammonites to this day.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 19:22 Zoar means little
  2. Genesis 19:37 Moab sounds like the Hebrew for from father
  3. Genesis 19:38 Ben-ammi means son of my people