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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Genesis 19:17

he said One of the men is spokesman, as in Genesis 19:21; but the plural "they said" is found in the LXX and Lat.

look not behind thee The meaning of this direction, which recalls the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, is not quite obvious. It may be a prohibition either of irresolute lingering, or of regretful curiosity. It is, probably, also, a test of obedience, combined with the thought that man could not look upon Jehovah and live. Cf. Genesis 16:13; Exodus 19:21.

the Plain i.e. the kikkar: see Genesis 13:10.

the mountain i.e. the mountainous region on the east of the Dead Sea, "the mountains of Moab."

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See also Genesis 19:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 19:17. _WHEN THEY HAD BROUGHT THEM FORTH, C._] Every word here is emphatic, _Escape for thy_ LIFE thou art in the most imminent danger of perishing; thy _life_ and thy _soul_ are both a...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - The Destruction of Sodom and Amorah 9. גשׁ־הלאה gesh-hāl'âh, “approach to a distant point,” stand back. 11. סנורים _san__e__vērı̂ym_, “blindness,” affecting the mental more than the ocular visi...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 19 THE DESTRUCTION OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH _ 1. The angels visit (Genesis 19:1)_ 2. Lot and the Sodomites (Genesis 19:6) 3. The destruction of Sodom announced (Genesis 19:12) 4. Lot and his

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 12:1 TO GENESIS 25:18. THE STORY OF ABRAHAM. In this section the three main sources, J. E, P are present. Gunkel has given strong reasons for holding that J is here made up of two main sources...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    The men have learnt all they need to know of Sodom's character, and tell Lot of its impending fate that he may be rescued with his household. His prospective sons-in-law (_mg.)_ do not heed his warnin...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE. These words indicate the imminence and dreadful character of the danger. Utter destruction awaits all in the wicked city. There is no escape but in flight. The storm of destructi...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    HE. Septuagint reads "they". LIFE. soul. Hebrew. _nephesh._ See App-13. LOOK, &C. Figure of speech _Asyndeton._ (No ands, but climax.)...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 31 LOT DELIVERED OUT OF SODOM Genesis 19:17. _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 al...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _5. Lot's Deliverance (Genesis 19:12-17_) 12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whomsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ The kindly interest...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    19:17 plain. (g-29) See ch. 13.10....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE DESTRUCTION OF THE CITIES OF THE PLAIN 1. The visit of the two angels (who are 'the men' of Genesis 18) may be regarded as the final test of Sodom. If they were hospitably received and honourably...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE MOUNTAIN] the mountains of Moab, E. of the Dead Sea. 18-22. The motive of Lot's request is uncertain. He either feared that there would not be time to reach the mountain, or he was reluctant to l...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    The *angels told Lot to go to the hills. But Lot did not go there. The *angels allowed Lot to go to Zoar. Lot wanted to go there. But Lot soon had to go where the *angels had said. (See verse 30.)...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 19 TWO *ANGELS GO TO SODOM V1 The two *angels reached Sodom in the evening. Lot sat at the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he stood up. He went...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    ABROAD. — Heb., _outside_ — that is, of the city. LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE. — This was not merely to prevent delay, but also showed that God demanded of them a total abandonment in heart and will of the...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יְהִי֩ כְ הֹוצִיאָ֨ם אֹתָ֜ם הַ ח֗וּצָה

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    DESTRUCTION OF THE CITIES OF THE PLAIN Genesis 19:1 WHILE Abraham was pleading with the Lord the angels were pursuing their way to Sodom. And in doing so they apparently observed the laws of those hu...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    SODOM AND GOMORRAH DESTROYED Genesis 19:12 It was a very weak nature that heaven was so eager to rescue. Though described as a _righteous_ man, Lot was a very weak one. He had pitched his tent toward...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here the story of the visit of Jehovah and the angels is continued. Here we see the two angels coming to Lot. By this time Lot had attained to a position of eminence in Sodom. The phrase, "sitting in...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    LOT AND HIS FAMILY Any doubt one has about God keeping wicked under his protective care is removed by this story. The angels delivered Lot, his wife and their two daughters safely from the city before...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; (i) look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be cons...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Look not back. Flee with all expedition; let no marks of pity for the wretched Sodomites, nor of sorrow for the lose of your property, be seen._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    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...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have had hitherto God's account of that which He had made; then the trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine mercy in Christ the Lord. We have had in fine the judgment of...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    17._Escape for thy life_. This was added by Moses, to teach use that the Lord not only stretches out his hand to us for a moment, in order to begin our salvation; but that without leaving his work imp...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Lot, in the following chapter, because of his connection with the heavenly man, depositary of God's counsels and wisdom, and intercessor, himself down in the plain of this world, which he had chosen,...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THEY HAD BROUGHT THEM FORTH ABROAD,.... Into the fields of Sodom, or the suburbs of it: THAT HE SAID, ESCAPE FOR THY LIFE; not one of the two men or angels that had been wit...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Look not behind thee_ He must not loiter by the way; _stay not in all the plain_ For it would all be made one dead sea; he must not take up short of the place of refuge appointed him; _escape to the...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Lot entertaineth two Angels. 4 The vicious Sodomites are striken with blindnesse. 12 Lot is sent for safety into the mountaines. 18 Hee obtaineth leaue to goe into Zoar. 24 Sodome and Gomorrah a...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Rescue of Lot...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    See Genesis 18:1 ff for the passage quote with footnotes. 3. _The entrance and sojourn of the two angels in Sodom, and the completed manifestation of its corruption in opposition to the better conduct...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    SODOM'S WICKEDNESS EXPOSED Not in the heat of the day, but in the evening, the two angels arrived at Sodom. Lot was sitting in the gate, the place of a judge. He was a believer making an effort to con...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-29 Lot was good, but there was not one more of the same character in the city. All the people of Sodom were very wicked and vile. Care was therefore taken for saving Lot and his family. Lot lingere...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Either one of the angels said this, or the third person, the Lord himself, who having parted from Abraham, after some time came to Lot, as appears both by the change of the number; for before this he...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    There are two methods which the Lord graciously adopts, in order to draw the heart away from this present world. The first is, by setting before it the attractiveness and stability of "things above....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 19:17 brought H3318 (H8687) outside H2351 said H559 (H8799) Escape H4422 (H8734) for H5921 life...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And it happened that, when they had brought them out, he said, “Escape for your life. Do not look behind you. Do not stay in all the Plain. Escape to the mountain lest you be consumed.” ' The ‘he' ha...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Genesis 19 Notice: I. Sodom's sinfulness. Her sins were committed amidst an unbounded flush of prosperity; they were committed amidst scenes of much natural loveliness, Nature being outraged before...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Genesis 19:12. _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:_ Let me bid eve...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot's backsliding and escape. CHARACTERS: Angels, Lot and family, Abraham, Moab, Benammi. CONCLUSION: No Christian can find his pleasure and profit in th...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 19:1. _Lot sat in the gate of Sodom,_ as a magistrate, no doubt, for the wicked accuse him of making himself a judge or elder. The main gate of a city was the usual place of hearing causes, an...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Escape for thy life; look not behind thee_ DELAYS ARE DANGEROUS I. AN ALARM. “Escape for thy life.” 1. Lot’s life was in imminent danger. So is the life of every unconverted man. 2. But Lot had t...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 19:17 Since the entire valley will be destroyed, Lot is told to ESCAPE TO THE HILLS. Lot thinks this will be too difficult and therefore asks to be given refuge in a small city...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 19:12. Son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters.] “The mention of the son-in-law before the sons and daughters is somewhat surprising. _Lange_ has proposed to read thus: ‘H...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 19:12, GENESIS 19:13 AND THE MEN SAID UNTO LOT,—after the incident recorded in the preceding verses. Lot by this time had doubtless recognized their celestial character; accordingl...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Chapter nineteen of the book of Genesis deals with the destruction of the city of Sodom. The Lord came to Abraham and informed him of the fact that because of the wickedness of Sodom, it was necessary...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    he said. Genesis 18:22 Escape. Genesis 19:14 Genesis 19:15 Genesis 19:22...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    ABRAHAM AND LOT CONTRASTED Genesis 19:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS As we enter into Genesis nineteen we are struck with many contrasts between it and Genesis eighteen. The eighteenth speaks of Abraham and t...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    LOT FLEEING FROM SODOM Genesis 19:14 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We have before us one of the greatest conflagrations of all history, dual cities and their neighboring villages utterly consumed by fire sent...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Look not behind thee — He must not loiter by the way; stay not in all the plain — For it would all be made one dead sea: he must not take up short of the place of refuge appointed him; escape to the m...

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