Genesis 19:20

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

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.

Complete Jewish Bible:

Look, there's a town nearby to flee to, and it's a small one. Please let me escape there - isn't it just a small one? -and that way I will stay alive."

Berean Standard Bible:

Look, there is a town nearby where I can flee, and it is a small place. Please let me flee there—is it not a small place? Then my life will be saved.”

American Standard Version:

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.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

Behold now, this city^{H5892} is near^{H7138} to flee^{H5127} unto, and it^{H1931} is a little one^{H4705}: Oh, let me escape^{H4422} thither,( is it not a little one^{H4705}?) and my soul^{H5315} shall live^{H2421}.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for Genesis 19:20

Genesis 19:20 is a part of the narrative concerning the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities infamous in biblical literature for their wickedness and sinfulness. In the broader context, God has decided to destroy these cities due to their grievous sins, but Abraham intercedes on their behalf, negotiating with God to spare the cities if even ten righteous people can be found within them. Unable to find ten righteous individuals, angels are sent to lead Abraham's nephew Lot and his family out of the city before its destruction.

In Genesis 19:20, Lot pleads with the angels to allow him to flee to a nearby small city named Zoar, rather than escaping to the mountains as initially instructed. The verse captures Lot's desperation and his pragmatic reasoning: he perceives Zoar as a safe haven where he can find refuge from the impending catastrophe. By emphasizing the city's small size, Lot might be suggesting that it would be easier to escape notice and survive there, implicitly acknowledging the relative righteousness of this smaller community compared to Sodom. His appeal is both a plea for mercy and an expression of his belief that in Zoar, a place of less significance and perhaps less corruption, his life and the lives of his family will be spared.

This verse reflects themes of divine judgment, mercy, and the possibility of salvation even in the face of overwhelming destruction. It also highlights the complexity of human nature, as Lot seeks to preserve his life in a manner that seems more secure to him personally, rather than adhering strictly to the divine command. The historical context of this verse is rooted in the ancient Near Eastern setting where cities could be utterly destroyed as an act of divine retribution, and where the survival of individuals often depended on their ability to seek refuge in less significant or less corrupt settlements.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H5892
   There are 937 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: עִיר
   Transliteration: ʻîyr
   Pronunciation: eer
   Description: or (in the plural) עָר; or עָיַר; (Judges 10:4), from עוּר; a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post); Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.
   
2. Strong's Number: H7138
   There are 76 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: קָרוֹב
   Transliteration: qârôwb
   Pronunciation: kaw-robe'
   Description: or קָרֹב; from קָרַב; near (in place, kindred or time); allied, approach, at hand, [phrase] any of kin, kinsfold(-sman), (that is) near (of kin), neighbour, (that is) next, (them that come) nigh (at hand), more ready, short(-ly).
   
3. Strong's Number: H5127
   There are 143 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נוּס
   Transliteration: nûwç
   Pronunciation: noos
   Description: a primitive root; to flit, i.e. vanish away (subside, escape; causatively, chase, impel, deliver); [idiom] abate, away, be displayed, (make to) flee (away, -ing), put to flight, [idiom] hide, lift up a standard.
   
4. Strong's Number: H1931
   There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: הוּא
   Transliteration: hûwʼ
   Pronunciation: hoo
   Description: of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is הִיא; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular; he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are; he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.
   
5. Strong's Number: H4705
   There are 4 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מִצְעָר
   Transliteration: mitsʻâr
   Pronunciation: mits-awr'
   Description: from צָעַר; petty (in size or number); adverbially, a short (time); little one (while), small.
   
6. Strong's Number: H4422
   There are 85 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מָלַט
   Transliteration: mâlaṭ
   Pronunciation: maw-lat'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to be smooth, i.e. (by implication) to escape (as if by slipperiness); causatively, to release or rescue; specifically, to bring forth young, emit sparks; deliver (self), escape, lay, leap out, let alone, let go, preserve, save, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] surely.
   
7. Strong's Number: H5315
   There are 683 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נֶפֶשׁ
   Transliteration: nephesh
   Pronunciation: neh'-fesh
   Description: from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.
   
8. Strong's Number: H2421
   There are 235 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: חָיָה
   Transliteration: châyâh
   Pronunciation: khaw-yaw'
   Description: a primitive root (compare חָוָה, חָיָה); to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive; keep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole.