Genesis 19:14

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

And Lot {H3876} went out {H3318}, and spake {H1696} unto his sons in law {H2860}, which married {H3947} his daughters {H1323}, and said {H559}, Up {H6965}, get you out {H3318} of this place {H4725}; for the LORD {H3068} will destroy {H7843} this city {H5892}. But he seemed as one that mocked {H6711} unto {H5869} his sons in law {H2860}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Lot went out and spoke with his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, "Get up and leave this place, because ADONAI is going to destroy the city." But his sons-in-law didn't take him seriously.

Berean Standard Bible

So Lot went out and spoke to the sons-in-law who were pledged in marriage to his daughters. “Get up,” he said. “Get out of this place, for the LORD is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.

American Standard Version

And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons-in-law, who married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for Jehovah will destroy the city. But he seemed unto his sons-in-law as one that mocked.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Genesis 19:14 tragically recounts Lot's urgent, final attempt to warn his future sons-in-law of the impending divine judgment on Sodom, only to be met with dismissive mockery. This pivotal moment underscores the perilous human tendency to disregard serious spiritual warnings, revealing the profound consequences of complacency and unbelief when confronted with God's revealed will and imminent action.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated at a critical juncture within the narrative of God's judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, immediately following the angels' explicit command to Lot to flee the city with his family. Preceding this, [Genesis 18](/genesis/18 "Genesis 18 - Abraham's Intercession for Sodom") details Abraham's intercession for Sodom, revealing God's justice tempered with mercy, and setting the stage for the angels' arrival in [Genesis 19:1](/genesis/19-1 "The Angels Arrive in Sodom"). The angels had just informed Lot of the city's imminent destruction due to its pervasive wickedness and urged him to gather his family. Lot's action in this verse is a direct response to that divine imperative, highlighting his role as a recipient and conveyor of God's warning, even if flawed in other aspects of his life in Sodom. The subsequent verses detail the destruction and Lot's escape, making this verse the final, rejected opportunity for others to be saved.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were located in the fertile plain of the Jordan, likely near the southern end of the Dead Sea. They were known for their prosperity but also for their extreme wickedness, which had reached a point where it "cried out" to God ([Genesis 18:20](/genesis/18-20 "The Cry of Sodom and Gomorrah")). Betrothal in ancient Near Eastern culture was a binding agreement, almost as serious as marriage itself, though the couple did not yet live together. The "sons-in-law" mentioned here were likely the betrothed husbands of Lot's two unmarried daughters, indicating a close, anticipated familial relationship. The cultural expectation was that such a warning from a patriarch like Lot, especially concerning a matter of life and death, would be taken seriously. However, the deep-seated spiritual complacency and moral depravity of Sodom's inhabitants, including these young men, had evidently desensitized them to any notion of divine accountability or impending doom.
* **Key Themes:** Genesis 19:14 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within Genesis and the broader biblical narrative. It powerfully illustrates the theme of **Divine Judgment and Warning**, showing God's justice in responding to rampant sin while also providing a clear opportunity for escape before destruction. The verse also highlights the theme of **Human Unbelief and Complacency**, particularly how deeply entrenched sin and worldly comfort can blind individuals to spiritual realities and divine warnings. This rejection of truth directly leads to the theme of **Consequences of Disobedience**, as the sons-in-law's mockery seals their fate. Furthermore, it subtly touches upon the theme of **Righteousness in a Wicked World**, as Lot, despite his compromises, genuinely attempts to save his family, echoing the later assessment of him as "righteous Lot" in [2 Peter 2:7-8](/2_peter/2-7-8 "Peter's Description of Righteous Lot").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Lot (Hebrew, _Lôwṭ'_):** This proper noun refers to Abraham's nephew, a figure whose life is marked by both proximity to Abraham's faith and compromise with the world. Here, he acts as a messenger of divine warning, highlighting his unique position as one who experienced God's grace amidst the wickedness of Sodom.
* **sons in law (Hebrew, _châthân'_):** This term denotes a relative by marriage, specifically through the bride. In this context, it refers to men who were betrothed to Lot's daughters, indicating a close, familial bond that made their dismissal of his warning even more poignant and tragic. Their status as "sons-in-law" implies an expected future within Lot's family, which they forfeited through their unbelief.
* **mocked (Hebrew, _tsâchaq'_):** A primitive root meaning "to laugh outright" in merriment or scorn, and by implication, "to sport." In this context, it signifies that Lot's urgent, life-saving message was perceived as a ridiculous joke, a delusion, or perhaps a sign of his hysteria, rather than a serious divine warning. This word choice powerfully conveys their utter disbelief and contempt for his words.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said,"**: This opening clause establishes Lot's immediate and earnest action. Upon receiving the divine warning from the angels, Lot does not hesitate but actively seeks out those closest to him who were not yet under his immediate roof. The phrase "which married his daughters" clarifies the relationship, indicating that these were men betrothed to his daughters, not yet fully integrated into his household but bound by a serious, pre-marital covenant. Lot's initiative underscores his genuine concern for their safety.
* **"Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city."**: This is the core of Lot's urgent warning. The imperative "Up" (קוּם, _qum_) conveys a desperate call to immediate action, a summons to rise and flee without delay. He explicitly states the reason for their flight: "for the LORD will destroy this city." This reveals that Lot understood the divine origin and certainty of the impending judgment, emphasizing that the destruction was not a natural disaster but a direct act of God (Yᵉhôvâh) in response to Sodom's sin. His message is clear, direct, and leaves no room for ambiguity regarding the threat or its source.
* **"But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law."**: This concluding clause delivers the tragic outcome of Lot's warning. Despite the gravity of the message and the familial bond, his sons-in-law perceived his earnest plea as a jest or a delusion. The phrase "seemed as one that mocked" indicates their complete dismissal and ridicule of his words. They did not take him seriously, viewing his warning as absurd and disconnected from their reality, likely due to their spiritual blindness and deep-seated complacency within the wicked city. This rejection sealed their fate, as their failure to heed Lot's warning directly led to their perishing in the city's destruction.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices. **Irony** is prominent, as Lot, who had chosen to dwell in Sodom, a place of profound wickedness, now becomes the messenger of its destruction, while those he seeks to save, his future family, mock his life-saving warning. There is also a strong sense of **Foreshadowing**, as the sons-in-law's disbelief and subsequent perishing foreshadow the broader theme of judgment for those who reject divine warnings, a theme echoed throughout biblical prophecy. The stark contrast between Lot's desperate urgency and the sons-in-law's dismissive laughter creates a dramatic **Juxtaposition**, highlighting the spiritual chasm between those who perceive divine truth and those who are blinded by complacency. Finally, the use of the word "mocked" (tsâchaq) carries a heavy **Symbolism**, representing the world's scorn for spiritual truth and its inability to grasp the reality of God's impending judgment.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 19:14 serves as a profound theological statement on God's character and humanity's response. It underscores God's unwavering justice, demonstrating His commitment to judge sin, even while graciously providing a final opportunity for repentance and escape. The sons-in-law's reaction highlights the dangerous spiritual blindness that can accompany deep-seated complacency and immersion in a fallen culture, illustrating how comfort and familiarity can render individuals deaf to the most urgent divine warnings. Their tragic end, though not explicitly detailed in this verse, is a direct consequence of their unbelief, emphasizing that rejecting God's truth carries severe, often eternal, repercussions. This passage thus becomes a timeless cautionary tale, urging believers to be vigilant against spiritual apathy and to take seriously the warnings God provides through His Word and His messengers.

* [Proverbs 1:24-33](/proverbs/1-24-33 "Wisdom's Call and Consequences")
* [Matthew 24:37-39](/matthew/24-37-39 "The Days of Noah and the Coming of the Son of Man")
* [Hebrews 3:7-19](/hebrews/3-7-19 "Warning Against Hardening Hearts")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The scene in Genesis 19:14 offers a sobering mirror for contemporary believers, challenging us to scrutinize our own hearts for any trace of the spiritual complacency that sealed the fate of Lot's sons-in-law. Are we truly attentive to the warnings embedded within Scripture concerning sin, judgment, and the urgency of living a life aligned with God's will? Or do we, perhaps subtly, dismiss inconvenient truths or prophetic declarations as mere "mockery" because they disrupt our comfortable routines or challenge our worldly attachments? This verse reminds us that divine warnings often come through unexpected channels, sometimes even from those we deem imperfect, like Lot. It calls us to cultivate a posture of humility and readiness, recognizing that the "days of Lot" serve as a potent reminder of the suddenness of judgment for those who are unprepared, as Jesus Himself warned in [Luke 17:28-30](/luke/17-28-30 "Jesus' Warning About the Days of Lot"). For those of us called to share the Gospel or to admonish others, this passage validates the difficulty and potential rejection inherent in delivering unwelcome truths, yet it affirms the divine imperative to speak faithfully, entrusting the outcome to God's sovereign hand.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be dismissing God's warnings, perhaps viewing them as inconvenient or irrelevant?**
* **How does my comfort with the world potentially blind me to spiritual realities or the urgency of God's call?**
* **Am I willing to heed divine warnings, even when they come through unexpected or seemingly imperfect messengers?**
* **How can I cultivate a greater sense of spiritual urgency and readiness for Christ's return?**

### FAQ
**Why did Lot's sons-in-law dismiss his warning as mockery?**

Answer: Lot's sons-in-law dismissed his warning primarily due to a profound spiritual blindness and deep-seated complacency fostered by their immersion in Sodom's culture. The Hebrew word for "mocked" (tsâchaq) suggests they viewed Lot's urgent plea as an absurd joke or a sign of his hysteria. They were likely so comfortable and entrenched in their prosperous, yet morally corrupt, city that the idea of divine judgment seemed utterly inconceivable and fantastical. Their disbelief stemmed from a spiritual insensitivity to the pervasive sin around them and an inability to grasp the reality of God's imminent wrath. They had become desensitized to the spiritual decay, making them deaf to the very warning that could have saved their lives, illustrating the perilous state of those who reject divine truth.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The tragic scene of Lot's warning being mocked in [Genesis 19:14](/genesis/19-14 "Lot's Warning and Christ's Return") finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the New Testament's eschatological warnings concerning the return of Jesus and the final judgment. Jesus Himself explicitly referenced the "days of Lot" as a paradigm for His second coming, emphasizing the suddenness of judgment upon those who are engrossed in worldly affairs and unprepared ([Luke 17:28-30](/luke/17-28-30 "Jesus' Warning About the Days of Lot")). Just as Lot's earnest warning was met with ridicule and disbelief, the message of Christ's imminent return and the call to repentance is often scorned or dismissed in our own age by a world comfortable in its sin. However, Christ is the ultimate Deliverer, the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")), offering salvation from the coming wrath to all who believe in Him. His Gospel is the final, urgent warning, offering not merely escape from physical destruction but eternal deliverance through faith in His atoning sacrifice. Those who heed His call and are found in Him will be rescued from the judgment to come, fulfilling the type of Lot's righteous escape, but on a grander, eternal scale, secured by the perfect obedience and sacrifice of Christ ([Romans 5:9](/romans/5-9 "Saved from Wrath Through Christ")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Numbers 16:21

Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

Numbers 16:45

Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

Numbers 16:26

And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.

Jeremiah 51:6

Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this [is] the time of the LORD'S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.

2 Chronicles 30:10

So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

Revelation 18:4

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Revelation 18:8

Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong [is] the Lord God who judgeth her.