Genesis 19: The Destruction of Sodom
Two angels rescue Lot before God overthrows Sodom and Gomorrah in fire, sparing him through Abraham's sake.
Genesis 19 (WEB)
1 The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the earth,
2 and he said, “See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you can rise up early, and go on your way.” They said, “No, but we will stay in the street all night.”
3 He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter.
5 They called to Lot, and said to him, “Where are the men who came in to you this night? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them.”
6 Lot went out to them to the door, and shut the door after him.
7 He said, “Please, my brothers, don’t act so wickedly.
8 See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to you. Only don’t do anything to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof.”
9 They said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one fellow came in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a judge. Now will we deal worse with you, than with them!” They pressed hard on the man Lot, and drew near to break the door.
10 But the men reached out their hand, and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut the door.
11 They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
12 The men said to Lot, “Do you have anybody else here? Sons-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whoever you have in the city, bring them out of the place:
13 for we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before Yahweh that Yahweh has sent us to destroy it.”
14 Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, “Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.
15 When the morning came, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, “Get up! Take your wife, and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city.”
16 But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and his two daughters’ hands, Yahweh being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city.
17 It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be consumed!”
18 Lot said to them, “Oh, not so, my lord.
19 See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown to me in saving my life. I can’t escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die.
20 See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn’t it a little one?), and my soul will live.”
21 He said to him, “Behold, I have granted your request concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.
22 Hurry, escape there, for I can’t do anything until you get there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
23 The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.
24 Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of the sky.
25 He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew on the ground.
26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
27 Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Yahweh.
28 He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and looked, and saw that the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.
29 When God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.
30 Lot went up out of Zoar, and lived in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived in a cave with his two daughters.
31 The firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us in the way of all the earth.
32 Come, let’s make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s seed.”
33 They made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father. He didn’t know when she lay down, nor when she arose.
34 It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine again, tonight. You go in, and lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s seed.”
35 They made their father drink wine that night also. The younger went and lay with him. He didn’t know when she lay down, nor when she got up.
36 Thus both of Lot’s daughters were with child by their father.
37 The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.
38 The younger also bore a son, and called his name Ben Ammi. He is the father of the children of Ammon to this day.
Genesis 19 (KJV)
1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:
5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,
7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
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:
13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the Lord; and the Lord hath sent us to destroy it.
14 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.
15 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.
16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
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 all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
20 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.
21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord:
28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto 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 seed of our father.
33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
37 And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben–ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
Genesis 19 (ASV)
1 And the two angels came to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face to the earth;
2 and he said, Behold now, my lords, turn aside, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your way. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
3 And he urged them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both young and old, all the people from every quarter;
5 and they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men that came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
6 And Lot went out unto them to the door, and shut the door after him.
7 And he said, I pray you, my brethren, do not so wickedly.
8 Behold now, I have two daughters that have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing, forasmuch as they are come under the shadow of my roof.
9 And they said, Stand back. And they said, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and drew near to break the door.
10 But the men put forth their hand, and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
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 the place:
13 for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxed great before Jehovah; and Jehovah hath sent us to destroy it.
14 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.
15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
16 But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
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 all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my lord:
19 behold now, thy servant hath found favor in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy lovingkindness, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die:
20 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.
21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken.
22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot came unto Zoar.
24 Then Jehovah rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of heaven;
25 and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Jehovah:
28 and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the Plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.
29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.
30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
31 And the first-born said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto 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 seed of our father.
33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the first-born went in, and lay with her father; and he knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the first-born said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
37 And the first-born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
Summary
Two angels arrive in Sodom at evening, and Lot urges them into his home for shelter. That night the men of the city surround the house and demand the visitors, and even Lot's shameful offer of his daughters cannot stop them. The angels strike the crowd with blindness and reveal that Yahweh has sent them to destroy the city because of its great outcry. Lot lingers, but the angels mercifully seize his hand and lead him, his wife, and his daughters out. They flee to Zoar as Yahweh rains sulfur and fire on the cities; Lot's wife looks back and becomes a pillar of salt. God remembers Abraham and delivers Lot. Afterward, in a cave, Lot's daughters scheme to bear children by him, becoming mothers of Moab and Ammon.
Main Characters
- Lot — Abraham's nephew, rescued from Sodom by angelic mercy despite his lingering and the moral ruin around him.
- The two angels — Messengers sent by Yahweh to investigate Sodom, rescue Lot, and carry out the city's destruction.
- Lot's wife — She flees Sodom but looks back against the warning and becomes a pillar of salt.
- Lot's daughters — Saved from Sodom, they later devise a sinful plan and bear sons who father the Moabites and Ammonites.
- Yahweh — The God who judges Sodom's wickedness with fire yet remembers Abraham and shows mercy to Lot.
Key Verse
Genesis 19:29 (WEB)
When God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.
Lessons Learned
- God's judgment on persistent wickedness is real, yet his mercy reaches out to rescue.
- Lingering and looking back reveal hearts still bound to what God is calling us to leave.
- God remembers his covenant people, and the prayers of the righteous can shape the fate of others.
- Compromise with sin, like Lot's life in Sodom, bears bitter consequences for a family.
- God's mercy often acts faster than our obedience. Though Lot lingered, the angels grabbed his hand and his family's hands, Yahweh being merciful to him (Genesis 19:16, WEB).
- Sin's outcry rises before God. The angels explain they will destroy Sodom because the outcry against it has grown great before Yahweh (Genesis 19:13, WEB).
- Half-hearted obedience looks back. Lot's wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt, a sobering picture of a heart divided (Genesis 19:26, WEB).
- God remembers his covenant friends. When God destroyed the cities, he remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the overthrow, honoring his relationship with Abraham (Genesis 19:29, WEB).
- Living near sin endangers the family. Lot's daughters, shaped by Sodom, devise a corrupt plan in the cave, showing how compromise leaves a lasting mark (Genesis 19:31-32, WEB).
- Warnings of judgment are acts of grace. Lot warns his sons-in-law to flee, but he seemed to be joking to them, reminding us that mercy can be tragically dismissed (Genesis 19:14, WEB).
- How do the angels show mercy to Lot even when he lingers and resists (Genesis 19:16)?
- Why is Lot's wife's backward look so significant, and what does it suggest about her heart (Genesis 19:26)?
- What does it mean that God remembered Abraham when he sent Lot out of the destruction (Genesis 19:29)?
- Where might you, like Lot, be lingering instead of decisively leaving something God calls you to flee?
- How does this chapter help you hold together both the seriousness of God's judgment and the depth of his mercy?
- Even as Lot delays, the angels physically take hold of his and his family's hands and lead them out, the text noting Yahweh was being merciful to him. God's deliverance does not wait for perfect readiness; his grace reaches in and pulls his people to safety.
- She had been clearly told not to look behind. Her backward look exposes a heart still attached to Sodom and reluctant to leave it, and her fate stands as a warning against clinging to what God is rescuing us from.
- Lot is spared not because of his own worthiness but because God remembered Abraham. It shows God acting in faithfulness to his covenant relationship and hints at how the intercession and standing of the righteous can benefit others.
- Personal: invite members to name an attachment, habit, or situation they keep returning to instead of decisively leaving. Encourage honest reflection and prayer for the resolve to step fully into obedience.
- Personal: help the group sit with both truths at once. Sodom's destruction shows God takes evil seriously, while Lot's rescue shows God delights to save. Encourage them to let judgment deepen their gratitude for mercy rather than fear alone.