Verse

Genesis 19:19

ESV 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.
NIV Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die.
NASB Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your compassion, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die;
CSB Your servant has indeed found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness by saving my life. But I can’t run to the mountains; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die.
NLT You have been so gracious to me and saved my life, and you have shown such great kindness. But I cannot go to the mountains. Disaster would catch up to me there, and I would soon die.
KJV 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:
NKJV 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.

What does Genesis 19:19 mean?

God's promised judgment is coming on Sodom, which is so morally depraved that there are not even ten people in the city who don't participate in abject evil (Genesis 18:32). In the previous verses, the angels sent from God to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah have physically moved Lot and his family outside of town. Despite all they have seen and heard, this involves the angels literally taking Lot and his family by the hand and dragging them away from danger. The angels then tell the family to flee to a safe place in the nearby hills.

Amazingly, instead of obeying, Lot complains and offers an alternative plan. His objection seems to be that he does not believe that he and his family will make it to the hills in time before the judgment comes. He'll suggest an alternative in the following verse.

It's a bold request with the ring of ingratitude, insolence, and lack of faith in the Lord who just saved them. Lot himself seems to recognize this. He admits he has found favor in the Lord's sight and that the Lord has been kind in saving his life. Still, Lot asks for more favor. Perhaps surprisingly, God will grant his request.
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