Discovery BoxGenesis 19:12-14
Context19:12 Then the two visitors 1 said to Lot, “Who else do you have here? 2 Do you have 3 any sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or other relatives in the city? 4 Get them out of this 5 place 19:13 because we are about to destroy 6 it. The outcry against this place 7 is so great before the Lord that he 8 has sent us to destroy it.”
19:14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. 9 He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy 10 the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them. 11
[19:12] 1 tn Heb “the men,” referring to the angels inside Lot’s house. The word “visitors” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[19:12] 2 tn Heb “Yet who [is there] to you here?”
[19:12] 3 tn The words “Do you have” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[19:12] 4 tn Heb “a son-in-law and your sons and your daughters and anyone who (is) to you in the city.”
[19:12] 5 tn Heb “the place.” The Hebrew article serves here as a demonstrative.
[19:13] 6 tn The Hebrew participle expresses an imminent action here.
[19:13] 7 tn Heb “for their outcry.” The words “about this place” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[19:13] 8 tn Heb “the
[19:14] 9 sn The language has to be interpreted in the light of the context and the social customs. The men are called “sons-in-law” (literally “the takers of his daughters”), but the daughters had not yet had sex with a man. It is better to translate the phrase “who were going to marry his daughters.” Since formal marriage contracts were binding, the husbands-to-be could already be called sons-in-law.
[19:14] 10 tn The Hebrew active participle expresses an imminent action.
[19:14] 11 tn Heb “and he was like one taunting in the eyes of his sons-in-law.” These men mistakenly thought Lot was ridiculing them and their lifestyle. Their response illustrates how morally insensitive they had become.
