Genesis 19:18-19

19:18 But Lot said to them, “No, please, Lord! ¹  19:19 Your ²  servant has found favor with you, ³  and you have shown me great ⁴  kindness ⁵  by sparing ⁶  my life. But I am not able to escape to the mountains because ⁷  this disaster will overtake ⁸  me and I’ll die. ⁹ 

[19:18]  ¹ tn Or “my lords.” See the following note on the problem of identifying the addressee here. The Hebrew term is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[19:19]  ² tn The second person pronominal suffixes are singular in this verse (note “your eyes,” “you have made great,” and “you have acted”). Verse 18a seems to indicate that Lot is addressing the angels, but the use of the singular and the appearance of the divine title “Lord” (אֲדֹנָי, ’adonay) in v. 18b suggests he is speaking to God.

[19:19]  ³ tn Heb “in your eyes.”

[19:19]  ⁴ tn Heb “you made great your kindness.”

[19:19]  ⁵ sn The Hebrew word חֶסֶד (khesed) can refer to “faithful love” or to “kindness,” depending on the context. The precise nuance here is uncertain.

[19:19]  ⁶ tn The infinitive construct explains how God has shown Lot kindness.

[19:19]  ⁷ tn Heb “lest.”

[19:19]  ⁸ tn The Hebrew verb דָּבַק (davaq) normally means “to stick to, to cleave, to join.” Lot is afraid he cannot outrun the coming calamity.

[19:19]  ⁹ tn The perfect verb form with vav consecutive carries the nuance of the imperfect verbal form before it.