Genesis 19:18-20

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Genesis 19:18 tn Or “my lords.” See the following note on the problem of identifying the addressee here. The Hebrew term is אֲדֹנָי (ʾadonay).
2. Genesis 19:19 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, ʾadonay) in v. 18b suggests he is speaking to God.
3. Genesis 19:19 tn Heb “in your eyes.”
4. Genesis 19:19 tn Heb “you made great your kindness.”
5. Genesis 19:19 tn Heb “kindness that you have done with me.”sn The Hebrew word חֶסֶד (khesed) can refer to “faithful love” or to “kindness,” depending on the context. The precise nuance here is uncertain.
6. Genesis 19:19 tn The infinitive construct explains how God has shown Lot kindness.
7. Genesis 19:19 tn Heb “lest.”
8. Genesis 19:19 tn The Hebrew verb דָּבַק (davaq) normally means “to stick to, to cleave, to join.” Lot is afraid he cannot outrun the coming calamity.
9. Genesis 19:19 tn The perfect verb form with vav consecutive carries the nuance of the imperfect verbal form before it.
10. Genesis 19:20 tn The Hebrew word עִיר (ʿir) can refer to either a city or a town, depending on the size of the place. Given that this place was described by Lot later in this verse as a “little place,” the translation uses “town.”
11. Genesis 19:20 tn Heb “Look, this town is near to flee to there. And it is little.”
12. Genesis 19:20 tn Heb “Let me escape to there.” The cohortative here expresses Lot’s request.
13. Genesis 19:20 tn Heb “Is it not little?”
14. Genesis 19:20 tn Heb “my soul will live.” After the cohortative the jussive with vav conjunctive here indicates purpose/result.