191 Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom . When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground . 2 And he said , "Now behold , my lords , please turn aside into your servant's house , and spend the night , and wash your feet ; then you may rise early and go on your way ." They said however, "No , but we shall spend the night in the square ." 3 Yet he urged them strongly , so they turned aside to him and entered his house ; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread , and they ate .
4 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 and they called to Lot and said to him, " Where are the men who came to you tonight ? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them." 6 But Lot went out to them at the doorway , and shut the door behind him, 7 and said , "Please , my brothers , do not act wickedly . 8 "Now behold , I have two daughters who have not had relations with man ; please let me bring them out to you, and do to them whatever e you like e ; only do nothing e to these men , inasmuch e e as they have come under the shelter of my roof ." 9 But they said , "Stand aside ." Furthermore, they said , "This one came in as an alien , and already he is acting like a judge ; now we will treat you worse than them." So they pressed hard against Lot and came near to break the door . 10 But the men reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door . 11 They struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness , both small and great , so that they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway .
12 Then the two men said to Lot , "Whom else have you here ? A son-in-law , and your sons , and your daughters , and whomever e you have in the city , bring them out of the place ; 13 for we are about to destroy this place , because their outcry has become so great before the Lord that the Lord has sent us to destroy it." 14 Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law , who were to marry his daughters , and said , "Up, get out of this place , for the Lord will destroy the city ." But he appeared e to his sons-in-law to be jesting .
15 When morning dawned , the angels urged Lot , saying , "Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here , or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city ." 16 But he hesitated . So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters , for the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out, and put him outside e the city . 17 When they had brought them outside , one said , " Escape for your life ! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley ; escape to the mountains , or you will be swept away ." 18 But Lot said to them, "Oh no , my lords ! 19 "Now behold , your servant has found favor in your sight , and you have magnified your lovingkindness , which you have shown me by saving my life ; but I cannot e escape to the mountains , for the disaster will overtake me and I will die ; 20 now behold , this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small . Please , let me escape there (is it not small ?) that my life may be saved ." 21 He said to him, "Behold , I grant you this request also , not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken . 22 "Hurry , escape there , for I cannot e do anything until you arrive there ." Therefore e the name of the town was called Zoar . 23 The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar .
24 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven , 25 and He overthrew those cities , and all the valley , and all the inhabitants of the cities , and what grew on the ground .
26 But his wife , from behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 19:1-26
Commentary on Genesis 19:1-29
(Read Genesis 19:1-29)
Lot was good, but there was not one more of the same character in the city. All the people of Sodom were very wicked and vile. Care was therefore taken for saving Lot and his family. Lot lingered; he trifled. Thus many who are under convictions about their spiritual state, and the necessity of a change, defer that needful work. The salvation of the most righteous men is of God's mercy, not by their own merit. We are saved by grace. God's power also must be acknowledged in bringing souls out of a sinful state If God had not been merciful to us, our lingering had been our ruin. Lot must flee for his life. He must not hanker after Sodom. Such commands as these are given to those who, through grace, are delivered out of a sinful state and condition. Return not to sin and Satan. Rest not in self and the world. Reach toward Christ and heaven, for that is escaping to the mountain, short of which we must not stop. Concerning this destruction, observe that it is a revelation of the wrath of God against sin and sinners of all ages. Let us learn from hence the evil of sin, and its hurtful nature; it leads to ruin.