Passage

Genesis 19

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is the Bible's paradigmatic narrative of divine judgment on a civic culture. Two angelic visitors arrive at Sodom in the evening, are received by Lot at the gate, and are demanded by the men of the city for sexual assault (vv. 1-11). The angels strike the assailants with blindness, hurry Lot's family out of the city, and rain "sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of heaven" on Sodom, Gomorrah, and the cities of the plain (vv. 12-25). Lot's wife looks back and becomes a pillar of salt (v. 26). The chapter closes with the disturbing account of Lot's daughters intoxicating their father and conceiving by him, producing the eponymous ancestors of Moab and Ammon (vv. 30-38).

For apologetic engagement the chapter is contested terrain on at least three fronts. Critics read it as: (a) divine genocide of a city for inhospitality, (b) condemnation of homosexuality drawn from a gang-rape scene that is supposedly about something else, and (c) endorsement of Lot's offering his daughters and the daughters' later incest. Each charge has a careful traditional answer. The wickedness of Sodom in the canonical witness covers far more than the assault narrated here (Ezekiel 16.49, 2 Peter 2:7-8, Jude 7); the assault itself is unambiguously condemned within the narrative; Lot's offer of his daughters is recorded, not commended, as part of Lot's moral compromise; and the incest at the end is the chapter's verdict on Lot's choice to settle near Sodom in the first place, not its endorsement.

Key verses

vv. 1-3 - Lot at the gate; the angelic visitors received as honored guests.
vv. 4-5 - the men of Sodom surround the house, demand the visitors. The verb yada ("know") is used carnally here (parallel use in Judges 19.22), as both immediate context and the narrative's outcome require.
vv. 8 - Lot's offer of his daughters; recorded as moral compromise under coercion, not divine sanction.
vv. 12-14 - the angels announce the city's destruction; Lot's sons-in-law dismiss the warning.
vv. 24-25 - "Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Yahweh out of heaven; and he overthrew those cities."
v. 26 - Lot's wife looks back and becomes a pillar of salt; the standing scriptural image of partial obedience that ends in judgment (Luke 17.32).
v. 29 - "God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow"; the chapter explicitly grounds Lot's rescue in Abraham's intercession (Genesis 18.16-33), not in Lot's own merit.
vv. 30-38 - Lot's daughters and the conception of Moab and Ammon; the moral close of the narrative, ironic and bleak.

Immediate context (full chapter)

ASV (ASV)

"1. And the two angels came to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face to the earth; 2. and he said, Behold now, my lords, turn aside, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your way. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3. And he urged them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. 4. But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; 5. and they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men that came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 6. And Lot went out unto them to the door, and shut the door after him. 7. And he said, I pray you, my brethren, do not so wickedly. 8. Behold now, I have two daughters that have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing, forasmuch as they are come under the shadow of my roof. 9. And they said, Stand back. And they said, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and drew near to break the door. 10. But the men put forth their hand, and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 11. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door. 12. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son-in-law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whomsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of the place: 13. for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxed great before Jehovah; and Jehovah hath sent us to destroy it. 14. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons-in-law, who married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for Jehovah will destroy the city. But he seemed unto his sons-in-law as one that mocked. 15. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16. But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 18. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my lord: 19. behold now, thy servant hath found favor in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy lovingkindness, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die: 20. behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape thither (is it not a little one?), and my soul shall live. 21. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken. 22. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot came unto Zoar. 24. Then Jehovah rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of heaven; 25. and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 26. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27. And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Jehovah: 28. and he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the Plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace. 29. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt. 30. And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. 31. And the first-born said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: 32. come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 33. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the first-born went in, and lay with her father; and he knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 34. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the first-born said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 35. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 36. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 37. And the first-born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. 38. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day." (Genesis 19:1-38, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the earth, 2. and he said, “See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you can rise up early, and go on your way.” They said, “No, but we will stay in the street all night.” 3. He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. 4. But 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. They called to Lot, and said to him, “Where are the men who came in to you this night? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them.” 6. Lot went out to them to the door, and shut the door after him. 7. He said, “Please, my brothers, don’t act so wickedly. 8. See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to you. Only don’t do anything to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof.” 9. They said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one fellow came in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a judge. Now will we deal worse with you, than with them!” They pressed hard on the man Lot, and came near to break the door. 10. But the men reached out their hand, and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut the door. 11. They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door. 12. The men said to Lot, “Do you have anybody else here? Sons-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whoever you have in the city, bring them out of the place: 13. for we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown so great before Yahweh that Yahweh has sent us to destroy it.” 14. Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, “Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking. 15. When the morning came, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, “Get up! Take your wife, and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the iniquity of the city.” 16. But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and his two daughters’ hands, Yahweh being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city. 17. It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that he said, “Escape for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be consumed!” 18. Lot said to them, “Oh, not so, my lord. 19. See now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your loving kindness, which you have shown to me in saving my life. I can’t escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die. 20. See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn’t it a little one?), and my soul will live.” 21. He said to him, “Behold, I have granted your request concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22. Hurry, escape there, for I can’t do anything until you get there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23. The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24. Then Yahweh rained on Sodom and on Gomorrah sulfur and fire from Yahweh out of the sky. 25. He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew on the ground. 26. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27. Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before Yahweh. 28. He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and looked, and saw that the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace. 29. When God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived. 30. Lot went up out of Zoar, and lived in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31. The firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us in the way of all the earth. 32. Come, let’s make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s family line.” 33. They made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father. He didn’t know when she lay down, nor when she arose. 34. It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine again, tonight. You go in, and lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s family line. ” 35. They made their father drink wine that night also. The younger went and lay with him. He didn’t know when she lay down, nor when she got up. 36. Thus both of Lot’s daughters were with child by their father. 37. The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day. 38. The younger also bore a son, and called his name Ben Ammi. He is the father of the children of Ammon to this day." (Genesis 19:1-38, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 2. And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3. And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. 4. But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5. And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 6. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7. And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. 9. And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. 10. But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 11. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. 12. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 13. For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. 14. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. 15. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. ^{are here: Heb. are found} ^{iniquity: or, punishment} 16. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 18. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: 19. 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: 20. Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, ( is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. 21. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. ^{thee: Heb. thy face} 22. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. ^{Zoar: that is, Little} 23. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. ^{risen: Heb. gone forth} 24. Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25. And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 26. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27. And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: 28. And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 29. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt. 30. And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. 31. And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: 32. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 33. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 34. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 35. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 36. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 37. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. 38. And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day." (Genesis 19:1-38, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. And two of the messengers come towards Sodom at even, and Lot is sitting at the gate of Sodom, and Lot seeth, and riseth to meet them, and boweth himself, face to the earth, 2. and he saith, 'Lo, I pray you, my lords, turn aside, I pray you, unto the house of your servant, and lodge, and wash your feet, then ye have risen early and gone on your way;' and they say, 'Nay, but in the broad place we do lodge.' 3. And he presseth on them greatly, and they turn aside unto him, and come in unto his house; and he maketh for them a banquet, and hath baked unleavened things; and they do eat. 4. Before they lie down, the men of the city, men of Sodom, have come round about against the house, from young even unto aged, all the people from the extremity; 5. and they call unto Lot and say to him, 'Where [are] the men who have come in unto thee to-night? bring them out unto us, and we know them.' 6. And Lot goeth out unto them, to the opening, and the door hath shut behind him, 7. and saith, 'Do not, I pray you, my brethren, do evil; 8. lo, I pray you, I have two daughters, who have not known any one; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do to them as [is] good in your eyes; only to these men do not anything, for therefore have they come in within the shadow of my roof.' 9. And they say, 'Come nigh hither;' they say also, 'This one hath come in to sojourn, and he certainly judgeth! now, we do evil to thee more than [to] them;' and they press against the man, against Lot greatly, and come nigh to break the door. 10. And the men put forth their hand, and bring in Lot unto them, into the house, and have shut the door; 11. and the men who [are] at the opening of the house they have smitten with blindness, from small even unto great, and they weary themselves to find the opening. 12. And the men say unto Lot, 'Whom hast thou here still? son-in-law, thy sons also, and thy daughters, and all whom thou hast in the city, bring out from this place; 13. for we are destroying this place, for their cry hath been great [before] the face of Jehovah, and Jehovah doth send us to destroy it.' 14. And Lot goeth out, and speaketh unto his sons-in-law, those taking his daughters, and saith, 'Rise, go out from this place, for Jehovah is destroying the city;' and he is as [one] mocking in the eyes of his sons-in-law. 15. And when the dawn hath ascended, then the messengers press upon Lot, saying, 'Rise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters who are found present, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.' 16. And he lingereth, and the men lay hold on his hand, and on the hand of his wife, and on the hand of his two daughters, through the mercy of Jehovah unto him, and they bring him out, and cause him to rest without the city. 17. And it cometh to pass when he hath brought them out without, that he saith, 'Escape for thy life; look not expectingly behind thee, nor stand thou in all the circuit; to the mountain escape, lest thou be consumed.' 18. And Lot saith unto them, 'Not [so], I pray thee, my lord; 19. lo, I pray thee, thy servant hath found grace in thine eyes, and thou dost make great thy kindness which thou hast done with me by saving my life, and I am unable to escape to the mountain, lest the evil cleave [to] me, and I have died; 20. lo, I pray thee, this city [is] near to flee thither, and it [is] little; let me escape, I pray thee, thither, (is it not little?) and my soul doth live.' 21. And he saith unto him, 'Lo, I have accepted thy face also for this thing, without overthrowing the city [for] which thou hast spoken; 22. haste, escape thither, for I am not able to do anything till thine entering thither;' therefore hath he calleth the name of the city Zoar. 23. The sun hath gone out on the earth, and Lot hath entered into Zoar, 24. and Jehovah hath rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah, from the heavens; 25. and He overthroweth these cities, and all the circuit, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which is shooting up from the ground. 26. And his wife looketh expectingly from behind him, and she is, a pillar of salt! 27. And Abraham riseth early in the morning, unto the place where he hath stood [before] the face of Jehovah; 28. and he looketh on the face of Sodom and Gomorrah, and on all the face of the land of the circuit, and seeth, and lo, the smoke of the land went up as smoke of the furnace. 29. And it cometh to pass, in God's destroying the cities of the circuit, that God remembereth Abraham, and sendeth Lot out of the midst of the overthrow in the overthrowing of the cities in which Lot dwelt. 30. And Lot goeth up out of Zoar, and dwelleth in the mountain, and his two daughters with him, for he hath been afraid of dwelling in Zoar, and he dwelleth in a cave, he and his two daughters. 31. And the first-born saith unto the younger, 'Our father [is] old, and a man there is not in the earth to come in unto us, as [is] the way of all the earth; 32. come, we cause our father to drink wine, and lie with him, and preserve from our father, a seed.' 33. And they cause their father to drink wine on that night; and the first-born goeth in, and lieth with her father, and he hath not known in her lying down, or in her rising up. 34. And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the first-born saith unto the younger, 'Lo, I have lain yesterday-night with my father: we cause him to drink wine also to-night, and go thou in, lie with him, and we preserve from our father, a seed.' 35. And they cause their father to drink wine on that night also, and the younger riseth and lieth with him, and he hath not known in her lying down, or in her rising up. 36. And the two daughters of Lot conceive from their father, 37. and the first-born beareth a son, and calleth his name Moab; he [is] father of Moab unto this day; 38. as to the younger, she also hath born a son, and calleth his name Ben-Ammi: he [is] father of the Beni-Ammon unto this day." (Genesis 19:1-38, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: Moses (traditional authorship) / narrator; Yahweh and angels in direct discourse
Audience: the Israelite congregation post-Exodus, hearing the patriarchal history
Location: the cities of the plain (south end of the Dead Sea, traditional siting at Bab edh-Dhra and Numeira); Mamre overlooking
Time period: events c. 2000 BC (Middle Bronze); composition c. 1446-1406 BC under traditional Mosaic authorship

Theological reading

The canonical witness reads Genesis 19 along several converging lines. Ezekiel 16.49 catalogs Sodom's sins as "arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease... and she did not help the poor and needy"; this is sometimes cited to displace the sexual sin entirely, but Ezekiel adds in v. 50 "and they were haughty and committed abominations before Me" using toebah, the very term applied to the sexual sin elsewhere in the Torah. The witness is cumulative, not exclusive: Sodom's sin includes social injustice and sexual depravity, with the assault narrated in Genesis 19 as the boiling-over case. Jude 7 makes this explicit: "Sodom and Gomorrah... since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh." 2 Peter 2:7-8 calls Lot "righteous" while making the sexual character of Sodom's wickedness unambiguous.

Patristic and Reformation exegesis converge on the moral reading of Lot. Augustine (City of God 16.30) treats Lot's offer of his daughters as Lot's moral failure under coercion, not divine sanction; Calvin reads it as "atrocious wickedness" by Lot, narrated to display how compromise with Sodom had corroded his judgment. Lot's wife in v. 26 is the standing image of partial obedience that ends in judgment; Jesus invokes her in Luke 17.32 ("Remember Lot's wife") as warning against looking back when called to flee. The chapter's closing incest scene is the narrative's verdict on Lot's choice in Genesis 13:10-13 to pitch his tent toward Sodom; the city has destroyed his daughters' moral imagination so completely that, having escaped its fire, they reproduce its disorder in a cave.

For apologetic engagement with critics, the operative moves are: (1) divine judgment is preceded by extensive evidence-gathering (Genesis 18.20-21, "I will go down and see") and by Abraham's intercession (Genesis 18:23-32); God offers to spare the cities for ten righteous, and the destruction comes only after no ten can be found; (2) the assault scene reads naturally as condemning the assault on its own terms - the men's intent and Lot's response both treat it as evil; (3) the chapter is not a directive but a narrative; what Lot does is recorded, not commanded; (4) the canonical witness reads Sodom's sin cumulatively, covering social injustice and sexual depravity together, which means the "it was only about inhospitality" reading is contradicted by Ezekiel 16:50, Jude 7, and 2 Peter 2:6-8. For the structured argument see Sodom and Gomorrah Objection and Sodom and Gomorrah Objection Defeater.

Key words

H3045 - yada, yada (Strong's H3045). "To know"; used in v. 5 of the men's demand. The same verb is used carnally in Genesis 4:1 ("Adam knew his wife"); the parallel in Judges 19.22 uses identical syntax for unambiguous sexual assault, fixing the sense here.
toebah (Strong's H8441). "Abomination"; the term applied to Sodom's sin in Ezekiel 16:50.
H3068 - YHWH, YHWH (Strong's H3068). The divine name; vv. 13, 24 distinguish "Yahweh on earth" (the angels acting in His name) from "Yahweh out of heaven" (the divine source of judgment), a passage some patristic commentators read trinitarianly.
gophrith (Strong's H1614). "Brimstone" / "sulfur"; the agent of judgment in v. 24, lending its name to the metaphor of judgment-by-fire throughout Scripture.

Theological themes

Judgment on civic culture, not individuals only. Sodom is judged as a city after its corporate wickedness becomes overwhelming; God's judgment falls on political-cultural entities, not just on private sinners.
Intercession matters. Lot is rescued because God "remembered Abraham" (v. 29); the chapter is paired with the previous one as instance and answer to Abraham's intercession.
Sexual ethics anchored in creation order. The chapter's assault scene is one strand of the canonical witness against sexual disorder; see Biblical Sexual Ethics Objection for the full argument.
The cost of compromise. Lot's family is destroyed by the very culture he chose to settle near; the closing incest is the chapter's verdict on his original choice.
Lot's wife as warning. Partial obedience ends in judgment; Jesus invokes the moment in Luke 17.32.

Cross-references

Genesis 18.16-33, Abraham's intercession; the chapter's narrative complement.
Genesis 18.20-21, "I will go down and see whether they have done entirely according to its outcry"; God's evidence-gathering before judgment.
Deuteronomy 29:23, Sodom and Gomorrah as the standing image of covenant judgment.
Ezekiel 16.49, the prophetic catalog of Sodom's sins.
Judges 19-21, the Gibeah parallel; same crime, same verb, with the Israelites themselves now in the place of Sodom.
Luke 17.29-32, Jesus uses Sodom as the eschatological warning analog.
2 Peter 2.6, "He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter."
Jude 7, "Sodom and Gomorrah... since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example."

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.