Verse Lens · Concise explanation
Genesis 19:18 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 18. 18And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Lot resists the mountain destination with a brief appeal: 'not so, my Lord.' The singular address introduces his request for a different refuge, while the exact identification of the person addressed remains debated.
Mercy that pulls a delaying household out
This verse is one part of that explanation in Genesis 19:12–23. The complete section carries the connected meaning and how it should shape life.
Read It With
- Genesis 19:12–23
Read verses 17–22. The command names the mountain; Lot answers with fear and asks for Zoar; the singular speaker grants the request and holds action until Lot arrives.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Lot interrupts the mountain command to request a different refuge, beginning the Zoar negotiation.
Read Genesis 19:18–22 together
Why these verses belong together: Lot's fear, request for the small city, the granted concession, and the timing of judgment form one negotiation.
Verse 18. 18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
Verse 19. 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:
Verse 20. 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.
Verse 21. 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.
Verse 22. 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.
What This Verse Is Not Saying
The verse does not give enough information to identify with certainty whether Lot addresses the LORD directly or the singular messenger as divine representative.
What Remains True
People who recognize mercy may still speak honestly about fear and ask for a practicable route to safety.
How It Can Shape Life
- When helping someone escape danger, listen to concrete fears about the proposed refuge and evaluate a safe alternative rather than treating every question as rebellion.
Continue in Context
Read the complete section for the connected explanation and how it should shape life. This verse is a doorway into that passage, not a saying that stands alone.
Read Genesis 19:12–23 — The Messengers Pull Lot's Household Out to ZoarSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? probable
Where care is needed
The addressee of adonai is grammatically and narratively ambiguous.
These are the sources used directly for this lens. Language, grammar, disagreements, and the complete source shelf remain attached to the full thought-unit research record.
Biblical text
King James (Authorized) Version — eng-kjv2006
eBible.org and CrossWire Bible Society
USFM archive eng-kjv2006_usfm.zip; source files dated 2026-08-19; downloaded 2026-08-24; archive SHA-256 aec1b3b26c622fd3d963d2bbac963016b9513246ffbfa20da00bb100372ea007; normalized corpus SHA-256 09aef51d90488aa7b9722b3fd9a93f4b25f6bf2064c5fd798fb39673c300ddf2.
Supports: Displayed wording, warning, household, delay, compassion, escape, Zoar request, arrival, and canonical reception.
Exact location: Genesis 19:12–23 in the pinned eng-kjv2006 source; compared with Genesis 18:20–33; 19:1–11, 24–29; Luke 17:28–33; 2 Peter 2:6–9
Open source ↗hebrew text morphology and lemma data
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible — Genesis
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible Project
Open Scriptures, Version 2.2 released 2021; repository inspected 2026
Supports: Household categories, sons-in-law ambiguity, rejected warning, daughters present, swept away, delay, compassion, escape, speaker address, steadfast kindness, disaster, small-city wordplay, and granted request.
Exact location: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible, wlc/Gen.xml, Genesis 19:12–23; lemmas and syntax for chatan, laqach, tsachaq, matsa, safah, mahah, chemlah, malat, adonai, chesed, ra, mits'ar, nasa panim, and tso'ar
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Genesis with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, Digital edition accessed 2026
Supports: Family and marriage wording, mocked, iniquity or punishment, compassion, speaker ambiguity, favor, disaster, smallness, accepted face, Zoar, and timing.
Exact location: NET Bible, Genesis 19:12–23 and translator notes attached to the unit
Open NET Genesis 19 ↗