Verse Lens · Concise explanation
Genesis 19:2 Explained in Context
Use this verse as a doorway into the larger passage—not as an isolated saying.
Verse 2. 2And 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.
King James Version — public domain in the United States · Bible text and permissions
Quick Meaning
Lot invites the visitors to spend the night, wash their feet, and leave early. They initially say they will remain in the public square, which makes Lot's insistence in the next verse important.
Read It With
- Genesis 19:1–11
Read verses 1–3. Arrival, invitation, initial refusal, persistent urging, entry, and a meal form one hospitality movement before the mob appears.
Why This Verse Appears Here
Lot's invitation establishes the protective hospitality that the city's public square will soon fail to provide.
Read Genesis 19:1–3 together
Why these verses belong together: Arrival, invitation, initial refusal, persistent hospitality, meal, and entry form one welcome scene.
Verse 1. 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;
Verse 2. 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.
Verse 3. 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.
What This Verse Is Not Saying
The visitors' initial refusal does not prove they were testing Lot or unaware of danger.
What Remains True
Welcoming strangers includes attending to practical safety and rest, not merely offering polite words.
How It Can Shape Life
- When receiving a traveler or newcomer, communicate the actual safety conditions, offer practical care, and respect agency rather than using hospitality for control.
Continue in Context
The full thought-unit study remains the final contextual authority for this Verse Lens.
Read Genesis 19:1–11 — Sodom's Mob Threatens Lot's Guests and DaughtersSources used for this Verse Lens
How certain is this explanation? very strong
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, unit movement, violence, daughters, rescue, and canonical Sodom reception.
Exact location: Genesis 19:1–11 in the pinned eng-kjv2006 source; compared with Genesis 13:10–13; 14:12; 18:16–33; 19:12–29; Judges 19; Isaiah 1; Ezekiel 16:49–50; Matthew 10:14–15; Luke 10:10–12; 2 Peter 2:6–9; Jude 7
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: Messenger, gate, square, press, surround, yada, brother, evil, roof shadow, sojourn, emphatic judging, threat, door, sanwerim, and weariness.
Exact location: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible, wlc/Gen.xml, Genesis 19:1–11; lemma cross-checks with Genesis 4:1, 17, 25; 24:16 and 2 Kings 6:18
Open source ↗Translation and textual notes
NET Bible — Genesis with translators' notes
Biblical Studies Press
Biblical Studies Press, Digital edition accessed 2026
Supports: Gate and square, invitation syntax, repeated patsar, mob description, sexual sense of yada, daughters, roof protection, resident-alien language, emphatic judgment, threat, and blindness.
Exact location: NET Bible, Genesis 19:1–11 and translator notes 1–26
Open NET Genesis 19 ↗