Commentary on Genesis, Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
Ver. 1. AND there came two Angels.] There were three at the firſt, (XVIII. 2.) but the Chief of them was gone; having diſpatch'd his Meſſage to Abraham; unto whom he was peculiarly ſent. See XVIII. 2.
At even.] They had been with Abraham in the heat of the Day: And were now come to the Gates of Sodom.
Lot ſat in the gate of Sodom.] The Hebrew Doctors will have it, that he was made a Judge in this City; and the prime Judge of all: For they adventure to Name five (in Bereſchith Rabba) and ſay Lot was the Preſident of the Court, which ſat in the Gate of the City. But this is only a fanſie of theirs: He rather ſat in the Gate of this City, as Abraham did at his Tent door; to invite Strangers to his Houſe, (according to the Hoſpitality of thoſe days) which was the greater Charity, becauſe he knew the City to be ſo wicked, that (if we may believe the Hebrew Doctors) they not only denied them all aſſiſtance, but abuſed them and were cruel to them, (ſee Gemara Sanhedrim, C. XI. & Pirke Elieſer, cap. 25.) for which laſt, they quote thoſe words of Ezekiel, XXII. 29. they have oppreſſed the ſtranger wrongfully. Which are ſpoken of Iſrael, whom XVI. 49. he had compared with Sodom: One of whoſe Sins he ſays was, want of Compaſſion to the poor and needy.
Roſe up to meet them, &c.] Juſt as Abraham did; whoſe Civility he imitates, as well as his Charity. For the bowing himſelf ſo lowly, was a Token of the great Honour he paid them: Who had the appearance of great and noble Perſons. And therefore he calls them Lords in the next Verſe.
Ver. 2. Turn in, I pray you, and tarry all night, &c.] It is late, and the Night draws on, take up your Lodging with me, and refreſh your ſelves; and go away as early as you pleaſe.
And they ſaid, Nay, &c.] It was as great a Civility in ſtrangers, not to be forward to accept, as it was in him to invite. And therefore they refuſe him at firſt, to try his Kindneſs: But intending, no doubt, to embrace his offer, if he preſſed them further. So the following words are to be underſtood.
We will abide in the ſtreet all night.] Unleſs you perſiſt in your Invitation. In thoſe hot Countries, it was not unuſual to lie in the open Air, eſpecially in Summer. And in a City, they were ſafe from being infeſted by wild Beaſts, or Robbers.
Concerning waſhing the feet, ſee XVIII. 4.
Ver. 3. He preſſed upon them greatly.] Would not be denied, but was ſo earneſt that they yielded. It is the ſame word with that verſe 9.
Bake unleavened Bread.] which would be ſooneſt ready, that ſo they might, in good time, repoſe themſelves.
Ver. 4. And before they lay down.] To take their reſt.
Both old and young.] A manifeſt Token of an univerſal Depravation of Manners, and Diſſolution of Government.
From every quarter.] Or, as ſome underſtand it, from the moſt extream parts of the City: As in Pſalm XIX. 4. One, it ſeems, told another, what goodly Perſons were come to their City: And all ran to the Houſe where they heard they were; with the ſame wicked Inclinations. This is a proof there were not ten righteous Perſons in Sodom.
Ver. 5. That we may know them.] A modeſt word for a lewd Fact. Some indeed will have it underſtood ſimply, of their examining what they were, whence they came, and what their buſineſs was. Which might perhaps be their pretence; but Lot's anſwer to them, verſe 7, 8. interprets their meaning to be filthy.
Ver. 6. Went out at the door.] To try if he could perſuade them to depart. From whence, perhaps, the Jews gathered he was a Man of Authority among them.
Ver. 7. Do not ſo wickedly.] As to break the Rights of Hoſpitality; and violate the Laws of Nature.
Ver. 8. Behold now, I have two Daughters, &c.] This muſt be underſtood to have been ſpoken, in a great perturbation and perplexity of Mind; and out of a vehement Deſire to preſerve the Men whom he had entertained: Which made him ſay, he had rather they ſhould abuſe his own Daughters, than thoſe Strangers.
For therefore came they under the ſhadow of my roof.] He pleads the Laws of Hoſpitality, which obliged him to protect them; though he himſelf ſuffered by it.
Ver. 9. And they ſaid, Stand back.] Give way to us.
This one fellow, &c.] Here is one, and he but a Sojourner; who takes upon him to be a Cenſor Morum, and controll the whole City. This ſhows he was no Judge.
Now will we deal worſe with thee, &c.] Abuſe thee more than them. For it is the ſame word with verſe 7. doing wickedly.
Ver. 11. Smote the Men with blindneſs.] Not with a total Blindneſs, (for then they would not have ſought for the Door of Lot's Houſe, but rather have groped for the way home) but ſuch a Dimneſs that they could not ſee any thing diſtinctly, or in its right place: But there ſeemed to be a Door, ſuppoſe, where there was none: Or, there was ſuch a Confuſion in their Brain, that all things were turned topſie turvy, (as we ſpeak) in their imagination; and appeared quite otherwiſe than they were.
Ver. 12. Son-in-law, and thy Sons, and thy Daughters.] Here the Copulative and, muſt be expounded or: As it is uſed in many places. XIII. 8. Let there be no ſtrife between me and thee, or between my herds-men and thine. And ſo we tranſlate it, Exod. XII. 5. Thou ſhalt take it out of the Sheep, or out of the Goats: And Exod. XXI. 15. He that ſmiteth his Father, or his Mother, ſhall be put to death. And ſo it ſhould be tranſlated here, Haſt thou any here beſides, Son-in-law, or thy Sons, or thy Daughters: As much as to ſay, we are deſirous to ſave all that are nearly related to thee, for thy ſake.
Ver. 14. Which married his Daughters.] Had eſpouſed them for their Wives, but had not yet conſummated the Marriage; as ſome underſtand it. Others will have it, that, beſides thoſe two Virgin Daughters at home with him, he had other Daughters, who were actually married in the City. Which they gather from the next Verſe; take thy Wife and two Daughters, which are here: As if he had more Daughters elſewhere. And R. Jehuda (in Pirke Elieſer, c. 25.) names one of them married to one of the great Men of Sodom, and calls her Pelothit. But this ſeems rather to have been the Name of one of them who were ſaved by the Angels, and thence ſo called: For it ſignifies delivered, or ſnatch'd from deſtruction.
He ſeemed as one that mocked.] Who was not in earneſt; but only made ſport with them, and ſpake in jeſt. For it is the ſame word from whence Iſaac is derived, which ſignifies Laughter.
Ver. 15. And when the morning aroſe.] At break of Day: For the Sun did not riſe, till Lot was got into Zoar, verſe 23.
Take thy Wife, and thy two Daughters, which are here.] Theſe laſt words, which are here, are not without Emphaſis: And are paraphraſed thus by the Chaldee Interpreter, which are found faithful with thee: Are not corrupted by the common Wickedneſs of this place; or, that believe what we threaten.
Ver. 16. While he lingred.] Being loth to leave his Goods, or his Sons-in-law, and Children: Or, as ſome think, praying God to ſpare the City.
The Men laid hold upon his hand, &c.] One of the Angels laid hold upon him and his Wife; and the other upon his two Daughters: Whom they pulled out of the Houſe with ſome kind of conſtraint; and led them out of the City.
Ver. 17. He ſaid.] That Angel who had a peculiar Charge of preſerving Lot and his Family. See XVIII. 2.
Eſcape for thy life.] Make haſte, if thou loveſt thy Life.
Look not behind thee.] To ſee what becomes of thy Goods; or, as if thou waſt loth to leave Sodom Make no delay, no not ſo much as to turn about and look back.
Neither ſtay thou in the Plain.] Do not reſt, till thou haſt got out of the Plain: For every Place in it is to be deſtroyed.
Ver. 18. And he ſaid unto them, &c.] Both the Angels were ſtill with him: But he ſeems particularly to ſpeak to him that led him and his Wife out of Sodom; who had ſpoken before to him, and bid him make haſte, verſe 17. But there are thoſe (Franzius for inſtance) who would have the word Adonai tranſlated not, my Lord, but my Lords, as if he ſpake to both.
Ver. 19. I cannot eſcape to the Mountain, &c.] He that lingered before, verſe 16. now thought he could not make haſte enough. Either being crazy; or, tired with ſitting up all Night; or, fearing the deſtruction would overtake him, before he could reach the Mountain; and deſiring, perhaps, to have a better dwelling than that.
Ver. 20. My Soul ſhall live.] Rejoyce, and be exceeding thankful.
Ver. 21. See, I have accepted thee.] Granted thy Requeſt.
I will not overthrow, &c.] A wonderful inſtance of the Divine Clemency: Which in the midſt of Wrath remembred Mercy.
Ver. 22. Haſte thee.] Make no more delaies: No, not to make any further Petitions.
I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither.] Having made thee this Promiſe, I muſt deferr the Vengeance till thou art ſafe there.
Called Zoar.] In after-times it had this Name; from the ſmalneſs of it; which he twice mentions, verſe 20.
Ver. 24. The LORD rained from the LORD.] It cannot be denied that here is an intimation of a Plurality of Perſons in the Deity. Yet there are many both ancient and modern Interpreters, who think the meaning is no more, than the LORD ſent this Rain from himſelf, it being the manner of the Scripture Phraſe, to repeat the Noun inſtead of the Pronoun, (as Grammarians ſpeak) of which Cocceius (upon the Gemara of the Sanhedrim, C. IV.) gives theſe Inſtances, Gen. II. 20. 1 Sam. XII. 11. Zech. I. 16. And there are others, which come nearer to theſe words. Exod. XXIV. and he (i. e. the LORD, verſe 3.) ſaid unto Moſes, Come up unto the LORD. Hoſ. I. 7. I will ſave them by the LORD their God. Zech. X. 12. I will ſtrenghen them in the LORD, &c. The Council of Sirmium indeed anathematizes thoſe who thus interpret theſe words, and do not ſay, the Son rained from the Father, Socrat. L. II. c. 30. Yet St. Chryſoſtom did not fear to ſay this is an Idiom of the Scripture-Language, which intended only to ſhow, foreign, that the LORD brought this Puniſhment upon them. Others alſo have obſerved, that the Scripture-Phraſe being very conciſe, by the LORD (in the beginning of the Verſe) may be meant the Angel of the LORD. For whereſoever mention is made of the LORD it is to be underſtood of him, foreign, and his houſe of judgment, (as the Jewiſh Doctors ſpeak) i. e. of the Angels which attend his Divine Majeſty. And thus I find Arethas, (or Andreas Caeſarienſis) in his Commentaries upon the Revelation, p. 729. underſtand theſe words. For he there compares that Captain who was over the Locuſts, Revel. IX. 11. to the Angel that was ſent to cut off the Army of Senacherib, and to this Angel, foreign, who had the Charge of executing the fiery deſtruction upon Sodom committed to him. For all Angels, ſaith he, are not miniſtring Spirits, foreign, for Mens Preſervation, but ſome ſerve, foreign, for Puniſhment. And that they can bring Fire from Heaven, and raiſe Storms and Tempeſts, appears by the Story of Job.
Out of Heaven.] From the Lord whoſe Seat is in Heaven. The like expreſſion we have, Revel. XX. 9.
Ʋpon Sodom and upon Gomorrha.] And the neighbouring Cities, Admah and Zeboim; as appears from Deut. XXIX. 23.
Brimſtone and fire.] A moſt hideous Shower, or, rather Storm of Nitre, Sulphur, or Bitumen, mingled with Fire, fell upon this Country from above; and, as the Tradition was among the Heathen, accompanied with a dreadful Earthquake: Which made an irruption of thoſe bituminous Waters, whereby this Country was turned into the Lake called Aſphaltites, or the ſalt, or dead Sea. So Strabo, L. XVI. in his deſcription of that Lake. And indeed it doth not ſeem improbable, that the Earth quaked, while the Heavens did ſo terribly frown, and the Almighty's Voice thundred from the Clouds, as Doctor Jackson ſpeaks, Book I. on the Creed, c. 15. For the word foreign, (which St. Peter uſes, 2 Pet. II. 6.) may be thought to import ſome ſuch ſubverſion. But it was his Ignorance of the Sacred Tradition in the Scriptures, which made Strabo wholly aſcribe the deſolation of that Country to the Earth; and not at all to the Heavens. Whereas Tacitus was better informed: Who ſays theſe Judaical Cities (as he calls them) fulminum jactu (or ictu) arſiſſe, were burnt by the ſtroke of Thunder-bolts from Heaven: And, a little after, igne coeleſti flagraſſe, were ſet on fire and conſumed by Lightning, L. V. Hiſtor. With which fell ſuch abundance of bituminous Stuff, that the Valley which had only ſome Pits of Bitumen in it before, XIV. 3, 10. became a Lake of it.
Ver. 25. And he overthrew thoſe Cities, &c.] Super impium populum gehennam miſit è coelo, as Salvian gloſſes, L. I. & L. IV. de Gubern. Dei. He ſent Hell from Heaven upon an impious People. Of whoſe deſtruction there remains an everlaſting Monument in the Salt-Sea: Into which that plain Country is turned. The quality of which, and of the Soil about it is ſo contrary to the Nature of all other Seas, or Inland Lakes, that no Philoſopher can give an account of it, like that which Moſes hath given us: As the ſame Doctor Jackson truly obſerves. He that will read Tacitus in the place fore-mentioned, or Pliny, or Diodorus, may be ſatisfied of this. The Country where theſe Cities ſtood, being become a Pan, or Receptacle (as the fore-named Doctor well calls it) of ſuch a ſtrange moiſture, that it may be called Liquid Pitch, rather than Water. For it is ſo ſtiff that no Wind will move it; nor will a Camel ſink, if thrown into it; nor any Fiſh, or Bird, that uſes the Water, live in it: And therefore called the Dead-Sea, and Salt-Sea, as Salmaſius thinks, (Exerc. Plinian. Pag. 577, 614.) becauſe no Creature can live there, and becauſe the noiſom Steams that come from it, blaſt all that grows of it ſelf, or is ſown in the Earth about it. Nor do the Rivers that run into it, at all alter it; but it infects all their Waters, with the loathſom Qualities of thoſe Dregs of God's Wrath (to uſe Doctor Jackson's words once more) which firſt ſetled in it, at this overthrow: Juſt like bad Humours, when they ſettle in any part of our Bodies, plant, as it were, a new Nature in it, and turn all Nouriſhment into their ſubſtance.
Ver. 26. His Wife looked back from behind him.] She not only lagg'd behind, as we ſpeak, but turned about and ſtood ſtill a while, bewailing perhaps the loſs of all there: Or, as ſome of the Jews fanſie, to ſee what would become of her Kindred, and whether they would follow her or no.
Became a pillar of Salt.] Or, as ſome underſtand it, an everlaſting Monument: Whence, perhaps, the Jews have given her the Name of Adith, (as they call her in Pirke Elieſer, cap. 25.) becauſe ſhe remained a perpetual Teſtimony of God's juſt Diſpleaſure. For ſhe ſtanding ſtill too long, ſome of that dreadful Shower before-mentioned, overtook her; and falling upon her, wrapt her Body in a Sheet of Nitro-Sulphureous Matter: Which congealed into a Cruſt as hard as Stone: And made her appear like a Pillar of Salt, her Body being, as it were candied in it. Kimchi calls it an heap of Salt; which the Hebrews ſay continued for many Ages. Their Conjecture is not improbable, who think the Fable of Niobe was hence derived: Who the Poets feign, was turned into a Stone, upon her exceſſive Grief for the death of her Children.
Ver. 27. Get to the place, where he ſtood before the LORD.] Where he prayed, ſay the Jews, or communed with God, XVIII. 22, 33.
Ver. 28. The ſmoke of the Country, &c.] Some think, the Hebrew word ſignifies, like the ſmoke of a Lime-Kiln; or, of a boiling Cauldron. After the Showre was over, the Reek or Steam of it remained: And made that Country look diſmally, which before was like the Garden of God, (XIII. 10.) but now become a ſtinking Puddle of filthy. Water, foreign, as Diodorus ſpeaks, noiſom beyond expreſſion.
Ver. 29. Overthrew the Cities, wherein Lot dwelt.] In one of which he dwelt: Which is an uſual manner of ſpeaking in Scripture, Gen. VIII. 4. the Ark reſted on the Mountains, (i. e. on one of the Mountains) of Ararat. Judg. XII. 7. Jepthah was buried in the Cities (i. e. one of the Cities) of Gilead. Which explains that of St. Matthew, XXVI. 8. when his Diſciples, (i. e. one of his Diſciples, Judas) ſaw it, he had indignation, &c.
Ver. 30. And Lot went up out of Zoar, &c.] It appears from hence, that this good Man was very timorous, not having ſo ſtrong a Faith as his Uncle Abraham. For he that had lately obtain'd a Pardon for this Place, becauſe he was afraid he ſhould not have time enough to get to the Mountain, now forſakes it: For fear, I ſuppoſe, a new Showre ſhould come from Heaven and deſtroy it, after the reſt; becauſe the Inhabitants, perhaps, continued unreformed, though they had ſeen ſuch a terrible Example of the Divine Vengeance upon their wicked Neighbours. If his fear to dwell in Zoar proceeded from this Cauſe, it was the more reaſonable; becauſe he might think, though God had ſpared them for the preſent, yet they taking no warning by the Calamity of their Country, would ſhortly periſh as the reſt had done. And ſo Theodoret and others think this City was afterwards deſtroyed: Of which there is no certain Record; and if the Tradition be true, it was not ſpeedily ſwallowed up, as they report, but retained for ſome time the Name of Zoar; being before called Bela, XIV. 2.
Dwelt in the Mountain.] It is not ſaid what Mountain; but it is probable one of the Mountains in the Country afterward called Moab; from one of his Children, which he here begat. For Epiphanius Haereſ. LIII. deſcribes the Country of Moab, as lying foreign, &c. beyond the Salt, or Dead Sea. See Salmaſ. Exerc. Plin. p. 615.
Ver. 31. There is not a Man in all the Earth.] Not one remaining of their Kindred, that they knew: For they were not much acquainted, we may ſuppoſe, beyond that Country which was deſtroyed; and thoſe of Zoar were ſo wicked, that they look'd upon them as Beaſts, rather than Men.
Ver. 32. Let us make him drink Wine.] Which they brought with them out of Sodom, to ſupport their Spirits in their flight; or, elſe got at Zoar: Of which they invited their Father to drink liberally, and chear himſelf under his extream great Sorrow.
That we may preſerve Seed of our Father.] This Fact of theirs being objected by Celſus againſt our Religion, Origen gives this account of it, (Lib. IV. contra Celſ.) That theſe two Maids having learnt ſomething of the Conflagration of the World, and ſeeing their own City and Country deſtroyed by Fire, imagined, foreign, that the Seminary of Mankind remained only in their Father and them. And if what they did was upon this ſuppoſition, That there was no other way to reſtore the World; they did no worſe than the Stoicks thought their wiſe Man might do, if the Race of Mankind were extinct, ſo that none but he and his Daughter were left alive. Irenaeus makes the ſame Excuſe for them, and ſays they did this innocently, and in their ſimplicity, believing all Mankind were deſtroyed, L. IV. cap. 51. But I take their Conjecture to be highly probable, who conceive that the eager Deſire, which then poſſeſſed the Hearts of Good People, to fulfill the Promiſe of the Meſſiah, was that which put them upon this, otherwiſe monſtrous, Crime. For which there are theſe Reaſons. Firſt, That they had lived ſo chaſtly in the midſt of the Impurities of Sodom, that one cannot think a Spirit of Uncleanneſs now entred into them, and carried them to this Action. And indeed, Secondly, Their joyning together in this Contrivance, (whereas Matters of this Nature uſe to be carefully concealed from the neareſt Friends, or make them fall out, if they find themſelves ingaged in the ſame Intrigue) ſhows that they were acted by Counſel and Deſign, and not by brutiſh Luſt. And, Thirdly, Their perpetuating the Memory of this Fact, in the Names of their Children, is a demonſtration there was ſomething extraordinary in it; and that they were not aſhamed of it, but rather gloried in it; deſiring it might be remembred that theſe Children were deſcended from Lot. Who they thought, perhaps, might pretend to fulfil the Promiſe as well as Abraham: Being the Son of Abraham's elder Brother; and called out of Sodom by the Miniſtry of Angels, as Abraham was called out of Chaldaea.
Ver. 23. He perceived not when ſhe lay down, &c.] This ſeems hard to be underſtood: But it muſt be noted, That Moſes only ſays he did not perceive when ſhe came to bed to him, and when ſhe got up again; not that he did not perceive when he lay with her, of which he could not but have ſome perception.
Though M. Montaigne in his Eſſays, relates a Story of a Widow, who, being drunk, was abuſed by a Hind in her Houſe, and afterward finding her ſelf with Child could not remember how it came to paſs. But the Fellow at laſt confeſſed his Fact: Of which, whatſoever Senſe ſhe had then, ſhe had perfectly forgot it when ſhe awaked.
Ver. 34. Go thou in, &c.] If he had retained any remembrance of what he had done the Night before, one cannot think he would have faln into the ſame Snare ſo ſoon again. For which reaſon, it is probable he did not think he had been intoxicated, but only drank ſo freely, as to make him ſleep ſoundly, and forget his Sorrow.
Ver. 37. Moab.] Moſt will have this word to ſignifie, from my Father. But Druſius in Deut. II. 8. takes the import of it to be, Aqua Patris.
Ver. 38. Ben-ammi.] This ſignifies as much as, the Son of my People. Which doth not acknowledge ſo plainly, as the other, That this Son was begotten by her Father: But only that he was the Son of one of her own Nation, or Kindred; not by a Stranger.