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The Pulpit Commentary
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:23-33
EXPOSITION
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:23
And Abraham drew near. I.e. to Jehovah; not simply locally, but also spiritually. The religious use of יִגַּשּׁ as a performing religious services to God, or a pious turning of the mind to God, is found in Exodus 30:20;…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:23-33
Abraham's intercession. I. THE OBJECT OF HIS INTERCESSION. Not simply the rescue of Lot from the doomed cities, but the salvation of the cities themselves, with their miserable inhabitants. A request evincing— 1. Tender…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:24
Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city. A charitable supposition, as the event showed, though at first sight it might not appear so to Abraham; and the bare Possibility of Sodom's—not Sodom alone (Kalisch…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:25
That be far from thee—literally to profane things (be it) to thee—nefas sit tibi == absit a te! an exclamation of abhorrence, too feebly rendered by μηδαμῶς (LXX.)—to do after this manner (literally, according to this…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:26
And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city (thus accepting the test proposed by Abraham, but not necessarily thereby acquiescing in the absolute soundness of his logic), then I will spare (not…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:27
And Abraham answered and said (being emboldened by the success of his first petition), Behold now, I have taken upon me, literally, I have begun, though here perhaps used in a more emphatic sense: I have undertaken or v…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:28
Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? Literally, on account of five, i.e. because they are wanting. A rare example of holy ingenuity in prayer. Abrah…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:29
And he spoke unto him yet again—literally, and he added yet to speak to him (cf. Genesis 4:2; Genesis 8:10, Genesis 8:12; Genesis 25:1) and said (increasing in his boldness as God abounded in his grace), Peradventure th…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:30
And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord he angry,—literally, let there not be burning with anger to the Lord (Adonai)—and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:31
And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me (vide Genesis 18:27) to speak unto the Lord (Adonai): Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:32
And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry (vide supra), and I will speak but this once (literally, only this time more, as in Exodus 10:17): Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 18:33
And the Lord (Jehovah) went his way,—i.e. vanished (Keil); not to avoid further entreaties on the part of Abraham (Delitzsch), but for the reason specified in the next words—as soon as he had left communing with Abraham…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 19:1-11
EXPOSITION
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 19:1
And there came two angels—literally, the two angels, i.e. the two men of the preceding chapter who accompanied Jehovah to Mature; οἱ δύο ἄγγελλοι (LXX.)—to Sodom at even (having left the tent of Abraham shortly afte…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 19:1-11
Warning lights in Sodom. I. THE FLICKERING LIGHT OF LOT'S PIETY. 1. That the light of Lot's piety was still burning, though he had long been subjected to the moral contamination of the licentious Pentapolis, is apparent…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 19:2
And he said, Beheld new, my lords,—Adonai (vide Genesis 18:3). As yet Lot only recognized them as men—turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet (of. Genesis 18:1-33 :44 and…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 19:3
And he pressed upon them greatly. Being himself sincerely desirous to extend to them hospitality, and knowing well the danger to which they would be exposed from the violence and licentiousness of the townsmen. And they…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 19:4
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. i.e. of the town, as in Jeremiah 51:31 (Lange); from the extremity,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 19:5
And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? Josephus supposes them to have been of beautiful countenances ('Ant.,' 1.11, 3), which excited the lust of the Sodomites,…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 19:6-8
And Lot went out at the door unto them,—literally, at the doorway, or opening (pethach, from pathach, to open; cf. pateo, Latin; πρόθυρον, LXX.); in which the gate or hanging door (deleth, from dalai, to be pendulous)…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 19:9
And they said, Stand back. Ἀπόστα ἐκεῖ (LXX.); recede illuc (Vulgate); "Make way," i.e. for us to enter (Keil, Knobel, Gesenius); Approach hither (Baumgarten, Kalisch); Come near, farther off ('Speaker's Commentary'…
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 19:10
But the men (i.e. the angels) put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door—deleth (vide Genesis 19:6).
The Pulpit Commentary on Genesis 19:11
And they smote the men that were at the door—the pethaeh, or opening (vide Genesis 19:6)—of the house with blindness,— סַגְוֵרִים (sanverim), from an unused quadrilateral signifying to dazzle, is perhaps here intended n…