Genesis 19:11

And they struck the men at the entrance, young and old, with blindness, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the door.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The two angelic visitors strike the hostile mob gathered at Lot’s house entrance with sudden blindness. This occurs immediately after they pull Lot inside and shut the door, halting the attackers' attempt to breach the threshold.

The words — The Hebrew verb הִכּוּ (hi.Ku) means "they struck," and the noun בַּסַּנְוֵרִים (ba.san.ve.Rim) denotes "with sudden blindness." These terms describe a direct, physical act of divine intervention rather than a metaphorical judgment.

The thread — This motif of God-induced blindness appears when Elisha prays for the Aramean army to be struck blind (2 Kings 6:18), when Paul temporarily blinds Elymas (Acts 13:11), and as a covenant curse in Deuteronomy 28:28. Each instance marks divine sovereignty over human perception and judgment.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that God can physically disable those who oppose His purposes without moral ambiguity. It requires the reader to accept divine intervention as a factual boundary against human violence, not as a symbolic lesson.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְֽאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>הָאֲנָשִׁ֞יםha./'a.na.Shimthe/ men אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-who פֶּ֣תַחPe.tach[were] [the] entrance of הַבַּ֗יִתha./Ba.yitthe/ house הִכּוּ֙hi.Kuthey struck בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֔יםba./san.ve.Rimwith <the>/ sudden blindness מִקָּטֹ֖ןmi./ka.Tonfrom/ small וְעַד־ve./'ad-and/ unto גָּד֑וֹלga.Dolgreat וַיִּלְא֖וּva/i.yil.'Uand/ they became weary לִמְצֹ֥אli/m.Tzo'to/ find הַפָּֽתַח׃ha./Pa.tachthe/ entrance

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

2 Kings 6:18 As the Arameans came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Please strike these people with blindness.” So He struck them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha.
Acts 13:11 Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and for a time you will be blind and unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
Deuteronomy 28:28 The LORD will afflict you with madness, blindness, and confusion of mind,
Jeremiah 2:36 How impulsive you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.
Ecclesiastes 10:15 The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city.
Isaiah 57:10 You are wearied by your many journeys, but you did not say, “There is no hope!” You found renewal of your strength; therefore you did not grow weak.