Genesis 19:16

But when Lot hesitated, the men grabbed his hand and the hands of his wife and his two daughters. And they led them safely out of the city, because of the LORD’s compassion for them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The angels act upon Lot, his wife, and his two daughters at daybreak as they stand on the city's threshold. They physically extract the family before the impending destruction begins.

The words — The verb יִתְמַהְמָהּ (yitmahmah) records Lot's hesitation, while חֲזָקוּ (chaZaku) describes the men forcefully taking hold of their hands.

The thread — The narrative attributes the physical rescue to the LORD’s compassion, aligning with the mercy themes in Exodus 34:6, Romans 9:15, and Titus 3:5.

Why it lands — The text establishes that deliverance occurs through divine intervention rather than human readiness. Readers must acknowledge that grace initiates rescue before any subsequent obedience is possible.

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

וַֽיִּתְמַהְמָ֓הּ׀va/i.yit.mah.Mahand/ he delayed וַיַּחֲזִ֨קוּva/i.ya.cha.Zi.kuand/ they took hold הָאֲנָשִׁ֜יםha./'a.na.Shimthe/ men בְּיָד֣וֹbe./ya.D/oon/ hand/ his וּבְיַד־u./ve./yad-and/ on/ [the] hand of אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ'ish.T/owife/ his וּבְיַד֙u./ve./Yadand/ on/ [the] hand of שְׁתֵּ֣יshe.Tei[the] two בְנֹתָ֔יוve.no.Ta/vdaughters/ his בְּחֶמְלַ֥תbe./chem.Latin/ [the] mercy of יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahweh עָלָ֑יו'a.La/vtowards/ him וַיֹּצִאֻ֥הוּva/i.yo.tzi.'U./huand/ they brought out/ him וַיַּנִּחֻ֖הוּva/i.ya.ni.Chu./huand/ they placed/ him מִח֥וּץmi./Chutzfrom/ [the] outside לָעִֽיר׃la./'Irof the/ city

King James Version

And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the Lord being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

Cross-references

Romans 9:15 For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Titus 3:5 He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Exodus 34:6 Then the LORD passed in front of Moses and called out: “The LORD, the LORD God, is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness,
Numbers 14:18 ‘The LORD is slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon their children to the third and fourth generation.’
Deuteronomy 4:31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; He will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers, which He swore to them by oath.
1 Chronicles 16:34 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Psalms 34:12 Who is the man who delights in life, who desires to see good days?
Psalms 86:5 For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You.
Psalms 86:15 But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
Psalms 103:8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.