Bible Strands
Genesis 19:18
But Lot replied, “No, my lords, please!
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Lot speaks to the two angels who escorted him out of Sodom. He addresses them immediately after their warning to flee to the mountains to escape the impending disaster.
The words — The Hebrew phrase אַל־ נָא (al-na) combines a negative imperative with a particle of entreaty, literally rendering "may it not be, please." It is followed by אֲדֹנָי (adonai), meaning "O Lord" or "my lords," used here as a respectful address to the heavenly messengers.
The thread — This pattern of urgent petition appears in Genesis 32:26 where Jacob refuses to release the man without a blessing, and in 2 Kings 5:11 where Naaman protests before seeking a specific ritual. The rhetorical use of אֲדֹנָי in a plea mirrors Isaiah 45:11, where questioning the Creator about future events is addressed.
Why it lands — The text records Lot’s immediate resistance to the direct command to flee to the mountains, establishing his hesitation before he proposes an alternative destination. A reader must note that the verse documents a request for leniency rather than immediate obedience, setting the stage for the negotiation that follows.
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
King James Version
And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:
Cross-references
- Genesis 32:26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
- 2 Kings 5:11 But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy.
- Isaiah 45:11 Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: “Concerning things to come, do you question Me about My sons, or instruct Me in the work of My hands?
- Acts 9:13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, many people have told me about this man and all the harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem.
- Acts 10:14 “No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”
- John 13:6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”