Genesis 19:11

Verse

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

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

Bible in Basic English

But the men who were outside the door they made blind, all of them, small and great, so that they were tired out with looking for the door.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And them that were without, they struck with blindness from the least to the greatest, so that they could not find the door.

Free Bible Version

Then they made all the men in the doorway, young and old, suddenly go blind so they couldn't find the door.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then they smote the men that were at the doore of the house with blindnes both small and great, so that they were wearie in seeking the doore.

King James (Authorized) 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.

One Unity Resource Bible

They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Plain English Version

Then they used their power to make all the men outside the house go blind, the young men as well as the old men, so that they couldn’t find the door to get in.

Translation for Translators

Then they caused all the men who were outside the door of the house, young and old, to become blind, so that they could not find the door.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Then Lot's visitors struck with blindness the men who were outside the door of the house, both young and old, so that they became exhausted when they were trying to find the door.

Noah Webster Bible

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.

World English Bible

They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Young's Literal Translation

and the men who [are] at the opening of the house they have smitten with blindness, from small even unto great, and they weary themselves to find the opening.

Context

Lot Welcomes the Angels

¹⁰But the men inside reached out, pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door.¹¹And they struck the men at the entrance, young and old, with blindness, so that they wearied themselves trying to find the door.

Sermons

(Through the Bible) Exodus 1-5

Chuck Smith

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Summary

This verse describes the scene where the angels blinded the men of Sodom who were trying to break into Lot's house. The supernatural intervention protected Lot and his family from harm, showcasing God's power and protection over His people. It also serves as a reminder of the consequences of sin and the importance of being obedient to God's commands. The passage highlights the contrast between the wickedness of Sodom and the righteousness of Lot, illustrating the distinction between those who follow God and those who reject Him.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

And they smote the men - with blindness - This has been understood two ways: 1. The angels, by the power which God had given them, deprived these wicked men of a proper and regular use of their sight, so as either totally to deprive them of it, or render it so confused that they could no longer distinguish objects; or, 2. They caused such a deep darkness to take place, that they could not find Lot's door. The author of the book of The Wisdom of Solomon was evidently of this latter opinion, for he says they were compassed about with horrible great darkness, Gen 19:17. See a similar case of Elisha and the Syrians, Kg2 6:18, etc.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great,.... with "blindnesses" (n); with extreme blindness, with blindness both of eye and heart, as Aben Ezra interprets it; and indeed had they not been given up to a judicial blindness and hardness of heart, such a stroke upon them might have convinced them that their ways were evil, and their works not right, and that by them they had incurred the displeasure of God, and would desisted from their enterprise; but, on the contrary, they went on with it, and sought with all diligence and labour as much as possible to effect it. The word for "blindness" is only used here and in Kg2 6:18, and denotes a peculiar sort of blindness; not an entire blindness with respect to every object, but only with regard to that they were intent upon; for otherwise they would not have continued about Lot's house, or fatigued themselves with searching for the door of it, but would rather have been glad to have groped to their own houses as well as they could: and thus it was with the Syrians, when they were smitten at the prayer of Elisha, it was not total, for they could follow the prophet in the way he went and led them, but they could not see their way to the place where they intended to go; and so these men of Sodom could see other objects, but not the door of Lot's house, their heads were so confused, and their imaginations so disturbed as in drunken men; or the medium of the visive faculty, the air, so altered, or the form of the object to be seen so changed, that they could not discern it; when they saw the door, it looked like the wall, and that which seemed to them to be the door, proved to be the wall: so that they wearied themselves to find the door; went backwards and forwards, fancying the door was here, and then it was there, and when they came to it, they perceived it was not; and thus they went to and fro, until they were quite weary of seeking it, and despaired of finding it, and left off. (n) "caecitatibus", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

Genesis 19:11

Lot Welcomes the Angels

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

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

American Standard Version (1901)

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.

Bible in Basic English

But the men who were outside the door they made blind, all of them, small and great, so that they were tired out with looking for the door.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And them that were without, they struck with blindness from the least to the greatest, so that they could not find the door.

Free Bible Version

Then they made all the men in the doorway, young and old, suddenly go blind so they couldn't find the door.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then they smote the men that were at the doore of the house with blindnes both small and great, so that they were wearie in seeking the doore.

King James (Authorized) 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.

One Unity Resource Bible

They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Plain English Version

Then they used their power to make all the men outside the house go blind, the young men as well as the old men, so that they couldn’t find the door to get in.

Translation for Translators

Then they caused all the men who were outside the door of the house, young and old, to become blind, so that they could not find the door.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Then Lot's visitors struck with blindness the men who were outside the door of the house, both young and old, so that they became exhausted when they were trying to find the door.

Noah Webster Bible

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.

World English Bible

They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Young's Literal Translation

and the men who [are] at the opening of the house they have smitten with blindness, from small even unto great, and they weary themselves to find the opening.

Adam Clarke
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary