Genesis 19:30
in Genesis 19Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains—for he was afraid to stay in Zoar—where they lived in a cave.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
KJV
And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
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This verse in Genesis 19
Commentary
7 notes on this verseLot went up out of Zoar - From seeing the universal desolation that had fallen upon the land, and that the fire was still continuing its depredations, he feared to dwell in Zoar, lest that also should be consumed, and then went to those very mountains to which God had ordered him at first to make his escape. Foolish man is ever preferring his own wisdom to that of his Maker.
This site's exposition
settled in the mountains
Lot left Zoar for the mountains he had asked to avoid, afraid to stay, and the text gives no other reason. The man who chose the plain of the Jordan at 13:11 ends in a cave with two daughters. Genesis reports the move and stops.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 30.) And Lot went up from Segor and settled in the mountain, and his two daughters with him. For he was afraid to stay in Segor. It is asked why, when he first preferred the mountain of Segor for his escape, and wanted to be saved in it as his dwelling, he now flees from Segor back to the mountain?
The Medieval Church1 voice
Lot went up from Zoar and stayed on the mountain with his two daughters. He had feared to stay in Zoar. He hurried to ascend the mountain from Zoar because he recognized that this was more pleasing to the angels through whom he was rescued, …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
He feared to dwell in Zoar - Here is the great trouble and distress that Lot was brought into after his deliverance, ver. 29. He was frightened out of Zoar, durst not dwell there, either because he was conscious to himself that it was a refuge of his own chusing, and that therein he had foolishly prescribed to God, and therefore could not but distrust his safety in it.
And Lot went up out of Zoar,....
There was but one good man in Sodom, and these heavenly messengers soon found him out. Wherever we are, we should enquire out those of the place that live in the fear of God, and should choose to associate ourselves with them. 11 , Enquire who is worthy, and there abide.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּעַל֩ | vaiyaal | and he went up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| ל֨וֹט | lot | Lot | H3876 → | 33 times |
| מִצּ֜וֹעַר | mitzoar | from Zoar | H6820 → | 10 times |
| וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב | vaiyeshev | and he dwelt | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בָּהָ֗ר | bahar | in the hill country | H2022 → | 546 times |
| וּשְׁתֵּ֤י | ushetei | and [the] two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| בְנֹתָיו֙ | venotav | daughters his | H1323 → | 588 times |
| עִמּ֔וֹ | imo | [were] with him | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יָרֵ֖א | yare' | he was afraid | H3372 → | 315 times |
| לָשֶׁ֣בֶת | lashevet | to dwell | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בְּצ֑וֹעַר | betzoar | in Zoar | H6820 → | 10 times |
| וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ | vaiyeshev | and he dwelt | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בַּמְּעָרָ֔ה | bamearah | in the cave | H4631 → | 37 times |
| ה֖וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| וּשְׁתֵּ֥י | ushetei | and [the] two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| בְנֹתָֽיו׃ | venotav | daughters his | H1323 → | 588 times |
וַיַּעַל֩and he went up
vaiyaalH5927 →890 times
ל֨וֹטLot
lotH3876 →33 times
מִצּ֜וֹעַרfrom Zoar
mitzoarH6820 →10 times
וַיֵּ֣שֶׁבand he dwelt
vaiyeshevH3427 →1079 times
בָּהָ֗רin the hill country
baharH2022 →546 times
וּשְׁתֵּ֤יand [the] two
usheteiH8147 →768 times
בְנֹתָיו֙daughters his
venotavH1323 →588 times
עִמּ֔וֹ[were] with him
imoH5973 →1050 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יָרֵ֖אhe was afraid
yare'H3372 →315 times
לָשֶׁ֣בֶתto dwell
lashevetH3427 →1079 times
בְּצ֑וֹעַרin Zoar
betzoarH6820 →10 times
וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙and he dwelt
vaiyeshevH3427 →1079 times
בַּמְּעָרָ֔הin the cave
bamearahH4631 →37 times
ה֖וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
וּשְׁתֵּ֥יand [the] two
usheteiH8147 →768 times
בְנֹתָֽיו׃daughters his
venotavH1323 →588 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 19:17As soon as the men had brought them out, one of them said, “Run for your lives! Do not look back, and do not stop anywhere on the plain! Flee to the mountains, or…
it leads to
- Matthew 24:16–18
then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
- Philippians 3:13–14
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
- Luke 9:62
Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
- Genesis 19:26
But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.
- Genesis 19:22
Hurry! Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you reach it.” That is why the town was called Zoar.
- Matthew 24:16–18
Through
Genesis 49:4Uncontrolled as the waters, you will no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, onto my couch, and defiled it.
it leads to
- Genesis 35:22
While Israel was living in that region, Reuben went in and slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah, and Israel heard about it. Jacob had twelve sons:
- 1 Chronicles 5:1
These were the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. Though he was the firstborn, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, because Reuben defiled his father’s bed. So…
- Deuteronomy 27:20
‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he has violated his father’s marriage bed.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
- Genesis 35:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Genesis
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron); Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.