The Meaning of Genesis 19:19 Explained

Genesis 19:19

KJV: Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:

YLT: lo, I pray thee, thy servant hath found grace in thine eyes, and thou dost make great thy kindness which thou hast done with me by saving my life, and I am unable to escape to the mountain, lest the evil cleave to me, and I have died;

Darby: behold now, thy servant has found favour in thine eyes, and thou hast magnified thy goodness, which thou hast shewn to me in preserving my soul alive; but I cannot escape to the mountain, lest calamity lay hold on me, that I die.

ASV: behold now, thy servant hath found favor in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy lovingkindness, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold now, thy servant  hath found  grace  in thy sight,  and thou hast magnified  thy mercy,  which thou hast shewed  unto me  in saving  my life;  and I cannot  escape  to the mountain,  lest some evil  take  me, and I die: 

What does Genesis 19:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 19:12-23 - Sodom And Gomorrah Destroyed
It was a very weak nature that heaven was so eager to rescue. Though described as a righteous man, Lot was a very weak one. He had pitched his tent toward Sodom, but apparently had been unable to resist its attractions, and had gone to live within its precincts. It would almost appear that he had become one of its leading citizens. Therefore, his testimony for God was invalidated and worthless. He seemed as one that mocked, even to his own family. How the angels must have loved this work. There were four people to be saved, and between them, in the human forms they had assumed, there were four hands-one for each. Is not this work in which we all should share? Let us hasten the lingerers! It is fatal to look behind. All our past is strewn with the memories of our sins and failures. There is but one hope. Escape to the Cross of the Divine Redeemer! Shelter in the cleft Rock of Ages! Hasten to the open arms of the Father! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 19

1  Lot entertains two angels
4  The vicious Sodomites are smitten with blindness
12  Lot is warned, and in vain warns his sons-in-law
15  He is directed to flee to the mountains, but obtains leave to go into Zoar
24  Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed
26  Lot's wife looks back and becomes a pillar of salt
29  Lot dwells in a cave
31  The incestuous origin of Moab and Ammon

What do the individual words in Genesis 19:19 mean?

indeed now has found your servant favor in your sight and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving - my life but I not am able escape to the mountains lest overtake me some evil and I die
הִנֵּה־ נָ֠א מָצָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֣ חֵן֮ בְּעֵינֶיךָ֒ וַתַּגְדֵּ֣ל חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ עִמָּדִ֔י לְהַחֲי֖וֹת אֶת־ נַפְשִׁ֑י וְאָנֹכִ֗י לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ לְהִמָּלֵ֣ט הָהָ֔רָה פֶּן־ תִּדְבָּקַ֥נִי הָרָעָ֖ה וָמַֽתִּי

הִנֵּה־  indeed 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
נָ֠א  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
מָצָ֨א  has  found 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
עַבְדְּךָ֣  your  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
חֵן֮  favor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵן  
Sense: favour, grace, charm.
בְּעֵינֶיךָ֒  in  your  sight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וַתַּגְדֵּ֣ל  and  you  have  increased 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
חַסְדְּךָ֗  your  mercy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙  you  have  shown 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
עִמָּדִ֔י  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עִמָּד  
Sense: with.
לְהַחֲי֖וֹת  by  saving 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
נַפְשִׁ֑י  my  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
וְאָנֹכִ֗י  but  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אָנׄכִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
אוּכַל֙  am  able 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: יָכֹל  
Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.
לְהִמָּלֵ֣ט  escape 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: מָלַט 
Sense: to slip away, escape, deliver, save, be delivered.
הָהָ֔רָה  to  the  mountains 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
פֶּן־  lest 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: פֶּן  
Sense: lest, not, beware lest adv.
תִּדְבָּקַ֥נִי  overtake  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַק  
Sense: to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow closely, join to, overtake, catch.
הָרָעָ֖ה  some  evil 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
וָמַֽתִּי  and  I  die 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.