Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Genesis 19:21

And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.

21. I have accepted thee ] Heb. “I have received,” or “lifted up thy countenance,” see note on Gen 4:7. Compare the expression “respecter of persons,” e.g. Act 10:34. Here Jehovah is a “receiver,” or “favourer,” of the person of Lot: cf. Gen 32:20; Mal 1:8.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 21. See, I have accepted thee] How prevalent is prayer with God! Far from refusing to grant a reasonable petition, he shows himself as if under embarrassment to deny any.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

I have accepted thee; Heb. I have lift up thy countenance, i.e. granted thy request. The manner of the expression possibly may be taken from the custom of the eastern parts; where petitioners used not to fall upon their knees as we do, but to prostrate themselves with their face to the ground; and the person to whom they addressed themselves, in token of his favourable acceptance of their petitions, commanded them to be lifted up.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

21. See, I have accepted theeconcerning this . . . alsoHis request was granted him, theprayer of faith availed, and to convince him, from his ownexperience, that it would have been best and safest at once to followimplicitly the divine directions.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And he said unto him, see, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also,…. Accepted thy prayer and granted thy request, as well as in other things; shown grace and mercy to thee: or, “have lifted up thy face” e; alluding to the custom of the eastern countries, where persons, when they come into the presence of their superiors, used to prostrate their faces to the ground; when, as a token of their acceptance of them, and good will to them, they used to order them to be lifted up, or them to lift up their faces, and stand before them:

that I will not overthrow this city for the which thou hast spoken; for, though he had not in express words petitioned that the city might be spared, yet he had tacitly done it, insomuch as he had requested he might flee unto it, where he could not have been safe had it been destroyed.

e “suscepi faciem tuam”, Pagninus, Moatanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Piscator.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Verses 21, 22: “He said” implies that the speaker was Jehovah. He heard Lot’s request and agreed to it. He promised to withhold the destruction of Sodom until Lot and his family were safely in Zoar. But he once more urged Lot to make haste to get to this sanctuary.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

21. See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also. Some ignorantly argue from this expression, that Lot’s prayer was pleasing to God, because he assented to his request, and gave him what he sought. For it is no new thing for the Lord sometimes to grant, as an indulgence, what he, nevertheless, does not approve. And he now indulges Lot, but in such way, that he soon afterwards corrects his folly. Meanwhile, however, since God so kindly and gently bears with the evil wishes of his own people, what will he not do for us if our prayers are regulated according to the pure direction of his Spirit, and are drawn from his word? But after the angel has granted him his wish respecting the place, he again reproves his indolence, by exhorting him to make haste.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(21) I have accepted thee.Heb., I have lifted up thy face. (See Note on Gen. 4:6-7.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

21. I have accepted thee Hebrews, I have lifted up thy face . Metaphorically, the supplicant is supposed to have his face bowed down to the earth, and a granting of the prayer thus offered was a lifting up of the face .

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘And he said to him, “Look, I have accepted you about this as well, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. But hurry up. Escape there. For I can do nothing until you are come there. ” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar (something insignificant).’

Yahweh’s patience is boundless. Just one small family and yet for Abraham’s sake He delays His judgment until that family is safe, (sadly with one exception). Because of Abraham and his intercession He will not act until then. He grants Lot the concession he pleads for. So does He show to Abraham that He is prepared to spare a city for the sake of a small group of the ‘righteous’.

In Gen 14:2 Zoar is called ‘Bela, the same is Zoar’. It may well have been the fact that it was all that was left of the destruction that resulted in the change of name to ‘insignificant’. The writer sees the irony of the situation.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Gen 19:21. See, I have accepted thee, &c. I have granted thee this request also. The Hebrew is, I have lifted up thy face, which some of the versions follow: and the metaphor, most probably, is taken from the Oriental custom of prostrating the body, and laying the face to the ground, when soliciting favours; when the order, to lift up the face, was generally deemed a presage, of good success. We have here, in what the angel says, Gen 19:21-22. a fresh instance of the Divine clemency, which in the midst of wrath remembered mercy.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.

Jesus the Sun of righteousness, may be said to be arisen on the soul, when the faithful enter within his shelter. See Mal 4:2 ; Isa 32:2

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Gen 19:21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.

Ver. 21. I will not overthrow this city. ] Zoar, of all the five cites, was preserved by Lot’s prayer, saith Jerome. See Deu 29:23 Isa 15:5 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

thee. Hebrew. thy face. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part).

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

I: Gen 4:7, Job 42:8, Job 42:9, Psa 34:15, Psa 102:17, Psa 145:19, Jer 14:10, Mat 12:20, Luk 11:8, Heb 2:17, Heb 4:15, Heb 4:16

thee: Heb. thy face

that: Gen 12:2, Gen 18:24

Reciprocal: Exo 7:1 – See Exo 33:17 – I will do 1Sa 25:35 – accepted Act 27:24 – lo 1Co 10:13 – make

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge