## Ibn Ezra on Genesis Chapter 19

###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:1:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:1:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:1:1)

**ופי' בערב.** בפסח מצרים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[AT EVEN.] The term *ba-erev* (at even) will be explained in the chapter dealing with the Passover observed by the Israelites in Egypt.¹

footnotes:
¹ See I.E.’s comment on Ex. 12:6.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:1:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:1:2)

**אפים.** עד שם אפיו בארץ והם הנחירים שהם גבוהים על הפנים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND HE FELL DOWN ON HIS FACE TO THE EARTH. Until his nose touched the earth. *Appayim* (his face) refers to the nostrils which protrude from the face.² means a nostril; hence *appayim* (his face) means nostrils or nose. I.E. renders *and he fell down on his face to the earth* as: *and he fell down on his nostrils to the earth*.

footnotes:
² Af


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:2:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:2:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:2:1)

**הנה נא אדוני.** רבותי, לשון חול וכאשר תמצא מלת סור ואחריה מ"ם היא כמשמעה ואם אחריה אל"ף הפתוח בפתח קטן טעמה שיסור ממקומו וילך אל הקורא, או אל המקום הנקרא, כמו "סורה אלי" (שופ' ד יח):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
BEHOLD NOW, MY LORDS. *Adonai* is to be rendered my lords. It does not refer to God.³ beneath the *nun*. See I.E.’s comment on Gen. 18:13. When the word *sur* (turn aside) is followed by a *mem* it means to turn away from.⁴ (turn aside from evil) (Ps. 34:15). When it is followed by the word *el*⁵ itself or *el* plus a pronominal suffix. Cf. Krinsky. We have translated according to *Vat. Ebr*. 38. The printed editions read *alef* with a *pattach*. The meaning is the same. (to) it means turn from your place and come here, or turn from your place and go to a designated place. Compare, *surah elai* (turn in to me) (Jud. 4:18).

footnotes:
³ It is vocalized with a pattach
⁴ See sur mera
⁵ Either el


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:2:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:2:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:2:2)

**ויאמרו לא.** אם לא תפצר וזאת המלה רבוי דברים כטעם פיוסים, וכן "ואון ותרפים" הפצר (ש"א טו כג):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND THEY SAID: “NAY.” Unless you urge us to do so.⁶ The word *va-yiftzar* (and he urged) indicates the use of many conciliatory words. *Haftzar* (stubbornness) in *And stubbornness* (haftzar) *is as idolatry and teraphim* (I Sam. 15:23)⁷ is similar.

footnotes:
⁶ That is why Lot did not take their refusal as final. According to Krinsky, I.E. was bothered by the angels apparently changing their mind. Thus I.E. interpreted that the tone of their voices indicated that, if pleaded with, they would change their minds (Weiser).
⁷ Which I.E. renders: pleading with God to change a prohibition is like idolatry and teraphim (Weiser).


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:4:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:4:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:4:1)

**נסבו.** מבנין נפעל.

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
COMPASSED. *Nasabbu* (compassed) is a *nifal*.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:4:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:4:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:4:2)

כל העם מקצה. שלא היו סמוכים אל הבית:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
ALL THE PEOPLE FROM EVERY QUARTER. Those who did not live in the vicinity of Lot’s house.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:5:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:5:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:5:1)

**ונדעה אותם.** כנוי לשכיבה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THAT WE MAY KNOW THEM. A euphemism for sexual intercourse.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:6:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:6:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:6:1)

**הפתחה.** אל הפתח תי"ו דלת סימן נקבה ונמצא חסר:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
TO THE DOOR. *Ha-petchah* means to the door.⁸ at the end of the word *petach* means to. The *tav* of the word *delet* (door) is the sign of the feminine.⁹ The word *delet* is also found spelled without the *tav*.¹⁰ (dal) of *my lips* in Ps. 141:3.

footnotes:
⁸ The heh
⁹ It is not a root letter.
¹⁰ Keep watch at the door


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:8:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:8:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:8:1)

**ידעו איש.** לשון רבים ורבות בפעל שעבר בלא תוספות וי"ו פתוח שוה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
KNOWN MAN. The third person plural perfect is the same in both the masculine and feminine when not written with a *vav* conversive which is vocalized with a *pattach*.¹¹ (have known) is used both for the masculine and the feminine. However, when *have known* is written with a *vav* conversive, which is vocalized with a *pattach*, then the masculine and feminine have different forms. The masculine in this case is *va-yede’u* and the feminine *va-tedanah*.

footnotes:
¹¹ In other words, yade’u


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:8:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:8:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:8:2)

**האל**. כמו האלה ויאמר הגאון, כי בעבור השלישי שלא בא אמר כן וזה הטעם רחוק, כי גם שתי הלשונות תמצאם בלשון ארמית:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THESE. *Ha-el* (these) means the same as *ha-eleh*.¹² is the usual term for these. Saadiah Gaon claims that Scripture used the term *ha-el* because one of the three angels was missing.¹³. However, his comment is far-fetched, for the Aramaic translation of the Pentateuch renders both *ha-el* and *ha-eleh* by the same word.¹⁴ and *ha-eleh* by *ha-illen*. If they had different nuances Onkelos would have used a different word for each.

footnotes:
¹² Ha-eleh
¹³ According to Saadiah, had all three angels been present then Lot would have said ha-eleh
¹⁴ Onkelos renders both ha-el


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:11:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:11:1)

**בסנורים.** מלה רביעית וחברתה במעשה אלישע ופירושו מחשך העין והלב:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
WITH BLINDNESS. *Sanverim* (blindness) has a quadriliteral root. This term is also found in the account of Elisha (II Kings 6:18). It refers to physical and intellectual blindness.¹⁵

footnotes:
¹⁵ Netter. Had they only been blind they still could have found the door.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:12:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:12:1)

**עוד מי לך פה.** אם יש לך חתן:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
HAST THOU HERE ANY BESIDES? SON-IN-LAW. If you have a son-in-law here.¹⁶

footnotes:
¹⁶ The angel was not asking a question; he was making a statment: “If you have a son-in-law here…take him out” (Krinsky).


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:12:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:12:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:12:2)

**ובניך**. או חתנים שהם כבניך וכבנותיך, והנה פה טענה על האומר כי האחד הלך להציל את לט כי הנה שניהם דברו אליו ועוד "כי משחיתים אנחנו" (פסוק יג), גם האחד שדבר לוט אחר כן עמו שאמר לו "ותגדל חסדך" (בראשית יט יט) הוא אמר, "כי לא אוכל לעשות דבר" (בראשית יט כב):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND THY SONS, AND THY DAUGHTERS. Or sons-in-law who are considered as your sons and daughters.¹⁷, usually translated as and, here is to be rendered as *as* (*vav ha-dimuy*). Cf. Weiser.( We have here a refutation of the opinion that maintains that one of the two angels was sent to save Lot.¹⁸, Chap. SO, states that each of the two angels sent to Lot had a separate task, one to save him, the other to destroy Sodom. For behold, both angels spoke to Lot. Furthermore, they said to him, *for we will destroy this place* (v. 13).¹⁹ Also, Lot later said to the angel, *behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shown unto me in saving my life*, etc. (v. 19). Now that very angel replied to Lot, *Hasten thou, escape thither, for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither* (v. 22).²⁰

footnotes:
¹⁷ Lot had no sons (Krinsky). The words “or sons-in-law” have to be supplied by the reader. It is implied in the text. The vav
¹⁸ Bereshit Rabbah
¹⁹ Which shows that both angels destroyed Sodom.
²⁰ We thus see that the very angel who saved Lot was also involved in the destruction of Sodom.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:14:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:14:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:14:1)

**לוקחי בנותיו.** ב' בנות אחרות היו לו ומתו בסדום והעד הנמצאות:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
WHO MARRIED HIS DAUGHTERS. Lot had two other daughters who perished in Sodom. This is clear from Scripture’s statement: *Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters that are here* (v. 15).²¹ (v. 14). Thus Lot had married daughters. Daughters implies at least two.

footnotes:
²¹ Which implies that he took the two daughters who were with him in the house. The term “here” implies that there were others. As to the number two, I.E. probably arrived at it as follows: Scripture speaks of sons-in-law, who married his daughters


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:15:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:15:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:15:1)

**וכמו.** ויאמר ר' יונה הספרדי המדקדק כי לא יתכן לומר וכמו עלה השחר ושכח "ורבו כמו רבו" (זכרי' יו"ד ח):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND WHEN THE MORNING AROSE. Rabbi Jonah, the Spanish grammarian,²² said that it is ungrammatical to say *u-khemo alah ha-shachar* (and when arose the morning).²³ (and when the morning arose). The usual Biblical syntax for a clause such as ours is verb, noun, *alah ha-shachar*, rather than *ha-shachar alah* (Krinsky). Hence Ibn Janah’s comments that *kemo* cannot come before a verb in the perfect. However, Rabbi Jonah seems to have forgotten the verse *ve-ravu kemo ravu* (and they shall increase as they have increased) (Zech. 10:8).²⁴ is connected to *ravu*, a verb in the perfect.

footnotes:
²² Ibn Janah.
²³ Our verse reads, u-khe-mo ha-shachar alah
²⁴ Kemo


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:15:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:15:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:15:2)

**ויאיצו.** ויציקו כמו אצים לאמר (שמות ה יג):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
THEN THE ANGELS HASTENED. *Va-ya’itzu* (hastened) means they pressured. Compare, *And the taskmasters were urgent* (atzim), *saying* (Ex. 5:13).


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:16:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:16:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:16:1)

**ואתמה** מהפירוש שחבר בן אפרים שאמר כי ויתמהמה מגזרת מה, והנה שכח כי שני הההי"ן מפיקין, רק הוא לשון עכוב ושרשו משולש והפ"א כפול:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[BUT HE LINGERED.] I am amazed by Ben Ephraim’s²⁵ commentary. He claims that *va-yitmahmah* (but he lingered) is derived from the same root as *mah* (what).²⁶, i.e., what do you want from me, why are you rushing me? Cf. Luzzato’s commentary on Gen. 19:25. However, he seems to have forgotten that both *hehs* of *va-yitmahmah* are pointed.²⁷ is silent in *mah* (what). However, it is pointed in *va-yitmahmah* (but he lingered). I.E.’s comment is difficult. Only the last *heh* in *va-yitmahmah* is pointed. Filwarg explains that what I.E. means is that the first *heh* has a *sheva* beneath it, while the final *heh* has a *mapik*. Hence *va-yitmahmah* cannot be derived from *mah*. In reality *va-yitmahmah* means lingered. It comes from a triliteral root²⁸. This root means to linger. with the first letter written twice.²⁹ is written twice in the word *va-yitmahmah*.

footnotes:
²⁵ A Kariate Biblical commentator.
²⁶ It is written twice. S.D. Luzzato explains this as follows: When one rushes his companion, the latter replies, mah, mah
²⁷ The heh
²⁸ Its root is mem, heh, heh
²⁹ The mem


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:16:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:16:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:16:2)

**ויחזיקו.** יבאר שפחד ואין בו כח לברוח,

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND THE MEN LAID HOLD UPON HIS HAND. The verse notes that Lot was overcome with fear and had no strength to flee on his own.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:17:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:17:1)

ומלת כהוציאם, שם הפועל, ואינו כמו, להוציאם מארץ מצרים" (ירמי' לא לב) והמ"ם סי' הפועלים, והם המלאכים ואותם פעולים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[WHEN THEY HAD BROUGHT THEM FORTH.] *Ke-hotzi’am* (when they had brought) is an infinitive. *Ke-hotzi’am* should not be confused with *le-hotzi’am* (to bring them out), in *to bring them out* (le-hotzi’am) *of the land of Egypt* (Jer. 31:32), for in our verse the *mem* suffix stands for the subject, i.e., the angels.³⁰ the *mem* suffix stands for the object. The object of the sentence, Lot and his family, are indicated by the word *otam* (them).

footnotes:
³⁰ While in le-hotzi’am


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:17:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:17:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:17:2)

**אל תביט אחריך.** אתה וכל אשר לך וכן לא תאכל ממנו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
LOOK NOT BEHIND THEE. Neither you nor any that belong to you.³¹ (look not) is in the singular. I.E.’s point is that *al tabbit* did not only apply to Lot, but to his entire household. *Thou shalt not eat of it* (Gen. 2:17)³² is a singular. This command did not only apply to Adam. It also applied to Eve. Its meaning is thus: Neither you nor any of yours shall eat of it. Otherwise why would Eve have been punished? is similar.

footnotes:
³¹ Al tabbit
³² Thou shalt not eat of it


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:18:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:18:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:18:1)

**אל נא אדני.** חול ונקמץ בעבור שהוא סוף פסוק ויאמר ר' שמואל הספרדי הנגיד ז"ל כי אל נא מגזרת הואל ועל דעתי שהוא כמו לא כי כשאמרו לו ההרה המלט השיב לא כן רבותי

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
OH, NOT SO MY LORD. *Adonai* (my lord) does not refer to God. It is vocalized with a *kamatz* only because it comes at the end of the verse.³³ with a *kamatz* usually refers to God. Here it does not. It means my lords. It is vocalized with a *kamatz* because the *pattach* changes to a *kamatz* at the end of a verse. Rabbi Samuel Ha-Nagid the Spaniard, of blessed memory, said that *al* (not so) in *al na* (Oh, not so) is derived from the same root as *ho’il* (wanted, was willing).³⁴ is an imperative from the root *yod, alef, lamed*, meaning to want or to be willing (Krinsky). Lot’s reply to the angels was: My lords, please accept (want, show willingness to) my request. However, I believe that *al* means no. The meaning of our verse is as follows: When the angels told Lot, *escape to the mountain*, Lot replied, “Oh, not so my lords.”

footnotes:
³³ Adonai
³⁴ According to Rabbi Samuel the Nagid the word al


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:19:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:19:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:19:1)

ואמר לאחד מהם עבדך שהשב בעיניו שהוא גדול, גם יש במלאכים שרים ותי"ו מות מובלע בתי"ו וָמַתִּי כי התי"ו והיו"ד סימן היjיד בפעלים, והיה כן בעבור דתחברות שני תוי"ן וכן אותו תשחית וְכִרָתָ (דברים כ, כ):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
He then turned to one of the angels and said, *behold now, thy servant*³⁵ (thy servant) is in the singular. Hence I.E. says that this was addressed to the angel whom Lot considered to be the most important of the two. *hath found grace in thy sight*, etc. (v. 19). He did so because he considered this angel to be the more important of the two. The truth is that even among angels there are superiors who lord it over other angels. The *tav* of the root of *mavet* (death) is dropped in the word *va-matti* (and I die). The reason for this is that in the first person perfect a *tav* and a *yod* are added to the root. When the *tav* of the stem and the *tav* of the suffix come together, the *tav* of the root is lost in the pronunciation.³⁶ would be written with two *tavs*, rather than with one. The *tav* of the root is dropped (swallowed is the term used by I.E.) because it is difficult to pronounce two *tavs* in succession. The word *ve-kharatta* (and cut down) in *them thou mayest destroy and cut down* (ve-kharatta) (Deut. 20:20)³⁷ were not lost, *ve-kharatta* (and cut) would have two *tavs*, rather than one, for in the second person singular perfect a *tav* is added to the root. is similar.

footnotes:
³⁵ Avdekha
³⁶ Otherwise and I die
³⁷ If the tav


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:20:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:20:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:20:1)

**מצער.** קטנה מגזרת צעיר, והוא תואר השם, ובא בלא סימן נקבה כמו שגל:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
A LITTLE ONE. The meaning of *mitzar* (a little one) is small. It comes from the same root as *tza’ir* (young, little). It is an adjective.³⁸, rather than *mitzar*. Even so, it is written without a *heh* at its end.³⁹ at the end of an adjective or noun indicates that the word is in the feminine. Compare, *shegal* (consort).⁴⁰ (consort) is written without a *heh* at its end.

footnotes:
³⁸ Modifying city, which is not in the text. Hence the text should read mitzarah
³⁹ City is feminine. Therefore the adjective modifying city should be feminine. A heh
⁴⁰ A consort is of course a female. Yet the noun shegal


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:24:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:24:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:24:1)

**מאת ד'.** לשון צחות, והטעם מאתו וכן תמצא בפסוק אחד ה' פעמים בני ישראל:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
FROM THE LORD. This is a poetic way of saying from Himself.⁴¹. The second *from the Lord* is redundant. The line should have read: then the Lord caused rain…from Himself out of heaven. I.E. points out that it is poetic to repeat “the Lord” twice. The term I.E. uses for poetic is *tzachot* (elegant). Weiser interprets it to mean, in our context, precise. The Bible wanted to be precise. We similarly find Scripture repeating the term the children of Israel five times in one verse (Num. 8:19).

footnotes:
⁴¹ The verse reads: Then the Lord caused to rain upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:25:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:25:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:25:1)

**וצמח האדמה.** נשרפו האילנות:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND THAT WHICH GREW UPON THE GROUND. The trees growing there were consumed.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:26:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:26:1)

**מאחריו.** מאחרי לוט:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
FROM BEHIND HIM. From behind Lot.⁴², who interpreted the word to mean from behind her.

footnotes:
⁴² In contradistinction to Targum Jonathan


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:26:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:26:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:26:2)

**נציב.** כטעם מצבה כי נשרפו עצמית בגפרית, והיתה עם מלח כי כן כתוב "גפרית ומלח וגו' כמהפכת סדום" (דברים כט כב) גם זה הפסוק יורה שנמלטה צוער, גם כן אמר המלאך:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
A PILLAR. *Nitziv* (pillar) means the same as *matzevah*.⁴³ is the term usually used for pillar, hence I.E.’s comment. Her bones were burned by brimstone and she was encrusted in salt,⁴⁴ (with salt) to be an error for *ammud melech* (a pillar of salt). for it is written, *brimstone, and salt…like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim*⁴⁵ (Deut. 29:22). This verse also shows that Zoar was not destroyed.⁴⁶ The latter is also borne out by the words of the angel.⁴⁷ (v. 21).

footnotes:
⁴³ Matzevah
⁴⁴ Weiser suggests translating: she became a pillar of salt. He believes im melech
⁴⁵ We thus see that salt as well as brimstone descended upon Sodom.
⁴⁶ Deut. 29:22 lists the following cities as being overthrown: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zaboiim. Zoar is not mentioned.
⁴⁷ Who said, that I will not overthrow the city of which thou hast spoken


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:28:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:28:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:28:1)

**כקיטור.** כעשן מגזרת קטורת:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AS THE SMOKE OF. *Ke-kitor* means as the smoke of. *Kitor* is derived from the same root as *ketoret* (incense).⁴⁸

footnotes:
⁴⁸ Incense produces a lot of smoke.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:28:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:28:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:28:2)

**הכבשן.** מקום אש דולקת תמיד:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
A FURNACE. A place where fire is continually burning.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:29:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:29:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:29:1)

**אשר יש בהן.** באחת מהן וכן "ויקבר בערי גלעד" (שופ' יב ז), "בן אתונות" (זכרי' ט ט), "באש ישרפו אותו ואתהן" (ויקרא כ יד):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
WHEN HE OVERTHREW THE CITIES IN WHICH LOT DWELT. In one of which Lot had been living.⁴⁹ Each of these is similar: *Then died Jephthah the Gileadite, and was buried in the cities of Gilead* (Jud. 12:7);⁵⁰ *Even upon a colt the foal of she-asses* (Zech. 9:9);⁵¹ and *And if a man take with his wife also her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they* (Lev. 20:14).⁵² does not mean both women. It is only the second one who is burned. If a man is married to a woman and sleeps with her daughter, the daughter is burned. If he is married to the daughter and sleeps with her mother, then it is the mother who is burned. See I.E. on Lev. 20:14. Hence, although the plural is used, it means one of them.

footnotes:
⁴⁹ Lot did not dwell in all of the overthrown cities. He dwelt only in Sodom.
⁵⁰ Its meaning is: and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.
⁵¹ Its meaning is: Even upon a colt the foal of one of the she-asses.
⁵² They


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:31:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:31:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:31:1)

**ותאמר הבכירה.** יתכן שהיתה לו אשה אחרת ומתה בתחלה, והבנות חשבו, כי אש וגפרית היה בכל הארץ כמבול המים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND THE FIRST-BORN SAID. Lot possibly had a wife who predeceased the wife who turned into a pillar of salt.⁵³ Lot’s daughters thought that the world was destroyed by fire and brimstone in the same manner that it had previously been destroyed by the flood.

footnotes:
⁵³ The Bible mentions that Lot had married daughters (v. 14) in addition to the ones whom he had at home (v. 8). It is unlikely that any of the unmarried daughters was older than any one of the married ones. I.E. therefore concludes that the married daughters were from a wife other than the mother of the first-born mentioned in our verse. Since the “elder” (literally, the first-born) was younger than the married daughters, she was from the second wife. In view of that fact that Scripture refers only to one wife in the account of Lot’s fleeing from Sodom, I.E. assumes that Lot’s first wife was then no longer alive.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:33:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:33:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:33:1)

**בְשכבָהּ.** שם הפועל, ואם היא בחירק, וכן "בְשִבְרִי לכם" (ויקרא כו כו):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
WHEN SHE LAY DOWN. *Be-shichvah* (when she lay down) is an infinitive even though it is vocalized with a *chirik* beneath the *shin*.⁵⁴ beneath the *shin*. *Be-shivri*⁵⁵ beneath the first letter of the root. in *When I break* (be-shivri) *your staff of bread* (Lev. 26:26) is similar.

footnotes:
⁵⁴ We would expect a kamatz katan
⁵⁵ It, too, is an infinitive and is vocalized with a chirik


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:37:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:37:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:37:1)

**מואב.** כמו מאב,

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
MOAB. Moab is the same as *me-av* and means from a father.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:37:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 19:37:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/19:37:2)

וטעם עד היום, שלא התערב עמם גוי זר, או זה הדבר ידוע עד היום:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[UNTO THIS DAY.] No other people were intermingled with them.⁵⁶ *Unto this day* may also signify that the incestuous origin of the Moabites is known to this day.⁵⁷

footnotes:
⁵⁶ Moab is still the ancestor of the Moabites because all of them are his descendants.
⁵⁷ The time that the Torah was written.