The Meaning of Genesis 19:4 Explained

Genesis 19:4

KJV: But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

YLT: Before they lie down, the men of the city -- men of Sodom -- have come round about against the house, from young even unto aged, all the people from the extremity;

Darby: Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from the youngest to the oldest all the people from every quarter.

ASV: But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both young and old, all the people from every quarter;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But before they lay down,  the men  of the city,  [even] the men  of Sodom,  compassed  the house  round,  both old  and young,  all the people  from every quarter: 

What does Genesis 19:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 19:1-11 - Angels With Lot In Sodom
This chapter withdraws the veil from the ministry of angels. The Lord of Angels stayed with Abraham on the heights. He also, in future ages, was to descend into human Sodoms to seek and save the lost, but at present He delegated this work to angels until the fullness of the time was come. The visit of the angels was due to Abraham's prayer. How often do angels speed to our dear ones for whom we have prayed! To that ship laboring in the storm, to that deep, dark forest, to that new settlement, into the slums of that wicked city! Two references in the Gospels to this scene show how carefully it was being watched by the pure and holy eyes of the Son of man. In Matthew 11:23-24, it seems as though He knew well those streets, and would gladly have passed through them, healing and saving. In Luke 17:28 He adds some further particulars of the careless unconcern of those who would not heed the warnings implied in the story of Genesis 14:1-24. [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 19:4 mean?

Now before they lay down then the men of the city the men of Sodom compassed over the house from young and to old all the people from every quarter
טֶרֶם֮ יִשְׁכָּבוּ֒ וְאַנְשֵׁ֨י הָעִ֜יר אַנְשֵׁ֤י סְדֹם֙ נָסַ֣בּוּ עַל־ הַבַּ֔יִת מִנַּ֖עַר וְעַד־ זָקֵ֑ן כָּל־ הָעָ֖ם מִקָּצֶֽה

טֶרֶם֮  Now  before 
Parse: Adverb
Root: טֶרֶם  
Sense: before, not yet, before that.
יִשְׁכָּבוּ֒  they  lay  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁכַב  
Sense: to lie down.
וְאַנְשֵׁ֨י  then  the  men 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
הָעִ֜יר  of  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
אַנְשֵׁ֤י  the  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
סְדֹם֙  of  Sodom 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: סְדֹם  
Sense: a Canaanite city, usually paired with Gomorrah, located in the area of the Dead Sea and the Jordan river; both cities destroyed by God in judgment.
נָסַ֣בּוּ  compassed 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: סָבַב  
Sense: to turn, turn about or around or aside or back or towards, go about or arou nd, surround, encircle, change direction.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַבַּ֔יִת  the  house 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
מִנַּ֖עַר  from  young 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
וְעַד־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
זָקֵ֑ן  old 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
הָעָ֖ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מִקָּצֶֽה  from  every  quarter 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קָצֶה 
Sense: end, extremity.