What is the meaning of Genesis 19:4?

Before they had gone to bed

• “They” refers to Lot’s two angelic guests (Genesis 19:1) and, by extension, the household getting ready for the night.

• The phrase underscores how rapidly wickedness moved—sin intruded before rest could begin (cf. John 3:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:7).

• Similar wording appears in Judges 19:22, linking Sodom’s infamy with later Israelite depravity.

• The timing (early nightfall) highlights the city’s eagerness to indulge evil, contrasting with God’s call to walk in the light (Ephesians 5:8–11).

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all the men of the city of Sodom

• The wording portrays a wholesale moral collapse—male residents across social strata unite in wicked intent (Genesis 18:20–21; 13:13).

• Scripture often indicts communities, not just individuals, when sin becomes systemic (Jeremiah 23:14; Jonah 3:4–5 shows the opposite—citywide repentance).

• Romans 3:10–18 echoes the idea that humanity, left to itself, gravitates toward corruption.

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both young and old

• Sin had permeated every generation; even the inexperienced were drawn into the mob (Isaiah 3:5; Proverbs 1:10–16).

• This detail exposes a culture where evil is taught, normalized, and celebrated (Romans 1:32).

• God’s earlier warning that only ten righteous could spare the city (Genesis 18:32) is here answered—none are found, regardless of age.

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surrounded the house

• The men encircled Lot’s dwelling, cutting off escape and exerting intimidation, a tangible picture of spiritual siege (Psalm 118:10–12).

• Their action was not curiosity but coercion, soon expressed in violent demands (Genesis 19:5).

• Lot’s home, meant to be a haven, becomes a battlefield—echoing 2 Peter 2:7–8 where the righteous soul is “tormented” by surrounding lawlessness.

• This encirclement foreshadows judgment: when the angels later strike the mob with blindness (Genesis 19:11), God visibly answers violence with restraint and justice.

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summary

Genesis 19:4 reveals the depth and breadth of Sodom’s sin: before nightfall, the city’s male population—from boys to elders—unites to commit evil, surrounding Lot’s house in hostile intent. The verse spotlights a society wholly given over to corruption, validating God’s impending judgment and underscoring the need for personal and communal righteousness in every generation.