What Does Genesis 19:16 Mean in the King James?
And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The rescue begins while Lot is still hesitating: compassion takes hold of him and carries him beyond the city.
THE MEANING
Lot’s hesitation does not cancel the mercy moving toward him. The men take his hand and his family’s hands, bring them out, and place them beyond the city’s boundary; compassion here acts to remove him from danger. Help reaches him while he is still lingering.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that rescue waits until you stop hesitating: here, mercy reaches Lot in the middle of his delay.
THE ROOT
בְּחֶמְלַת
beḥemlat
GROWS FROM
חמל
chamal
To spare, pity, or have compassion on.
The word rendered “merciful” comes from a root that also means “to spare.” Compassion here has the force of sparing: it interrupts the danger and gets Lot out.
ALSO GROWS
vattaḥmōl: She had compassion; she spared.
וַתַּחְמֹל
In Exodus 2:6, this root describes compassion expressed by preserving a vulnerable life.
vayyaḥmōl: He spared.
וַיַּחְמֹל
In 1 Samuel 15:9, the same root makes sparing concrete: compassion is bound to what is withheld from destruction.
וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ
wayyaḥaziqū
GROWS FROM
חזק
chazaq
To be strong, make firm, or take firm hold.
“laid hold” in this verse is wayyaḥaziqū. The verb for taking Lot’s hand belongs to a root that also names strength and firmness. English shows the physical grip; the wider root lets that grip carry the sense of steadiness too.
ALSO GROWS
ḥizqū: Be strong.
חִזְקוּ
The same root names strength as a state, as in Deuteronomy 31:6; here, that firmness appears as a grip that moves Lot.
ve’aḥzēq: And I will hold fast.
וְאַחְזֵק
Isaiah 42:6 uses the root for holding a hand, linking strength with the support of a grasp.
THE PATTERN
When a person cannot move through danger alone, rescue can arrive as another’s hand taking hold and carrying them onward.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.THE THREAD
I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;The verb translated “laid hold” in Genesis comes from חזק (chazaq, to be strong or hold fast); Isaiah uses that same root for “I will hold thine hand.” In Genesis, compassion moves through hands that draw Lot out; here, the same root names a hand held by the LORD.
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