Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God's justice on Sodom was literally on hold until Lot and his family were safely out of the city, showing how even the most severe judgment is bound by His promise to protect the righteous. The angel's urgency reveals that Lot's safety was the non-negotiable prerequisite before destruction could begin.
Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Lot has just pleaded with the angels to spare the small city of Zoar, and the angels have agreed. Now, one of the angels urges Lot to hurry and escape there quickly. This urgency highlights that the divine judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah is imminent, and its execution is dependent on Lot's safe arrival in Zoar.
Why would God's judgment wait for one man? Discover how the presence of even a few righteous people can pause divine justice.
The verse reveals a profound truth: God's judgment, while righteous and certain, is not arbitrary. It is also tempered by His care for those who belong to Him.
The name of the city where Lot fled literally means 'little.' What profound significance does this 'little' place hold in the unfolding narrative?
The naming of the city Zoar is more than just a geographical marker; it's a theological statement woven into the fabric of this dramatic event.
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Lot's Plea, God's Provision: Lot, fearing the journey to the mountains, pleads, 'Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one; and my soul shall live' (Genesis 19:20). God's gracious response, accepting his plea, leads to the renaming of the city.
A Refuge of Grace: The name 'Zoar,' meaning 'small' or 'insignificant,' underscores that this was not a place of great renown or power. It became a refuge granted by God's mercy, not by its own merit. It was 'little' in size and perhaps in the eyes of the world, but immensely significant as the sanctuary for Lot and his family.
A Reminder of Humility: The name serves as a perpetual reminder of Lot's own compromised state and his desperate plea for a minimal salvation. It reflects God's grace in providing a refuge, however small, for those who, though imperfect, turn to Him in their distress.
The naming of Zoar as a place of refuge, directly linked to Lot's plea, highlights God's mercy and the immense value He places on the presence of even one righteous person amidst wickedness, even as it foreshadows a difficult and compromised future for Lot and his descendants.
c. 1900 BC
Abraham settles in Canaan
Abraham, Lot's uncle, is called by God to leave his homeland and settle in the land of Canaan, marking the beginning of a new covenant relationship with God.
c. 1900 BC
Lot settles near Sodom
Lot chooses to settle in the fertile plains near the wicked city of Sodom, despite Abraham's presence and God's promises in the land.
c. 1890 BC
Angels visit Lot in Sodom
Two angelic visitors arrive in Sodom and are hosted by Lot, revealing the city's extreme wickedness and setting the stage for its judgment.
c. 1890 BC— this verse
Lot's plea for Zoar
As Sodom and Gomorrah are about to be destroyed, Lot pleads for the small city of Zoar to be spared, which is granted by the angels.
c. 1890 BC
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
God rains down fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying them and the surrounding cities due to their great sin.
c. 1890 BC
Lot flees Zoar to the mountains
Fearing to remain in Zoar, Lot and his daughters relocate to a cave in the mountains, where the lineage of the Moabites and Ammonites eventually begins.
This passage describes God searching for someone to stand in the breach, highlighting the utter corruption of the people and God's judgment. It parallels the context of Genesis 19 where the wickedness of Sodom was so great that judgment was imminent and only Lot's presence delayed it.
Luke 17:28-30Jesus likens the end times to the days of Lot, emphasizing the suddenness and completeness of judgment. This directly connects to the event in Genesis 19, showing its ongoing relevance as a warning.
2 Peter 2:6-7This passage explicitly mentions God 'condemning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to extinction, having made them an example to those who would live a life of godlessness.' It shows Lot as a 'righteous man' being rescued, mirroring the verse's focus on Lot's escape before judgment.
Jeremiah 48:34This verse describes the cry of the inhabitants of cities like Zoar rising up, indicating their continued sinfulness even after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It shows that even places spared from immediate destruction could still fall under judgment due to ongoing ungodliness.
clarkeGenesis 19:22: "Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar."
I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither - So these heavenly messengers had the strictest commission to take care of Lot and his family; and even the purposes of Divine justice could not be accomplished on the rebellious, till this righteous man and his family had escaped from the place. A proof of Abraham's assertion, The Judge of all the eart…
gillGenesis 19:22: "Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar."
Haste thee, escape thither,.... Seeing he had granted him his request, he is urgent upon him to be gone, and not to delay upon any account, or make other excuses: for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither; that is, consistent with the decree of God, that Lot and his family should be delivered and preserved, and with his promise made to him, t…
God's justice on Sodom was literally on hold until Lot and his family were safely out of the city, showing how even the most severe judgment is bound by His promise to protect the righteous. The angel's urgency reveals that Lot's safety was the non-negotiable prerequisite before destruction could begin.
Lot has just pleaded with the angels to spare the small city of Zoar, and the angels have agreed. Now, one of the angels urges Lot to hurry and escape there quickly. This urgency highlights that the divine judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah is imminent, and its execution is dependent on Lot's safe arrival in Zoar.
Lot has just pleaded with the angels to spare the small city of Zoar, and the angels have agreed. Now, one of the angels urges Lot to hurry and escape there quickly. This urgency highlights that the divine judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah is imminent, and its execution is dependent on Lot's safe arrival in Zoar.
"Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar." — God's justice on Sodom was literally on hold until Lot and his family were safely out of the city, showing how even the most severe judgment is bound by His promise to protect the righteous. The ange…
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Last reviewed October 2026