In 18.22 two of the three visitors left Abraham and the place where they had been looking down the valley toward Sodom. Their departure left Abraham alone with the LORD. Now the action resumes with the evening arrival of the two in the town of Sodom.
The hospitality Lot offers the two angels is similar to that given by Abraham in chapter 18. However, Lot has now become a city dweller, and the story reveals the difference between the ideal of the nomadic camp life and the evil of the city.
The two angels came to Sodom in the evening: this statement is the opening of a new episode in the Abraham-Lot story and may require a suitable transition from the events that went before. Accordingly some languages may say “After Abraham had gone back home,” “After those things had happened,” “Later that evening.” Bible en français courant says “Toward evening….” Some translations make the transition by referring to the journey of the angels; for instance, “Now those two angels were walking along, and they came to Sodom late in the afternoon.”
The two visitors to Sodom are called angels, or “messengers.” They are understood to be two of the ones referred to as “men” in 18.2, 16, 22. This may need to be brought out in some languages; in one translation, for example, it is expressed like this: “and those two angels who went with the LORD before to see Abraham….” Another has “… those two angels who had dinner at Abraham’s camp arrived….” In 18.10, 20, 33 it is the LORD who speaks or acts. In 19.16 it is “the men” who take Lot away, but the LORD who has pity on him. The angels are described as acting on behalf of the LORD. For discussion of angels see 16.7.
Came to Sodom means “arrived in Sodom,” “reached Sodom,” “reached the town of Sodom.”
And Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom: note how Good News Translation has made this sentence the main clause and has made the opening sentence into a time clause, “When the two…, Lot was sitting….” Translators may find this to be a more natural sentence structure. The gate of Sodom refers to the entrance to the city, which was most likely a walled city. This area may be in the passage through the city wall, or in the larger area inside the wall. The gate is the place where men met to discuss personal or city affairs and held court. For examples see Deut 21.19; 25.7; Ruth 4.1-12; Amos 5.10, 12, 15. Lot’s presence in the gate need not be taken to mean that he was one of the city officials. As a foreigner he most likely was not an official. (See verse 9.)
In translation the literal word gate may only suggest a hinged door-like passage through a fence. To be more accurate it is often necessary to use an expression such as “town meeting place,” “town square,” “market place.” In some languages the focus must be primarily on the function of this place: for example, “where people meet to talk,” “place where men meet to decide matters.” A good expression of this from one translation is “at the meeting and market place by the big gate in the city wall.” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy says “at the entrance of the city” and goes on to describe it as “that is the place where people meet.” If it is thought best to focus on the physical feature, we may say, for example, “at the entrance to the city.”
When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them: the text does not say that there were others with Lot in the gate, but it is reasonable to think he would not sit in such a public place alone. Seeing the two strangers approach, Lot got up from where he was sitting to meet them.
And bowed himself with his face to the earth expresses the same gesture Abraham made to the three visitors in 18.2. In the present verse Lot literally bows his face to the ground. See discussion of this greeting and its translation in 18.2.
Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .