flee for your life

The Hebrew in Genesis 19:17 that is translated as “flee for your life” in English is translated in Nyamwezi as muyi’pi’zye myoyo yinywe or “save your hearts,” an idiom that means to save yourselves. (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Genesis 19:17)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 19:17:

  • Kankanaey: “Then one of the angels said, ‘Hurry to escape so-that you will go to that mountain(s). Don’t pause/stop-partway on the plain. Don’t look-around either but rather run going-directly to the mountains lest you be-included-in-being-punished.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Having brought them outside the city, the angel said — ‘Escape from here to save your life, [and] do not look back, Do not even stop anywhere along the way. Escape to the mountain. Then you will be saved.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “When they were now [there] outside, the Lord said, ‘[You (pl.)] run! [You (pl.)] do- not -look-back or stop anywhere in this valley/plain. [You (pl.)] run to the mountain so-that you will- not -die.'” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “When they were outside the city, one of the angels said, ‘If you want to remain alive, run away quickly! Don’t look back! And don’t stop anywhere in the valley! Flee to the hills! If you don’t, you will die!'” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Genesis 19:17

And when they had brought them forth: this clause is a transition to the command to flee or escape. In some languages it is necessary, while in others it is too repetitious to be natural.

They said: note that the Revised Standard Version footnote says that they is based on the ancient versions, while Hebrew has “he.” Good News Translation and others understand the Hebrew to mean “one of the angels.” Revised Standard Version and others change to they, meaning the two angels. Others like Speiser and New Jerusalem Bible interpret “he” to refer to Lot and translate with a passive “he was told.” Hebrew Old Testament Text Project, which recommends “he said,” comments: “The two men or messengers of the LORD represent God, and therefore, when they speak in the name of the LORD, their message may be introduced by the singular ‘he said,’ instead of ‘they said.’ ” In the context, however, “one of them said” will be clearer and is recommended.

Flee for your life: Flee, or run, escape, sounds in Hebrew somewhat like Lot’s name, and the word is repeated for rhetorical emphasis five times in verses 17-22. Your life is “your nefesh” in Hebrew. The angels’ commands are directed to Lot in the singular, but they apply also to those with him. The plural is seen in “Run for your lives” in Good News Translation, New English Bible, Revised English Bible, New International Version. Flee for your life means “Flee, run away, to save your life.”

Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley: the first part of this command is sometimes rendered “Do not look back toward the city” or “Don’t turn to look back at Sodom.” Do not … stop anywhere can be rendered “Don’t rest until you are out of this valley” or, linked with the next command, “Keep going until you reach that hill country; don’t stop halfway.” Valley translates the word used in 13.10. See there for comments. Lot had chosen the Jordan valley because it was well watered and was “everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt.” It is to be expected that he does not want to leave this delightful place and go up into the dry hills.

Flee to the hills: that is, “run, escape, to the hills.”

Lest you be consumed is the same construction and vocabulary as in verse 15. The order of this and the previous clause may be changed if necessary: “If you don’t want to die, you must run to the hills.”

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 .