# Torah with Onkelos
## Parashat Vayera — Third Aliyah
### Bereshit 19:1 – 19:20
*Lot receives the angels in Sedom, the mob at his door, and the flight from the city, read through Targum Onkelos*
---
## Contents
- [Orientation](#orientation)
- [How this booklet is laid out](#layout)
- [Unit 1 — Bereshit 19:1–7: The angels in Sedom and the crowd at Lot's door](#unit-1)
- [Unit 2 — Bereshit 19:8–14: The mob at Lot's door, and the warning to leave](#unit-2)
- [Unit 3 — Bereshit 19:15–20: Lot is led out of the city and pleads for a small refuge](#unit-3)
- [Conclusion of the aliyah](#conclusion)
- [Aramaic word list for the aliyah](#glossary)
- [Source note](#source-note)
---
## Orientation
**What happens in this aliyah.** The two angels reach Sedom at evening and find Lot sitting at the city gate. He presses them to lodge in his house and makes them a feast, but before they lie down the men of the city, young and old, surround the house and demand the guests. Lot goes out, shuts the door behind him, and offers his two daughters instead; the mob turns on him, and the guests pull him inside and strike the crowd at the entrance with blindness. They reveal that they have come to destroy the place and tell Lot to bring out his family. His sons-in-law take his warning for a jest. At dawn the angels urge him on, and when he delays they take him, his wife and his daughters by the hand and set them outside the city. Told to escape to the mountain, Lot pleads to flee instead to a nearby small city.
**What Onkelos is.** Targum Onkelos is the classical Aramaic translation of the Torah, read for centuries alongside the Hebrew; the Talmud speaks of reviewing the weekly portion "twice in the Hebrew and once in the Targum". Because it is a translation, it rarely adds explanation in so many words. Its interpretation lies in its choices: which Aramaic word it uses, where it adds or omits a word, how it handles a difficult phrase, and where it departs from a word-for-word rendering.
**How this booklet reads Onkelos.** The notes compare the Aramaic with the Hebrew and nothing else. No later commentators are brought in. Where a note draws a conclusion about what Onkelos meant, it is stated as an inference from the text, not as established fact.
**What to look out for in this aliyah.**
- **Phrases of entreaty.** The Hebrew particle *na* is regularly rendered *khe'an*, "now", and in 19:2, 19:7 and 19:18 Onkelos uses the fuller formula *be-va'u khe'an* (בְּבָעוּ כְעַן), "please now".
- **One word for gate and entrance.** *Tar'a* (בְּתַרְעָא) renders both the city gate (*sha'ar*) of 19:1 and the entrance (*petah*) of Lot's house in 19:6 and 19:11.
- **Verbs of coming.** Arrival into Sedom and into Lot's house is *'allu*, "entered", while the men who "came to" Lot in 19:5 are rendered with *atu*, "came".
- **Destruction.** Every form of the Hebrew root שחת in this aliyah is rendered from חבל (מְחַבְּלִין), and "the place" is each time *atra*.
- **Language about God and about superiors.** "The face of Hashem" becomes *kodam* Hashem (קֳדָם), "before Hashem", and Lot's "favor in your eyes" becomes "mercy before you".
- **Escape and pity.** Three of the four Hebrew forms of מלט become *ishtezev*, "escape", but the angel's first command in 19:17 becomes *hus*, "have pity" (חוּס).
- **Textual variants.** The printed text and the Yemenite text differ at several points, most notably in Lot's address in 19:18, "my masters" or "Hashem"; these are marked where they occur.
---
## How this booklet is laid out
For each verse:
- **Torah** — the Hebrew verse, with vowels and cantillation, followed by an English **Translation** of the Hebrew (Metsudah Chumash).
- **Onkelos** — the Aramaic of Targum Onkelos, followed by **Onkelos in English**, a close translation of the Aramaic. It uses the same wording as the Torah translation wherever the Aramaic says the same thing, so that the differences from the Hebrew can be seen. Words in square brackets are added for sense.
- **What Onkelos tells us** — editorial notes comparing the Aramaic with the Hebrew: what is translated literally, what is changed or added, and what that suggests about how Onkelos read the verse. Selected Aramaic words are listed with their Hebrew equivalents.
Each unit ends with a short **Unit summary**. The booklet ends with a review of the aliyah and an Aramaic word list.
Divine Names in the Hebrew and Aramaic are printed as ה׳ and אלקים. In English, God's proper Name is rendered *Hashem*, and *Elokim* is rendered *God*.
---
## Unit 1 — Bereshit 19:1–7: The angels in Sedom and the crowd at Lot's door
The two angels reach Sedom at evening; Lot presses them to lodge in his house and feeds them, and before they lie down the men of the city surround the house and demand the guests. Lot goes out, shuts the door behind him, and pleads with them.
---
### Bereshit 19:1
**Torah**
וַ֠יָּבֹ֠אוּ שְׁנֵ֨י הַמַּלְאָכִ֤ים סְדֹ֙מָה֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב וְל֖וֹט יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּשַֽׁעַר־סְדֹ֑ם וַיַּרְא־לוֹט֙ וַיָּ֣קׇם לִקְרָאתָ֔ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה׃
**Translation**
The two angels came to Sedom in the evening, while Lot was sitting at the gate of Sedom. Lot saw them, and he got up to greet them, and he bowed with his face to the ground.
**Onkelos**
וְעַלּוּ תְּרֵין מַלְאָכַיָּא לִסְדוֹם בְּרַמְשָׁא וְלוֹט יָתֵב בְּתַרְעָא (נ''י בִּתְרַע) דִּסְדוֹם וַחֲזָא לוֹט וְקָם לְקַדָּמוּתְהוֹן וּסְגִיד עַל אַפּוֹהִי עַל אַרְעָא
**Onkelos in English**
The two angels entered Sedom in the evening, while Lot was sitting at the gate of Sedom. Lot saw [them], and he got up to greet them, and he bowed upon his face on the ground.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Entered".** The Hebrew *va-yavo'u*, "came", becomes *ve-'allu*, "entered". Onkelos uses the same verb for coming into Lot's house in 19:3, but *atu*, "came", for "the men who came to you" in 19:5, so the choice of verb seems to follow the sense of arriving into a place.
- **"At the gate of Sedom".** *Be-tar'a di-Sdom* uses the Aramaic linking particle *di* ("of") in place of the Hebrew construct *be-sha'ar Sedom*; the printed text adds a marginal alternative, the construct *bi-tra'*, which gives the same meaning.
- **"He bowed upon his face on the ground".** The Hebrew *va-yishtahu appayim artzah* has no possessive and expresses "to the ground" by a directional ending. Onkelos renders it *u-segid 'al appohi 'al ar'a*, "he bowed upon his face upon the ground", supplying "his" and using the preposition *'al* twice.
- **Textual note.** The bracketed marginal reading in the printed text (*bi-tra'*, "at the gate of") is absent from the Yemenite text, which reads only *be-tar'a di-Sdom*. Both mean "at the gate of Sedom".
**Words to note:** וְעַלּוּ *ve-'allu* — [they] entered (וַיָּבֹאוּ) · בְּרַמְשָׁא *be-ramsha* — in the evening (בָּעֶרֶב) · בְּתַרְעָא *be-tar'a* — at the gate (בְּשַׁעַר) · לְקַדָּמוּתְהוֹן *le-kadamut-hon* — to greet them (לִקְרָאתָם) · וּסְגִיד *u-segid* — and he bowed (וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ) · אַפּוֹהִי *appohi* — his face (אַפַּיִם)
---
### Bereshit 19:2
**Torah**
וַיֹּ֜אמֶר הִנֶּ֣ה נָּא־אֲדֹנַ֗י ס֣וּרוּ נָ֠א אֶל־בֵּ֨ית עַבְדְּכֶ֤ם וְלִ֙ינוּ֙ וְרַחֲצ֣וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֖ם וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֣ם לְדַרְכְּכֶ֑ם וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לֹּ֔א כִּ֥י בָרְח֖וֹב נָלִֽין׃
**Translation**
He said, Behold now my lords, please turn in to your servant's house. Stay over night, bathe your feet, and get up early and continue on your way. They said, No, we will spend the night in the street.
**Onkelos**
וַאֲמַר בְּבָעוּ כְעַן רִבּוֹנַי זוּרוּ כְעַן לְבֵית עַבְדְּכוֹן וּבִיתוּ וְאַסְחוּ רַגְלֵיכוֹן וּתְקַדְּמוּן וּתְהָכוּן לְאָרְחֲכוֹן וְאֲמָרוּ לָא אֶלָּהֵן בִּרְחוֹבָא נְבִית
**Onkelos in English**
He said, Please now, my lords, turn in now to your servant's house. Stay over night, bathe your feet, and you will get up early and you will go on your way. They said, No; rather, in the street we will spend the night.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Please now".** The Hebrew opens *hinneh na*, "behold now". Onkelos has no word for "behold" and writes *be-va'u khe'an*, a phrase of entreaty, "please now"; the second *na* (*suru na*) becomes simply *khe'an*, "now".
- **"My lords".** *Ribbonai* is the ordinary Aramaic for human masters, matching the Hebrew *adonai* addressed by Lot to the visitors.
- **"Stay over night ... we will spend the night".** The Hebrew uses one root for Lot's *linu* and the angels' *nalin*. Onkelos also uses one root for both, *u-vitu* and *nevit*, so the echo between invitation and refusal is kept.
- **"You will get up early and you will go".** The Hebrew *ve-hishkamtem va-halakhtem* are perfects with vav carrying a future or request sense. Onkelos renders them as plain imperfects, *u-tekaddemun u-tehakhun*, "and you will get up early and you will go", spelling out the future meaning.
- **"No; rather".** The Hebrew *lo ki* uses *ki*, a word of several meanings. Onkelos renders it *ellahen*, "but rather", fixing the adversative sense: not your house, but the street.
**Words to note:** בְּבָעוּ *be-va'u* — please · רִבּוֹנַי *ribbonai* — my lords (אֲדֹנַי) · זוּרוּ *zuru* — turn in (סוּרוּ) · וּבִיתוּ *u-vitu* — stay over night (וְלִינוּ) · וּתְקַדְּמוּן *u-tekaddemun* — and you will get up early (וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּם) · נְבִית *nevit* — we will spend the night (נָלִין)
---
### Bereshit 19:3
**Torah**
וַיִּפְצַר־בָּ֣ם מְאֹ֔ד וַיָּסֻ֣רוּ אֵלָ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וּמַצּ֥וֹת אָפָ֖ה וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃
**Translation**
He urged them greatly, and they turned in to him and came to his house. He made a feast for them, and baked matzos, and they ate.
**Onkelos**
וְאַתְקַף בְּהוֹן לַחֲדָא וְזָרוּ לְוָתֵהּ וְעַלּוּ לְבֵיתֵהּ וַעֲבַד לְהוֹן מִשְׁתְּיָא וּפַטִּיר אֲפָא לְהוֹן וְאֲכָלוּ
**Onkelos in English**
He pressed them greatly, and they turned in to him and entered his house. He made a feast for them, and he baked unleavened bread for them, and they ate.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"He pressed them".** For *va-yiftzar bam*, "he urged them", Onkelos writes *ve-atkef behon*, from the root תקף, "be strong": Lot's urging is expressed as forceful insistence.
- **"Entered his house".** As in 19:1, *va-yavo'u*, "came", is rendered *ve-'allu*, "entered".
- **"A feast".** *Mishteya* matches the Hebrew *mishteh*; both nouns come from the verb "to drink".
- **"He baked unleavened bread for them".** The Hebrew plural *matzot* becomes the collective *u-fattir*, "unleavened bread", and Onkelos adds *lehon*, "for them", repeating the phrase from "he made a feast for them".
**Words to note:** וְאַתְקַף *ve-atkef* — he pressed (וַיִּפְצַר) · לַחֲדָא *la-hada* — greatly (מְאֹד) · לְוָתֵהּ *levateh* — to him (אֵלָיו) · מִשְׁתְּיָא *mishteya* — a feast (מִשְׁתֶּה) · וּפַטִּיר *u-fattir* — and unleavened bread (וּמַצּוֹת)
---
### Bereshit 19:4
**Torah**
טֶ֘רֶם֮ יִשְׁכָּ֒בוּ֒ וְאַנְשֵׁ֨י הָעִ֜יר אַנְשֵׁ֤י סְדֹם֙ נָסַ֣בּוּ עַל־הַבַּ֔יִת מִנַּ֖עַר וְעַד־זָקֵ֑ן כׇּל־הָעָ֖ם מִקָּצֶֽה׃
**Translation**
They had not yet lain down when the men of the city, the men of Sedom, surrounded the house—young and old alike—all the people from one end [of the city] to the other end.
**Onkelos**
עַד לָא שְׁכִיבוּ וְאֲנָשֵׁי קַרְתָּא אֲנָשֵׁי סְדוֹם אַקִּיפוּ עַל בֵּיתָא מֵעוּלֵימָא וְעַד סָבָא כָּל עַמָּא מִסּוֹפֵהּ
**Onkelos in English**
They had not yet lain down when the men of the city, the men of Sedom, surrounded the house—young and old alike—all the people from its end.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Not yet".** The Hebrew *terem* is rendered by the Aramaic idiom *'ad la*, literally "until not".
- **"Young and old alike".** *Me-'uleima ve-'ad sava*, "from youth to old man", follows the Hebrew *mi-na'ar ve-'ad zaken* word for word; *karta* renders *ha-'ir*, "the city", and *akkifu* renders *nasabbu*, "surrounded".
- **"From its end".** The Hebrew *mi-katzeh*, "from an end", is terse. Onkelos writes *missofeh*, "from its end", adding a pronoun that perhaps refers to the city: the crowd came from its farthest parts.
**Words to note:** שְׁכִיבוּ *shekhivu* — [they] had lain down (יִשְׁכָּבוּ) · קַרְתָּא *karta* — the city (הָעִיר) · אַקִּיפוּ *akkifu* — [they] surrounded (נָסַבּוּ) · מֵעוּלֵימָא *me-'uleima* — from young (מִנַּעַר) · סָבָא *sava* — old (זָקֵן) · מִסּוֹפֵהּ *missofeh* — from its end (מִקָּצֶה)
---
### Bereshit 19:5
**Torah**
וַיִּקְרְא֤וּ אֶל־לוֹט֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ ל֔וֹ אַיֵּ֧ה הָאֲנָשִׁ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אוּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ הַלָּ֑יְלָה הוֹצִיאֵ֣ם אֵלֵ֔ינוּ וְנֵדְעָ֖ה אֹתָֽם׃
**Translation**
They called to Lot and said to him, Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them.
**Onkelos**
וּקְרוֹ לְלוֹט וַאֲמָרוּ לֵהּ אָן גֻּבְרַיָא דִּי אֲתוֹ לְוָתָךְ לֵילְיָא אַפֵּקִנּוּן לְוָתָנָא וְנִדַּע יָתְהוֹן
**Onkelos in English**
They called to Lot and said to him, Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Who came to you".** Here the Hebrew *ba'u* is rendered *atu*, "came", not *'allu*, "entered", as in 19:1 and 19:3.
- **"That we may know them".** Onkelos renders *ve-ned'ah otam* literally as *ve-nidda' yat-hon*, keeping the verb "know" without explaining or softening the Hebrew expression.
- A literal rendering otherwise: *guvraya*, "the men", for *ha-anashim*, and *leilya*, "the night", for *ha-laylah*.
- **Textual note.** The Yemenite text reads *be-leilya*, "in the night", where the printed text has *leilya* alone, and *da-atu* for *di atu*; the meaning is unchanged.
**Words to note:** גֻּבְרַיָא *guvraya* — the men (הָאֲנָשִׁים) · אֲתוֹ *atu* — [they] came (בָּאוּ) · לְוָתָךְ *levatakh* — to you (אֵלֶיךָ) · אַפֵּקִנּוּן *appekinnun* — bring them out (הוֹצִיאֵם) · וְנִדַּע *ve-nidda'* — that we may know (וְנֵדְעָה)
---
### Bereshit 19:6
**Torah**
וַיֵּצֵ֧א אֲלֵהֶ֛ם ל֖וֹט הַפֶּ֑תְחָה וְהַדֶּ֖לֶת סָגַ֥ר אַחֲרָֽיו׃
**Translation**
Lot went out to them in front of the entrance, shutting the door behind him.
**Onkelos**
וּנְפַק לְוָתְהוֹן לוֹט לְתַרְעָא וְדָשָׁא אֲחַד בַּתְרוֹהִי
**Onkelos in English**
Lot went out to them, to the entrance, shutting the door behind him.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"To the entrance".** The Hebrew *ha-petchah* becomes *le-tar'a*. This is the same Aramaic noun that rendered *sha'ar*, the city gate, in 19:1, so one Aramaic word covers two different Hebrew words.
- **"Shutting the door".** Otherwise literal: *dasha*, "door", for *ha-delet*, and *ahad*, "shut", for *sagar*.
**Words to note:** וּנְפַק *u-nefak* — went out (וַיֵּצֵא) · לְתַרְעָא *le-tar'a* — to the entrance (הַפֶּתְחָה) · וְדָשָׁא *ve-dasha* — the door (וְהַדֶּלֶת) · אֲחַד *ahad* — shutting (סָגַר) · בַּתְרוֹהִי *batrohi* — behind him (אַחֲרָיו)
---
### Bereshit 19:7
**Torah**
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אַל־נָ֥א אַחַ֖י תָּרֵֽעוּ׃
**Translation**
He said, My brothers, please do not act wickedly.
**Onkelos**
וַאֲמַר בְּבָעוּ כְעַן אַחַי לָא תַבְאִישוּן
**Onkelos in English**
He said, Please now, my brothers, do not act wickedly.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Please now".** The Hebrew has only *na* (*al na*); Onkelos renders it with the fuller phrase *be-va'u khe'an*, the same phrase that stood for *hinneh na* in 19:2.
- **"Do not act wickedly".** *La tavishun* renders *tare'u*, using an Aramaic root meaning "bad" for the Hebrew root of *ra'*, "evil". The negative *la* stands for the Hebrew *al*.
**Words to note:** אַחַי *ahai* — my brothers (אַחַי) · תַבְאִישוּן *tavishun* — act wickedly (תָּרֵעוּ)
---
### Unit 1 summary
Onkelos follows the narrative closely, and most of his changes are matters of Aramaic idiom: 'allu, "entered", for the arrival into Sedom and into Lot's house (but atu, "came", for the men who came to Lot in 19:5); be-va'u khe'an for the particle of request na; the adversative ellahen, "rather", for the Hebrew ki in the angels' refusal; and plain future verbs where the Hebrew uses the perfect with vav for Lot's instructions. He keeps the Hebrew's links: one Aramaic root renders both linu and nalin in 19:2, and mishteya keeps the drinking-root of mishteh. Small additions sharpen the picture ("for them" after the baking in 19:3, "its end" in 19:4), while one Aramaic word, tar'a, serves for both the city gate of 19:1 and the house entrance of 19:6. The Sodomites' demand to "know" the guests is translated literally.
---
## Unit 2 — Bereshit 19:8–14: The mob at Lot's door, and the warning to leave
Lot offers his daughters to the men of Sedom to protect his guests; the mob turns on him, and the guests pull him inside and strike the crowd with blindness. They reveal that they have come to destroy the place, and Lot goes to warn his sons-in-law, who take him for a jester.
---
### Bereshit 19:8
**Torah**
הִנֵּה־נָ֨א לִ֜י שְׁתֵּ֣י בָנ֗וֹת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יָדְעוּ֙ אִ֔ישׁ אוֹצִֽיאָה־נָּ֤א אֶתְהֶן֙ אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וַעֲשׂ֣וּ לָהֶ֔ן כַּטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֑ם רַ֠ק לָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵל֙ אַל־תַּעֲשׂ֣וּ דָבָ֔ר כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֥ן בָּ֖אוּ בְּצֵ֥ל קֹרָתִֽי׃
**Translation**
Behold! I have two daughters who have never known a man, I will bring them out to you, and do with them as you please; only do nothing to these men, since after all, they came under the shelter of my roof.
**Onkelos**
הָא כְעַן לִי תַּרְתֵּין בְּנָן דִּי לָא יְדָעִנּוּן גְּבַר אַפֵּק כְּעַן יַתְהוֹן לְוָתְכוֹן וְעִיבִידוּ לְהֵן כִּדְתַקֵּן בְּעֵינֵיכוֹן לְחוֹד לְגֻבְרַיָּא הָאִלֵּין לָא תַעְבְּדוּן מִדַּעַם אֲרֵי עַל כֵּן עַלּוּ בִּטְלַל שֵׁרוּתִי
**Onkelos in English**
Behold now! I have two daughters who have never known a man, I will bring them out now to you, and do with them as is fitting in your eyes; only do nothing to these men, since after all, they entered under the shelter of my lodging.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Behold now ... now".** Hebrew *na* appears twice (*hinneh na*, *otzi'ah na*); Onkelos renders both with the word for "now", *khe'an* and *ke'an* (הָא כְעַן, אַפֵּק כְּעַן).
- **"As is fitting in your eyes".** The Hebrew *ka-tov be-eineikhem*, "as is good in your eyes", becomes *kid-takken*, "as is fitting/proper" (כִּדְתַקֵּן), from תקן rather than the word for "good". The sense is unchanged; the idiom is put in Aramaic terms.
- **"Do nothing".** Hebrew *al ta'asu davar*, literally "do not do a thing"; Onkelos has *la ta'bedun midda'am*, "do not do anything" (מִדַּעַם), the ordinary Aramaic for "anything".
- **"They entered under the shelter of my lodging".** Hebrew *ba'u*, "they came", is rendered *'allu*, "they entered" (עַלּוּ), fitting their coming in under Lot's roof. *Betzel korati*, "in the shadow of my roof-beam", becomes *bi-tlal sheruti* (בִּטְלַל שֵׁרוּתִי); *sheruti* seems to be from שרי, "to dwell", that is, "my lodging", so that the beam of the roof is replaced by the dwelling it stands for. See the textual note.
- **Gender of the pronouns.** The Hebrew uses feminine forms for the daughters, *et'hen* and *lahen*. The printed Onkelos has *yat'hon* (יַתְהוֹן), a masculine form, but feminine *lehen* (לְהֵן).
- **Textual note.** For printed *sheruti* (שֵׁרוּתִי) the Yemenite text reads *shariti* (שָׁרִיתִי), which appears to mean "my beam"; that reading would keep the Hebrew image of the roof-beam. The point above about "lodging" holds for the printed text only.
- **Textual note.** For printed *lehen* (לְהֵן) the Yemenite text has *lehon* (לְהוֹן), masculine, matching *yat'hon*; the feminine pronoun noted above is in the printed text only.
**Words to note:** כְעַן *khe'an* — now (נָא) · אַפֵּק *appek* — I will bring out (אוֹצִיאָה) · כִּדְתַקֵּן *kid-takken* — as is fitting (כַּטּוֹב) · מִדַּעַם *midda'am* — anything (דָבָר) · עַלּוּ *'allu* — they entered (בָּאוּ) · שֵׁרוּתִי *sheruti* — my lodging (קֹרָתִי)
---
### Bereshit 19:9
**Torah**
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ ׀ גֶּשׁ־הָ֗לְאָה וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ הָאֶחָ֤ד בָּֽא־לָגוּר֙ וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֣ט שָׁפ֔וֹט עַתָּ֕ה נָרַ֥ע לְךָ֖ מֵהֶ֑ם וַיִּפְצְר֨וּ בָאִ֤ישׁ בְּלוֹט֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֖וּ לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר הַדָּֽלֶת׃
**Translation**
They said, Step back out of the way! They said, This one came as an immigrant, and now he wants to be a judge. We will now deal worse with you than with them. They pushed hard against Lot, and came near to break the door.
**Onkelos**
וַאֲמָרוּ קְרֵב לְהַלָּא וַאֲמָרוּ חַד אֲתָא לְאִתּוֹתָבָא והָא דָיִין דִּינָא כְּעַן נַבְאֵשׁ לָךְ מִדִּילְהוֹן וּתְקִיפוּ בְגַבְרָא בְלוֹט לַחֲדָא וּקְרִיבוּ לְמִתְּבַר דָּשָׁא
**Onkelos in English**
They said, Come near, farther off! They said, One came to settle, and behold, he is judging a judgment! Now we will deal worse with you than with them. They pressed hard against the man, against Lot, greatly, and came near to break the door.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Come near, farther off".** Hebrew *gesh hal'ah*, "step back", uses the verb "approach". Onkelos renders it with its equivalent *kerev* (קְרֵב), "come near", followed by *le-halla* (לְהַלָּא), "farther off". The resulting phrase is as compressed as the Hebrew; the sense "move away" is carried by the second word.
- **"Came near to break".** The same Hebrew root returns at the end of the verse in *vayiggeshu*, and Onkelos again uses קרב, *u-krivu* (וּקְרִיבוּ). The echo between the mob's command to Lot and its own advance on the door is kept.
- **"Came to settle".** Hebrew *lagur*, "to sojourn", becomes *le-ittotava* (לְאִתּוֹתָבָא), "to settle, to dwell".
- **"He is judging a judgment".** The Hebrew infinitive absolute *vayishpot shafot*, "and he judges, judging", is recast as a participle with a cognate noun, *dayen dina* (דָיִין דִּינָא), introduced by *ve-ha*, "and behold" (והָא). The added "behold" may voice the mob's indignation.
- **"Against the man, against Lot".** Onkelos keeps the Hebrew doubling *ba-ish be-Lot* as *ve-gavra ve-Lot* (בְגַבְרָא בְלוֹט). For *vayiftzeru*, "they pressed", he has *u-tkifu* (וּתְקִיפוּ), "they were forceful", and *me'od* is *lahada* (לַחֲדָא), "greatly".
- **Textual note.** The Yemenite text has *ve-atkifu* (וְאַתְקִיפוּ), a causative form, for printed *u-tkifu* (וּתְקִיפוּ); the sense of forceful pressure is the same.
**Words to note:** קְרֵב *kerev* — come near (גֶּשׁ) · לְהַלָּא *le-halla* — farther off (הָלְאָה) · לְאִתּוֹתָבָא *le-ittotava* — to settle (לָגוּר) · דָיִין *dayen* — judging (וַיִּשְׁפֹּט) · וּתְקִיפוּ *u-tkifu* — they pressed hard (וַיִּפְצְרוּ) · לְמִתְּבַר *le-mittevar* — to break (לִשְׁבֹּר)
---
### Bereshit 19:10
**Torah**
וַיִּשְׁלְח֤וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ אֶת־יָדָ֔ם וַיָּבִ֧יאוּ אֶת־ל֛וֹט אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם הַבָּ֑יְתָה וְאֶת־הַדֶּ֖לֶת סָגָֽרוּ׃
**Translation**
The men put out their hands, and pulled Lot to them, into the house, and closed the door.
**Onkelos**
וְאוֹשִׁיטוּ גֻּבְרַיָּא יָת יְדֵיהוֹן וְאַיְתִיאוּ יָת לוֹט לְוָתְהוֹן לְבֵיתָא וְיָת דָּשָׁא אֲחָדוּ
**Onkelos in English**
The men put out their hands, and brought Lot to them, into the house, and closed the door.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Put out their hands".** For *vayishlehu ... et yadam*, Onkelos uses *ve-oshitu* (וְאוֹשִׁיטוּ), "they stretched out", not the Aramaic verb for "send". The idiom of sending the hand is rendered by its plain meaning.
- **"Closed the door".** Hebrew *sagaru* becomes *ahadu* (אֲחָדוּ), from אחד, "to hold, to shut". Otherwise a literal rendering, including *le-veita* (לְבֵיתָא) for the directional *ha-baytah*, "into the house".
- **Textual note.** For printed *ve-aytiyu* (וְאַיְתִיאוּ), "they brought", the Yemenite text has *ve-a'ilu* (וְאַעִילוּ), "they brought in", a verb that itself expresses the movement into the house.
**Words to note:** וְאוֹשִׁיטוּ *ve-oshitu* — they put out (וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ) · וְאַיְתִיאוּ *ve-aytiyu* — and they brought (וַיָּבִיאוּ) · דָּשָׁא *dasha* — the door (הַדֶּלֶת) · אֲחָדוּ *ahadu* — they closed (סָגָרוּ)
---
### Bereshit 19:11
**Torah**
וְֽאֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־פֶּ֣תַח הַבַּ֗יִת הִכּוּ֙ בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֔ים מִקָּטֹ֖ן וְעַד־גָּד֑וֹל וַיִּלְא֖וּ לִמְצֹ֥א הַפָּֽתַח׃
**Translation**
The men who were at the entrance of the house, they struck with blindness—young and old alike—so that they wearied themselves trying to find the entrance.
**Onkelos**
וְיָת גֻּבְרַיָּא דִּי בִתְרַע בֵּיתָא מְחוֹ בְּשַׁבְרִירַיָּא מִזְּעֵירָא וְעַד רַבָּא וּלְאִיוּ לְאַשְׁכָּחָא תַרְעָא
**Onkelos in English**
The men who were at the entrance of the house, they struck with blindness, from young to old, and they wearied [themselves] to find the entrance.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Who were at the entrance".** The Hebrew *asher petah ha-bayit* has no preposition; Onkelos adds one, *di vi-tra'* (דִּי בִתְרַע), "who [were] at the entrance", a small grammatical smoothing.
- **"The entrance" twice.** Hebrew *petah* occurs twice in the verse, and Onkelos renders both with *tar'a* (construct *vi-tra'*) (בִתְרַע, תַרְעָא), so the closing irony, that they cannot find the very entrance at which they stood, is kept.
- **"Blindness".** *Ba-sanverim* is rendered *be-shavriraya* (בְּשַׁבְרִירַיָּא), the Aramaic term for this sudden blindness. "Young to old" is *mi-ze'eira ve-ad rabba* (מִזְּעֵירָא וְעַד רַבָּא), literally "from small to great", as in the Hebrew.
**Words to note:** בִתְרַע *vi-tra'* — at the entrance (פֶּתַח) · מְחוֹ *meho* — they struck (הִכּוּ) · בְּשַׁבְרִירַיָּא *be-shavriraya* — with blindness (בַּסַּנְוֵרִים) · וּלְאִיוּ *u-le'iyu* — they wearied (וַיִּלְאוּ) · לְאַשְׁכָּחָא *le-ashkaha* — to find (לִמְצֹא)
---
### Bereshit 19:12
**Torah**
וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים אֶל־ל֗וֹט עֹ֚ד מִֽי־לְךָ֣ פֹ֔ה חָתָן֙ וּבָנֶ֣יךָ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יךָ וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־לְךָ֖ בָּעִ֑יר הוֹצֵ֖א מִן־הַמָּקֽוֹם׃
**Translation**
The men said to Lot, Who else do you have here—a son-in-law, your sons, your daughters? Whoever you have in the city, bring them out of his place.
**Onkelos**
וַאֲמָרוּ גֻּבְרַיָּא לְלוֹט עוֹד מָן לָךְ הָכָא חַתְנָא וּבְנָךְ וּבְנָתָךְ וְכֹל דִּי לָךְ בְּקַרְתָּא אַפֵּיק מִן אַתְרָא
**Onkelos in English**
The men said to Lot, Who else do you have here—a son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters? And whoever you have in the city, bring out of the place.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"The place".** Hebrew *ha-makom* becomes *atra* (אַתְרָא), as it does in 19:13 and 19:14. Otherwise a literal rendering: *hakha* (הָכָא) for *poh*, "here", and *be-karta* (בְּקַרְתָּא) for *ba-ir*, "in the city".
- **Textual note.** For printed *man*, "who" (מָן), the Yemenite text reads *ma* (מָא), "what": "what else do you have here?"
**Words to note:** מָן *man* — who (מִי) · הָכָא *hakha* — here (פֹה) · חַתְנָא *hatna* — a son-in-law (חָתָן) · בְּקַרְתָּא *be-karta* — in the city (בָּעִיר) · אַפֵּיק *appek* — bring out (הוֹצֵא) · אַתְרָא *atra* — the place (הַמָּקוֹם)
---
### Bereshit 19:13
**Torah**
כִּֽי־מַשְׁחִתִ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ אֶת־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־גָדְלָ֤ה צַעֲקָתָם֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י ה׳ וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֥נוּ ה׳ לְשַׁחֲתָֽהּ׃
**Translation**
We are going to destroy this place, for the wailing concerning them has become great in the presence of Hashem; and Hashem has sent us to destroy it.
**Onkelos**
אֲרֵי מְחַבְּלִין אֲנַחְנָא יָת אַתְרָא הָדֵין אֲרֵי סְגִיאַת קְבִלְתְּהוֹן קֳדָם ה׳ וְשַׁלְּחָנָא ה׳ לְחַבָּלוּתַהּ
**Onkelos in English**
We are going to destroy this place, for the outcry concerning them has become great before Hashem; and Hashem has sent us to destroy it.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Destroy".** Both Hebrew forms of שחת here, *mashhitim* and *le-shahatah*, are rendered from חבל: *mehabbelin* (מְחַבְּלִין) and *le-habbaluta* (לְחַבָּלוּתַהּ). The same choice recurs in 19:14.
- **"Before Hashem".** Hebrew *et penei* Hashem, "the face of Hashem", becomes *kodam* Hashem (קֳדָם), "before Hashem". Removing the reference to God's face may reflect a concern to avoid physical language about God.
- **"The outcry ... has become great".** *Tza'akatam* is *kevilt'hon* (קְבִלְתְּהוֹן), "their outcry, complaint", and *gadelah*, "has become great", is *segi'at* (סְגִיאַת), from the root for "much, great".
**Words to note:** מְחַבְּלִין *mehabbelin* — going to destroy (מַשְׁחִתִים) · סְגִיאַת *segi'at* — has become great (גָדְלָה) · קְבִלְתְּהוֹן *kevilt'hon* — the outcry concerning them (צַעֲקָתָם) · קֳדָם *kodam* — before (פְּנֵי) · לְחַבָּלוּתַהּ *le-habbaluta* — to destroy it (לְשַׁחֲתָהּ)
---
### Bereshit 19:14
**Torah**
וַיֵּצֵ֨א ל֜וֹט וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר ׀ אֶל־חֲתָנָ֣יו ׀ לֹקְחֵ֣י בְנֹתָ֗יו וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ ק֤וּמוּ צְּאוּ֙ מִן־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה כִּֽי־מַשְׁחִ֥ית ה׳ אֶת־הָעִ֑יר וַיְהִ֥י כִמְצַחֵ֖ק בְּעֵינֵ֥י חֲתָנָֽיו׃
**Translation**
Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who had married his daughters. He said [to them], Get up! Get out of this place, for Hashem is going to destroy the city! He appeared as a comedian in the eyes of his sons-in-law.
**Onkelos**
וּנְפַק לוֹט וּמַלֵּיל עִם חַתְנוֹהִי נָסְבֵי בְנָתֵהּ וְאֲמַר קוּמוּ פּוּקוּ מִן אַתְרָא הָדֵין אֲרֵי מְחַבֵּל ה׳ יָת קַרְתָּא וַהֲוָה כִּמְחָיִךְ בְּעֵינֵי חַתְנוֹהִי
**Onkelos in English**
Lot went out and spoke with his sons-in-law who had married his daughters. He said, Get up! Get out of this place, for Hashem is going to destroy the city! He appeared as a jester in the eyes of his sons-in-law.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Spoke with".** Hebrew *vaydabber el*, "spoke to", becomes *u-mallil im* (וּמַלֵּיל עִם), "spoke with".
- **"Who had married".** The Hebrew *lokehei venotav*, "takers of his daughters", is matched by *nasevei* (נָסְבֵי), "takers of", the Aramaic verb used for taking a wife.
- **"Is going to destroy".** *Mashhit* becomes *mehabbel* (מְחַבֵּל), continuing the use of חבל for שחת from 19:13.
- **"As a jester".** Hebrew *ki-mtzahek*, from צחק, becomes *ki-mhayikh* (כִּמְחָיִךְ), from a verb meaning "to laugh". Hebrew *tze'u*, "get out", is *puku* (פּוּקוּ).
**Words to note:** וּמַלֵּיל *u-mallil* — and spoke (וַיְדַבֵּר) · חַתְנוֹהִי *hatnohi* — his sons-in-law (חֲתָנָיו) · נָסְבֵי *nasevei* — who had married (לֹקְחֵי) · פּוּקוּ *puku* — get out (צְּאוּ) · מְחַבֵּל *mehabbel* — is going to destroy (מַשְׁחִית) · כִּמְחָיִךְ *ki-mhayikh* — as a jester (כִמְצַחֵק)
---
### Unit 2 summary
Through this unit Onkelos stays close to the Hebrew, and his changes are mostly matters of standard vocabulary and smoothing. The root שחת, used three times for the coming destruction (19:13 twice, 19:14), is rendered each time with חבל, and the place (המקום) is each time *atra*. Hebrew idioms are recast in plainer Aramaic: the infinitive absolute *vayishpot shafot* becomes a participle with a cognate noun, *dayen dina*; 'the face of Hashem' becomes *kodam* Hashem, 'before Hashem'; 'as is good in your eyes' becomes 'as is fitting'; and 'came to sojourn' becomes 'came to settle'. Small additions supply what the Hebrew leaves implicit, such as the preposition 'at' before the entrance in 19:11. The repeated Hebrew verb 'approach' of 19:9 ('step back ... came near') is matched by a repeated קרב, so the echo between the mob's command and its advance survives in the Aramaic.
---
## Unit 3 — Bereshit 19:15–20: Lot is led out of the city and pleads for a small refuge
At dawn the angels urge Lot to leave with his wife and daughters; when he delays they take him by the hand and set him outside the city. Told to flee to the mountain, Lot pleads to escape instead to a nearby small city.
---
### Bereshit 19:15
**Torah**
וּכְמוֹ֙ הַשַּׁ֣חַר עָלָ֔ה וַיָּאִ֥יצוּ הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים בְּל֣וֹט לֵאמֹ֑ר קוּם֩ קַ֨ח אֶֽת־אִשְׁתְּךָ֜ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י בְנֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ הַנִּמְצָאֹ֔ת פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶ֖ה בַּעֲוֺ֥ן הָעִֽיר׃
**Translation**
At the break of dawn, the angels urged Lot on, saying, Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the iniquity of the city.
**Onkelos**
וּכְמִסַּק צַפְרָא הֲוָה וּדְחִיקוּ מַלְאָכַיָּא בְּלוֹט לְמֵימָר קוּם דְּבַר יָת אִתְּתָךְ וְיָת תַּרְתֵּין בְּנָתָךְ דְּאִשְׁתְּכַחַן מְהֵימְנָא עִמָּךְ דִּילְמָא תִלְקֵי בְּחוֹבֵי קַרְתָּא
**Onkelos in English**
And as the rising of the dawn was [taking place], the angels urged Lot on, saying, Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are found faithful with you, lest you be stricken in the sins of the city.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"As the rising of the dawn was".** The Hebrew has a verb, "as the dawn rose" (*alah*). Onkelos turns the rising into a noun, *mi-sak*, "the rising", and supplies the verb *hava*, "was", a smoothing of the time clause without change of sense.
- **"Who are found faithful with you".** The Hebrew הַנִּמְצָאֹת means simply "who are found", that is, who are here with Lot. Onkelos keeps the verb (דְּאִשְׁתְּכַחַן, "who are found") but adds *mehemna*, "faithful", and *immakh*, "with you". The addition suggests that he read "who are found" as a statement about the daughters' standing, perhaps contrasting them with members of Lot's household who were not saved; the Hebrew itself does not say this.
- **"Lest you be stricken".** For the Hebrew *tissafeh*, "be swept away", Onkelos writes *tilkei*, "be stricken, punished", a verb of punishment rather than of being carried off. He does the same at the end of 19:17, where *tissafeh* recurs.
- **"In the sins of the city".** The Hebrew singular *avon*, "iniquity", becomes the plural *hovei*, "sins". The singular-plural shift may simply follow Aramaic usage for a city's collective guilt.
- **Textual note.** Where the printed text has דְּאִשְׁתְּכַחַן מְהֵימְנָא, with the verb plural and "faithful" singular, the Yemenite text has דְּאִשְׁתְּכַחָא מְהֵימְנָן, with the verb singular and "faithful" plural. Either way the added word "faithful" is present; only the grammatical agreement differs.
**Words to note:** צַפְרָא *tzafra* — dawn (הַשַּׁחַר) · וּדְחִיקוּ *u-dehiku* — urged on (וַיָּאִיצוּ) · דְּבַר *devar* — take (קַח) · מְהֵימְנָא *mehemna* — faithful · תִלְקֵי *tilkei* — be stricken (תִּסָּפֶה) · בְּחוֹבֵי *be-hovei* — in the sins of (בַּעֲוֺן)
---
### Bereshit 19:16
**Torah**
וַֽיִּתְמַהְמָ֓הּ ׀ וַיַּחֲזִ֨יקוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּיָד֣וֹ וּבְיַד־אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ וּבְיַד֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י בְנֹתָ֔יו בְּחֶמְלַ֥ת ה׳ עָלָ֑יו וַיֹּצִאֻ֥הוּ וַיַּנִּחֻ֖הוּ מִח֥וּץ לָעִֽיר׃
**Translation**
He hesitated, and the men grabbed his hand and the hand of his wife and two daughters, for Hashem had pity on him. They brought him out and placed him outside the city.
**Onkelos**
וְאִתְעַכַּב וְאַתְקִיפוּ גֻּבְרַיָּא בִּידֵהּ וּבִידָא דְּאִתְּתֵהּ וּבִידָא דְתַּרְתֵּין בְּנָתֵהּ כִּרְחַם (נ''י כַּד חָס) ה׳ עֲלוֹהִי וְאַפְּקוּהִי וְאַשְׁרוּהי מִבָּרָא לְקַרְתָּא
**Onkelos in English**
He delayed, and the men grabbed his hand and the hand of his wife and the hand of his two daughters, when Hashem had compassion on him (another version: when [Hashem] had pity). They brought him out and placed him outside the city.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"He delayed".** The rare Hebrew וַיִּתְמַהְמָהּ, "he hesitated, lingered", is rendered with *it'akkav*, "he was held back, delayed", a common Aramaic verb of delay.
- **"When Hashem had compassion on him".** The Hebrew has a noun phrase, "in Hashem's pity upon him" (בְּחֶמְלַת). The printed Onkelos turns it into a verb clause, כִּרְחַם, "when [Hashem] had compassion". The alternative reading the printed text records, כַּד חָס, "when [He] had pity", uses the root חוס, the same root Onkelos uses in 19:17 for the angel's command *hus*, "have pity".
- **"Placed him".** *Ashruhi*, "they set him down, settled him", renders the Hebrew "placed him"; *mi-bara le-karta*, "outside the city", is the regular Aramaic for the Hebrew *mi-hutz la-ir*. Otherwise a literal rendering, including the repeated "the hand of" before each family member.
- **Textual note.** The Yemenite text reads בִּדְחָס, "in that [Hashem] had pity", with the root חוס, and without the alternative noted in the printed text. Its preposition ב matches the Hebrew בְּחֶמְלַת more closely than the printed כִּרְחַם.
**Words to note:** וְאִתְעַכַּב *ve-it'akkav* — delayed (וַיִּתְמַהְמָהּ) · וְאַתְקִיפוּ *ve-atkifu* — grabbed (וַיַּחֲזִיקוּ) · גֻּבְרַיָּא *guvrayya* — the men (הָאֲנָשִׁים) · כִּרְחַם *ki-rham* — when [He] had compassion (בְּחֶמְלַת) · וְאַשְׁרוּהי *ve-ashruhi* — placed him (וַיַּנִּחֻהוּ) · מִבָּרָא *mi-bara* — outside (מִחוּץ)
---
### Bereshit 19:17
**Torah**
וַיְהִי֩ כְהוֹצִיאָ֨ם אֹתָ֜ם הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִמָּלֵ֣ט עַל־נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ אַל־תַּבִּ֣יט אַחֲרֶ֔יךָ וְאַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּכׇל־הַכִּכָּ֑ר הָהָ֥רָה הִמָּלֵ֖ט פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶֽה׃
**Translation**
When they were brought out [of the city], he [the angel] said, Escape for your life! Do not look back! Do not remain anywhere in the valley. Escape to the mountain, lest you be swept away.
**Onkelos**
וַהֲוָה כַּד אַפִּיקוּ יָתְהוֹן לְבָרָא וַאֲמַר חוּס עַל נַפְשָׁךְ לָא תִּסְתְּכִי לַאֲחוֹרָךְ וְלָא תְקוּם בְּכָל מֵישְׁרָא לְטוּרָא אִשְׁתְּזֵב דִּלְמָא תִלְקֵי
**Onkelos in English**
And it was, when they brought them outside, he said, Have pity on your life! Do not look back! Do not remain anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountain, lest you be stricken.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"And it was, when they brought them outside".** A literal rendering of the Hebrew time clause, with the active "they brought them out" kept.
- **"Have pity on your life".** The Hebrew uses the same verb twice in this verse: הִמָּלֵט, "escape", at the start and at the end. Onkelos renders the second with אִשְׁתְּזֵב, "escape", the verb he also uses for the root מלט in 19:19 and 19:20, but renders the first with חוּס, "have pity". "Escape for your life" thus becomes "have pity on your life", perhaps reading the Hebrew phrase "on your life" as calling Lot to care for his own life rather than as a mere command to run.
- **"The plain".** The Hebrew *kikkar*, the circle of land around the Jordan, is rendered *meishra*, "plain, level ground", a general word for flat country in place of the distinctive Hebrew term.
- **"Lest you be stricken".** As in 19:15, *tissafeh*, "be swept away", becomes *tilkei*, "be stricken".
- **Textual note.** The Yemenite text reads אַפֵּיק, "when he brought out", in the singular, where the printed text has אַפִּיקוּ, "when they brought out", matching the plural of the Hebrew כְהוֹצִיאָם.
**Words to note:** אַפִּיקוּ *apiku* — they brought out (כְהוֹצִיאָם) · חוּס *hus* — have pity (הִמָּלֵט) · תִּסְתְּכִי *tistekhi* — look (תַּבִּיט) · מֵישְׁרָא *meishra* — plain (הַכִּכָּר) · אִשְׁתְּזֵב *ishtezev* — escape (הִמָּלֵט) · תִלְקֵי *tilkei* — be stricken (תִּסָּפֶה)
---
### Bereshit 19:18
**Torah**
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹט אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אַל־נָ֖א אֲדֹנָֽי׃
**Translation**
Lot said to them, Please, not so my Master.
**Onkelos**
וַאֲמַר לוֹט לְהוֹן בְּבָעוּ כְעַן רִבּוֹנָי (נ''י ה׳)
**Onkelos in English**
Lot said to them, Please, now, my masters (another version: Hashem).
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Please, now".** The Hebrew אַל־נָא combines the negative *al*, "not", with the particle *na*. Onkelos has no negative: *be-va'u*, literally "in entreaty", is a formula of pleading, and *khe'an*, "now", corresponds to *na*. The Aramaic thus makes Lot's words a plea rather than a refusal; whether Onkelos read *al-na* as a single particle of entreaty can only be inferred.
- **"My masters".** For the Hebrew אֲדֹנָי the printed text has רִבּוֹנָי, "my master(s)", addressed to the angels ("to them"); it is vocalized with kamatz, unlike the רִבּוֹנַי of 19:2. It records in parentheses an alternative reading, ה׳, which would make Lot's plea an address to Hashem.
- **Textual note.** The Yemenite text lacks both "now" and "my masters" and reads only "Please, Hashem", the reading the printed text gives as its alternative. On that text the plea is addressed to Hashem; the reading "my masters" holds for the printed text only.
**Words to note:** בְּבָעוּ *be-va'u* — please (אַל־נָא) · כְעַן *khe'an* — now · רִבּוֹנָי *ribbonai* — my masters (אֲדֹנָי)
---
### Bereshit 19:19
**Torah**
הִנֵּה־נָ֠א מָצָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֣ חֵן֮ בְּעֵינֶ֒יךָ֒ וַתַּגְדֵּ֣ל חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ עִמָּדִ֔י לְהַחֲי֖וֹת אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֑י וְאָנֹכִ֗י לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ לְהִמָּלֵ֣ט הָהָ֔רָה פֶּן־תִּדְבָּקַ֥נִי הָרָעָ֖ה וָמַֽתִּי׃
**Translation**
Behold your servant has found favor in Your eyes. Great is your kindness that you have done with me, to keep me alive. I cannot escape to the mountain, lest the evil attach itself to me and I die.
**Onkelos**
הָא כְעַן אַשְׁכַּח עַבְדָךְ רַחֲמִין קֳדָמָךְ וְאַסְגֵּיתָא טֵיבוּתָךְ דִּי עֲבַדְתָּ עִמִּי לְקַיָּמָא יָת נַפְשִׁי וַאֲנָא לֵית אֲנָא יָכִיל לְאִשְׁתֵּזָבָא לְטּוּרָא דִּילְמָא תְעַרְעִנַּנִי בִשְׁתָּא וְאֵימוּת
**Onkelos in English**
Behold, now, your servant has found mercy before you, and you have increased your kindness that you have done with me, to preserve my life. And I, I cannot escape to the mountain, lest the evil befall me and I die.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Behold, now".** *Ha khe'an* renders the Hebrew *hinneh-na*, with *khe'an*, "now", for *na*, as in 19:18 and 19:20.
- **"Found mercy before you".** The Hebrew "found favor in your eyes" is changed twice: *hen*, "favor", becomes רַחֲמִין, "mercy", and "in your eyes" becomes קֳדָמָךְ, "before you". The second change replaces the image of the eyes with a more formal idiom of standing before a superior, perhaps out of deference.
- **"You have increased your kindness".** *Asgeita*, "you have increased, made much", renders *va-tagdel*, "you have made great"; *teivutakh*, "your kindness" (literally "goodness"), renders *hasdekha*.
- **"To preserve my life".** For the Hebrew לְהַחֲיוֹת, "to keep alive", Onkelos writes לְקַיָּמָא, "to preserve, sustain", from the root קים. In 19:20 he renders the Hebrew *u-tehi*, "will live", with the same root (*ve-titkayyam*), so the two Hebrew verbs of 'living' stay paired in the Aramaic.
- **"And I, I cannot".** The Hebrew *ve-anokhi lo ukhal* is expanded with the Aramaic negative *leit*, which takes a repeated pronoun: *va-ana leit ana yakhil*, "and I, I am not able". A grammatical smoothing only.
- **"Lest the evil befall me".** The Hebrew תִּדְבָּקַנִי, "cling, attach itself to me", becomes תְעַרְעִנַּנִי, "meet, befall me", from the root ערע; the image of the evil clinging to Lot gives way to a plainer verb of encounter.
**Words to note:** רַחֲמִין *rahamin* — mercy (חֵן) · קֳדָמָךְ *kodamakh* — before you (בְּעֵינֶיךָ) · וְאַסְגֵּיתָא *ve-asgeita* — you have increased (וַתַּגְדֵּל) · טֵיבוּתָךְ *teivutakh* — your kindness (חַסְדְּךָ) · לְקַיָּמָא *le-kayyama* — to preserve (לְהַחֲיוֹת) · תְעַרְעִנַּנִי *te'ar'innani* — befall me (תִּדְבָּקַנִי)
---
### Bereshit 19:20
**Torah**
הִנֵּה־נָ֠א הָעִ֨יר הַזֹּ֧את קְרֹבָ֛ה לָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה וְהִ֣וא מִצְעָ֑ר אִמָּלְטָ֨ה נָּ֜א שָׁ֗מָּה הֲלֹ֥א מִצְעָ֛ר הִ֖וא וּתְחִ֥י נַפְשִֽׁי׃
**Translation**
Behold, please, this city is near [enough] to flee there. It is insignificant. Let me escape there! It is insignificant, and my life will be saved.
**Onkelos**
הָא כְעַן קַרְתָּא הָדָא קְרִיבָא לְמֵעִירוֹק לְתַמָּן וְהִיא זְעֵירָא אִשְׁתְּזֵב כְּעַן תַּמָּן הֲלָא זְעֵירָא הִיא וְתִתְקַיַּם נַפְשִׁי
**Onkelos in English**
Behold, now, this city is near to flee there, and it is insignificant. Let me escape, now, there! Is it not insignificant? And my life will be preserved.
**What Onkelos tells us**
- **"Behold, now".** As in 19:19, *ha khe'an* renders *hinneh-na*; the second *na* in the verse is rendered *ke'an*, "now", as well.
- **"Insignificant".** *Ze'eira*, "small, insignificant", renders the Hebrew *mitz'ar* both times it occurs in the verse.
- **"Let me escape".** The Hebrew אִמָּלְטָה is a first-person request. The printed Onkelos vocalizes the verb exactly as the imperative "escape!" of 19:17, אִשְׁתְּזֵב; the context shows it must be read here as Lot's "let me escape".
- **"My life will be preserved".** The Hebrew "my life will live" (*u-tehi nafshi*) becomes *ve-titkayyam nafshi*, "my life will be preserved", with the same root קים that renders "to keep alive" in 19:19.
- **Textual note.** The Yemenite text distinguishes the two forms: here it has אֶשְׁתֵּיזַב, with initial segol, against the imperative אִשְׁתֵּיזַב in 19:17. The point that the printed vocalization coincides with the imperative holds for the printed text only.
**Words to note:** לְמֵעִירוֹק *lemei'irok* — to flee (לָנוּס) · זְעֵירָא *ze'eira* — insignificant (מִצְעָר) · אִשְׁתְּזֵב *ishtezev* — let me escape (אִמָּלְטָה) · כְּעַן *ke'an* — now (נָּא) · וְתִתְקַיַּם *ve-titkayyam* — will be preserved (וּתְחִי)
---
### Unit 3 summary
Onkelos follows the Hebrew closely here, but several renderings stand out. He adds that Lot's family members 'are found faithful with you' (19:15), where the Hebrew says only that they 'are here'. The Hebrew threat 'lest you be swept away' becomes, both times, 'lest you be stricken' (*tilkei*), and 'the iniquity of the city' becomes its 'sins' in the plural. Of the four forms of the Hebrew root מלט in the unit, three are rendered with the Aramaic verb 'escape' (*ishtezev* and its forms), but the first, in the angel's command 'Escape for your life' (19:17), becomes 'Have pity on your life' (*hus*). The Hebrew noun of God's pity in 19:16 becomes a verb clause, 'when Hashem had compassion'. In Lot's plea, 'favor in your eyes' becomes 'mercy before you', and the pair 'to keep me alive ... my life will live' (19:19-20) is rendered consistently with the root קים, 'preserve'. Lot's opening words in 19:18 are rendered as a plea without the Hebrew's 'not', and the address אֲדֹנָי appears in the printed text as 'my masters', with 'Hashem' as an alternative reading that the Yemenite text has alone.
---
## Conclusion of the aliyah
### The movement of the aliyah
The aliyah moves from hospitality to siege to rescue. It opens with Lot at the gate of Sedom and the angels entering his house for a feast; it turns when the whole city gathers at his door, and the entrance that Lot shut behind him becomes the place where the crowd is struck blind and cannot find the way in. The angels' disclosure that Hashem has sent them to destroy the place sets the rest in motion: the warning to the sons-in-law, who laugh it off, the urging at dawn, Lot's delay, and his being led out by the hand. It closes with Lot's plea, addressed to his rescuers, to escape not to the mountain but to a small city nearby. Onkelos follows this course closely, and most of his changes are matters of Aramaic idiom, with a few renderings that add or shift meaning.
### What Onkelos tells us in this aliyah
1. **"Entered" (19:1).** *Ve-'allu* renders *va-yavo'u*; the same verb returns for entering Lot's house in 19:3, while 19:5 has *atu*, "came", so the choice of verb seems to follow the sense of arriving into a place.
2. **"No; rather" (19:2).** *Ellahen* fixes the adversative sense of the Hebrew *ki* in the angels' refusal, and one Aramaic root renders both *linu* and *nalin*, keeping the echo between invitation and refusal.
3. **"That we may know them" (19:5).** The Sodomites' demand is rendered literally, without explaining or softening the Hebrew expression.
4. **"To the entrance" (19:6).** *Le-tar'a* uses the same noun that rendered the city gate in 19:1, so one Aramaic word covers two Hebrew words.
5. **"As is fitting in your eyes" (19:8).** "As is good" becomes *kid-takken*, "as is fitting", putting the idiom in Aramaic terms; in the printed text "the shelter of my roof" becomes "the shelter of my lodging", while the Yemenite reading appears to keep the roof-beam.
6. **"He is judging a judgment" (19:9).** The infinitive absolute *vayishpot shafot* becomes *dayen dina*, introduced by "and behold", and the repeated verb of approach is matched by a repeated קרב.
7. **"Before Hashem" (19:13).** *Et penei* Hashem becomes *kodam* Hashem; the note suggests that removing the reference to God's face may reflect a concern to avoid physical language about God.
8. **"Found faithful with you" (19:15).** Onkelos adds *mehemna* (מְהֵימְנָא), "faithful", and "with you" to "who are found"; the addition suggests he read the phrase as a statement about the daughters' standing, which the Hebrew itself does not say.
9. **"Lest you be stricken" (19:15).** *Tissafeh*, "be swept away", becomes *tilkei* (תִלְקֵי), a verb of punishment, here and again in 19:17.
10. **"When Hashem had compassion" (19:16).** The Hebrew noun phrase "in Hashem's pity" becomes a verb clause in the printed text.
11. **"Have pity on your life" (19:17).** The first *himmalet* becomes *hus* (חוּס), perhaps reading "on your life" as a call to care for his own life; the second becomes *ishtezev* (אִשְׁתְּזֵב), "escape".
12. **"Please, now, my masters" (19:18).** Lot's *al-na* becomes a plea with no negative, and the printed *ribbonai* (רִבּוֹנָי) addresses the angels, with "Hashem" recorded as an alternative, which is the Yemenite reading.
13. **"To preserve my life" (19:19).** *Le-kayyama* (לְקַיָּמָא) and, in 19:20, *ve-titkayyam* render the two Hebrew verbs of living with the one root קים, keeping them paired.
### Recurring features
- **Aramaic idiom for Hebrew particles.** *Na* is rendered *khe'an*, "now", and *hinneh na* becomes *ha khe'an* or the entreaty *be-va'u khe'an*; *ki* becomes *ellahen* where it means "rather".
- **Consistent vocabulary across the aliyah.** שחת is rendered from חבל, *ha-makom* is *atra*, *petah* and *sha'ar* are *tar'a*, and מלט is mostly *ishtezev*.
- **Kept echoes.** Where the Hebrew repeats a root, Onkelos often repeats one too: *linu* and *nalin* (19:2), the two verbs of approach (19:9), the two "entrances" (19:11), and the verbs of living (19:19-20).
- **Small clarifying additions.** Onkelos supplies what the Hebrew leaves implicit: "for them" after the baking (19:3), "its end" (19:4), the preposition "at" before the entrance (19:11), and the verb "was" in the time clause of 19:15.
- **Plainer verbs for Hebrew images.** Sending the hand becomes stretching it out (19:10), the evil that would cling becomes the evil that would befall (19:19), and "in your eyes" becomes "before you" (19:19).
- **Two textual traditions.** The notes record several differences between the printed text and the Yemenite text, some only of form, some of sense, as in 19:8 and 19:18.
### Aliyah takeaway
In this aliyah Onkelos is above all a close translator. He keeps the narrative's order and much of its wording, including the Sodomites' demand, and he takes care to preserve the Hebrew's verbal echoes. His departures are mostly matters of Aramaic usage and clarity, but a few carry interpretation: the daughters "found faithful", the threat of being "stricken" rather than swept away, the angel's "have pity on your life", and the reverent "before Hashem" and "before you" in place of the face and the eyes. Where the printed and Yemenite texts diverge, as in Lot's address in 19:18, the reader is shown both.
---
## Aramaic word list for the aliyah
| Aramaic | Transliteration | Meaning | Hebrew in the verse |
|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַלּוּ | *ve-'allu* | [they] entered | וַיָּבֹאוּ |
| וּסְגִיד | *u-segid* | and he bowed | וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ |
| אַפּוֹהִי | *appohi* | his face | אַפַּיִם |
| בְּבָעוּ | *be-va'u* | please | — |
| וּבִיתוּ | *u-vitu* | stay over night | וְלִינוּ |
| וּתְקַדְּמוּן | *u-tekaddemun* | and you will get up early | וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּם |
| נְבִית | *nevit* | we will spend the night | נָלִין |
| וְאַתְקַף | *ve-atkef* | he pressed | וַיִּפְצַר |
| וּפַטִּיר | *u-fattir* | and unleavened bread | וּמַצּוֹת |
| קַרְתָּא | *karta* | the city | הָעִיר |
| אַקִּיפוּ | *akkifu* | [they] surrounded | נָסַבּוּ |
| סָבָא | *sava* | old | זָקֵן |
| מִסּוֹפֵהּ | *missofeh* | from its end | מִקָּצֶה |
| גֻּבְרַיָא | *guvraya* | the men | הָאֲנָשִׁים |
| אֲתוֹ | *atu* | [they] came | בָּאוּ |
| וְנִדַּע | *ve-nidda'* | that we may know | וְנֵדְעָה |
| לְתַרְעָא | *le-tar'a* | to the entrance | הַפֶּתְחָה |
| אֲחַד | *ahad* | shutting | סָגַר |
| תַבְאִישוּן | *tavishun* | act wickedly | תָּרֵעוּ |
| כְעַן | *khe'an* | now | נָא |
| כִּדְתַקֵּן | *kid-takken* | as is fitting | כַּטּוֹב |
| מִדַּעַם | *midda'am* | anything | דָבָר |
| עַלּוּ | *'allu* | they entered | בָּאוּ |
| שֵׁרוּתִי | *sheruti* | my lodging | קֹרָתִי |
| קְרֵב | *kerev* | come near | גֶּשׁ |
| לְהַלָּא | *le-halla* | farther off | הָלְאָה |
| לְאִתּוֹתָבָא | *le-ittotava* | to settle | לָגוּר |
| דָיִין | *dayen* | judging | וַיִּשְׁפֹּט |
| וּתְקִיפוּ | *u-tkifu* | they pressed hard | וַיִּפְצְרוּ |
| וְאוֹשִׁיטוּ | *ve-oshitu* | they put out | וַיִּשְׁלְחוּ |
| אֲחָדוּ | *ahadu* | they closed | סָגָרוּ |
| בִתְרַע | *vi-tra'* | at the entrance | פֶּתַח |
| בְּשַׁבְרִירַיָּא | *be-shavriraya* | with blindness | בַּסַּנְוֵרִים |
| הָכָא | *hakha* | here | פֹה |
| בְּקַרְתָּא | *be-karta* | in the city | בָּעִיר |
| אַתְרָא | *atra* | the place | הַמָּקוֹם |
| מְחַבְּלִין | *mehabbelin* | going to destroy | מַשְׁחִתִים |
| סְגִיאַת | *segi'at* | has become great | גָדְלָה |
| קְבִלְתְּהוֹן | *kevilt'hon* | the outcry concerning them | צַעֲקָתָם |
| קֳדָם | *kodam* | before | פְּנֵי |
| לְחַבָּלוּתַהּ | *le-habbaluta* | to destroy it | לְשַׁחֲתָהּ |
| וּמַלֵּיל | *u-mallil* | and spoke | וַיְדַבֵּר |
| נָסְבֵי | *nasevei* | who had married | לֹקְחֵי |
| פּוּקוּ | *puku* | get out | צְּאוּ |
| מְחַבֵּל | *mehabbel* | is going to destroy | מַשְׁחִית |
---
## Source note
**Aliyah boundary.** Bereshit 19:1 – 19:20, following the aliyah divisions in Sefaria's index of Bereshit (the next aliyah begins at Bereshit 19:21).
**Torah text.** *Miqra according to the Masorah* (CC-BY-SA), the Masoretic text based on the Aleppo Codex, from Wikisource via [Sefaria](https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis?lang=he).
**Targum Onkelos.** The Aramaic is the commonly printed text, from the Torat Emet edition (Public Domain), via [Sefaria](https://www.sefaria.org/Onkelos_Genesis?lang=he).
**Comparison text.** "Targum Onkelos, vocalized according to the Yemenite Taj" (CC-BY-SA), from Wikisource via Sefaria. Its readings were compared with the printed text word by word; only differences that change a word or the meaning are noted.
**Translation of the Torah.** *Metsudah Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009* (CC-BY), via Sefaria, with the Divine Names rendered Hashem and God.
**Translation of Onkelos, notes and summaries.** New, prepared for this booklet. The Onkelos translation follows the wording of the Torah translation wherever the Aramaic agrees with the Hebrew, so that the differences stand out.
**Divine Names.** In the Hebrew and Aramaic, the Tetragrammaton and the Aramaic abbreviation of the Name are printed as ה׳, and *Elokim* as אלקים.
**Notes.** The notes compare the Aramaic with the Hebrew only. No later commentaries on Onkelos have been used. Where a note suggests why Onkelos translated as he did, this is presented as an inference from the text.
**Licence.** The Hebrew and Aramaic texts are shared under their own licences as stated above; CC-BY-SA material remains under CC-BY-SA.