Genesis 19:13
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The angels explain they have been sent to destroy Sodom because its cry of sin has grown great before the Lord.
Context
The angels explain their mission: they are agents of divine judgment sent to destroy the city. They reference 'the cry' of Sodom—the voice of injustice and wickedness that has reached heaven. This 'cry' may refer both to the cries of victims and to the accumulated weight of the city's evil.
What Does Genesis 19:13 Mean?
The angels explain their mission: they are agents of divine judgment sent to destroy the city. They reference 'the cry' of Sodom—the voice of injustice and wickedness that has reached heaven. This 'cry' may refer both to the cries of victims and to the accumulated weight of the city's evil.
The statement reveals that God responds to the moral state of human communities. The city's persistent sin has triggered divine action; destruction is not arbitrary but a response to the city's departure from righteousness.
In the Original Language
cry (צְעָקָה, tseakah) — outcry, voice of distress or complaint; can refer to cries of victims or the accusation of evil itself