And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

GENESIS 19:11KJV
Know the Bible

Genesis 19:11 (KJV)

What does Genesis 19:11 mean?

Genesis 19:11 describes how the angels struck the men gathered at Lot’s door with sudden blindness, making them unable to find the entrance, no matter their age or status. This act protected Lot and his household from the crowd outside, who had come with harmful intentions.

In this scene, two angels are inside Lot’s house in Sodom, and a hostile crowd has surrounded the home, demanding access. The angels intervene by causing everyone at the door—both “small and great”—to become blind, so confused that they exhaust themselves trying to locate the door. The verse highlights both the seriousness of the threat and the supernatural protection given to Lot.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 19:11

  • “Blindness” (סַנְוֵרִים, sanwerim): This word is rare in the Hebrew Bible and suggests a sudden, overwhelming kind of blindness or confusion, not just ordinary loss of sight. It implies the men were not only unable to see but also disoriented.
  • “Wearied” (לָאָה, la’ah): This word means to grow tired or exhausted. The verse emphasizes that the men didn’t just give up—they wore themselves out in their futile search for the door, showing the completeness of their helplessness.

Why Genesis 19:11 matters

  • Genesis 19:11 clarifies that the angels’ action was not just to punish but specifically to protect Lot and his family from immediate danger.
  • The verse shows that the crowd’s blindness was total and confusing, not just a simple loss of vision, which explains why they could not even find the door.
  • This moment is a turning point in the story, demonstrating both the seriousness of the threat to Lot and the power of divine intervention in the events leading up to Sodom’s destruction.

Where else these words appear

“blindness” Hebrew H5575 · used in 2 verses

  • 2 Kings 6:18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

“wearied” Hebrew H3811 · used in 18 verses

  • Exodus 7:18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.
  • Proverbs 26:15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth.
  • Jeremiah 9:5 And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.

“small” Hebrew H6996 · used in 100 verses

  • Genesis 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
  • 1 Samuel 16:11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
  • 2 Chronicles 34:30 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the LORD.