| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with vayetse {וַיֵּצֵא | way-yē-ṣēʾ} ‘and he went out,’ a wayyiqtol form that advances the narrative sequence and highlights Lot’s action. The prepositional phrase alehem {אֲלֵהֶם | ʾă-lê-hem} ‘to them’ targets the men at the tent’s opening. The proper name lot {לוֹט | lōṭ} follows the verb in standard verb–subject order. The phrase hapetachah {הַפֶּתְחָה | hap-pe-ta-ḥāh} ‘to the entrance’ employs the directional he to mark movement toward the threshold. In the coordinated clause vehadelet sagar acharav {וְהַדֶּלֶת סָגַר אַחֲרָיו | wə-had-de-leṯ sā-gar ʾa-ḥa-rāyw}, vehadelet {וְהַדֶּלֶת | wə-had-de-leṯ} ‘and the door’ functions as the direct object of sagar {סָגַר | sā-gar} ‘he shut,’ while acharav {אַחֲרָיו | ʾa-ḥa-rāyw} ‘behind him’ idiomatically indicates that Lot is already inside when he closes the door. This progression—from exiting, to reaching the threshold, to securing the door—emphasizes deliberate, protective action. |