Genesis 19:14

19:14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. 1  He said, “Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy 2  the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them. 3 

Genesis 34:21

34:21 “These men are at peace with us. So let them live in the land and travel freely in it, for the land is wide enough 4  for them. We will take their daughters for wives, and we will give them our daughters to marry. 5 

1 sn The language has to be interpreted in the light of the context and the social customs. The men are called “sons-in-law” (literally “the takers of his daughters”), but the daughters had not yet had sex with a man. It is better to translate the phrase “who were going to marry his daughters.” Since formal marriage contracts were binding, the husbands-to-be could already be called sons-in-law.

2 tn The Hebrew active participle expresses an imminent action.

3 tn Heb “and he was like one taunting in the eyes of his sons-in-law.” These men mistakenly thought Lot was ridiculing them and their lifestyle. Their response illustrates how morally insensitive they had become.

4 tn Heb “wide on both hands,” that is, in both directions.

5 tn The words “to marry” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.