Genesis 19:20

19:20 Look, this town ¹  over here is close enough to escape to, and it’s just a little one. ²  Let me go there. ³  It’s just a little place, isn’t it? ⁴  Then I’ll survive.” ⁵ 

Genesis 41:36

41:36 This food should be held in storage for the land in preparation for the seven years of famine that will occur throughout the land of Egypt. In this way the land will survive the famine.” ⁶ 

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¹ tn The Hebrew word עִיר (’ir) can refer to either a city or a town, depending on the size of the place. Given that this place was described by Lot later in this verse as a “little place,” the translation uses “town.”

² tn Heb “Look, this town is near to flee to there. And it is little.”

³ tn Heb “Let me escape to there.” The cohortative here expresses Lot’s request.

⁴ tn Heb “Is it not little?”

⁵ tn Heb “my soul will live.” After the cohortative the jussive with vav conjunctive here indicates purpose/result.

⁶ tn Heb “and the land will not be cut off in the famine.”