OET interlinear GEN 19:20

uW Translation Notes:

הִנֵּה־נָ֠א

(Some words not found in UHB: see/lo/see! now the=city (the),this near to,flee to,(to) and=she small escape please to,(to) ?,not small who/which so,that_it_may_live life_of,my )

Consider again how you translated Behold, please in [verses 2](../19/02.md), 8, [19–20](../19/19.md). It may be necessary to translate it in slightly different ways, depending on the context.

הָ⁠עִ֨יר הַ⁠זֹּ֧את & שָׁ֖מָּ⁠ה

the=city (Some words not found in UHB: see/lo/see! now the=city (the),this near to,flee to,(to) and=she small escape please to,(to) ?,not small who/which so,that_it_may_live life_of,my )

The Hebrew word for town here (and in [verses 21–23](../19/21.md)) can refer to either a city or a town, depending on the context. Many translations have “town,” or even “village,” here because the place was very small ([verses 20](../19/20.md), [22](../19/22.md)). Many other translations have “city” here instead, but that does not fit the context. Alternate translation: [That town over there]

קְרֹבָ֛ה לָ⁠נ֥וּס

near to,flee

Alternate translation: [is close enough to run to in time]

וְ⁠הִ֣יא מִצְעָ֑ר

and=she small

Alternate translation: [and it is only a small town] or [and it is little]

אִמָּלְטָ֨ה נָּ֜א שָׁ֗מָּ⁠ה

(Some words not found in UHB: see/lo/see! now the=city (the),this near to,flee to,(to) and=she small escape please to,(to) ?,not small who/which so,that_it_may_live life_of,my )

Alternate translation: [Please let us flee there, and do not destroy it]

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

הֲ⁠לֹ֥א מִצְעָ֛ר הִ֖וא

?,not small who/which

This rhetorical question implies that it will not matter if such a small town like Zoar is not destroyed. Consider whether or not a rhetorical question works well here in your language. Alternate translation: [After all, it is only a small place]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

וּ⁠תְחִ֥י נַפְשִֽׁ⁠י

so,that_it_may_live (Some words not found in UHB: see/lo/see! now the=city (the),this near to,flee to,(to) and=she small escape please to,(to) ?,not small who/which so,that_it_may_live life_of,my )

Lot says “my life,” but he is probably also including his family who is with him. Alternate translation: [Then I can stay alive] or [If you let us go there, then my family and I will live] or [If you allow that, our lives will be spared]