Gen 19:4 | NETfull | STEP | Before they could lie down to sleep, all the men – both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom

Genesis 19:4

4 Before they could lie down to sleep, ^{▼▼ The verb שָׁכַב (shakhav) means “to lie down, to recline,” that is, “to go to bed.” Here what appears to be an imperfect is a preterite after the adverb טֶרֶם (terem). The nuance of potential (perfect) fits well.} all the men – both young and old, from every part of the city of Sodom – surrounded the house. ^{▼▼ Heb “and the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from the young to the old, all the people from the end [of the city].” The repetition of the phrase “men of” stresses all kinds of men.}