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312 At evetime, the two companions of the Lord—the biblical narra- tive now refers to them as Mal'akhim (translated "angels" but meaning "emissaries")—arrived at Sodom, their task being to ver- ify the accusations against the city and report their findings back to the Lord. Lot—who was sitting at the city's gate—recognized at once (as Abraham had done earlier) the divine nature of the two visitors, their identity evidently being given away by their attire or weapons, or perhaps by the manner (flying over?) in which they arrived. Now it was Lot's turn to insist on hospitality, and the two ac- cepted his invitation to spend the night at his home; but it was not to be a restful night, for the news of their arrival had stirred up the whole city. "They had hardly lain down when the people of the city, the people of Sodom, surrounded the house—young and old, the whole population, from every quarter; and they called unto Lot and said unto him: "Where are the men who came unto you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.' " When Lot failed to do so. the crowd surged to break their way in; but the two Mal'akhim "smote the people who were at the house's entrance with blind- ness, both young and old; and they wearied themselves trying to find the doorway." Realizing that of all the townspeople only Lot was "righteous," the two emissaries needed no further investigation; the fate of the city was sealed. "And they said unto Lot: 'Who else hast thou here besides thee—a son-in-law, thy sons and daughters, any other relative—all who are in this city—bring them out from this place, for we are about to destroy it.’ Rushing to convey the news to his sons-in-law, Lot only met disbelief and laughter. So at dawn the emissaries urged Lot to escape without delay, taking with him only his wife and their two unmarried daughters who lived with them at home. But Lot tarried; so the men took hold of his hand and his wife's hand and his two daughters' hands —for Yahweh's mercy was upon him— oe ee aL and they brought them out, and put them down outside the city. Having literally carried the foursome aloft, then put them down outside the city, the emissaries urged Lot to flee to the mountains: "Escape for thy life, look not behind thee, neither stop thou any- THE WARS OF GODS AND MEN