16 Lot didn't move right away. So the men grabbed him by the hand. They also took hold of the hands of his wife and two daughters. They led all of them safely out of the city. The Lord had mercy on them.
17 As soon as the angels had brought them out, one of them spoke. He said, "Run for your lives! Don't look back! Don't stop anywhere in the valley! Run to the mountains! If you don't, you will be swept away!"
18 But Lot said to them, "No, my lords! Please!
19 You have done me a big favor. You have been very kind to me by sparing my life. But I can't run to the mountains. This horrible thing that's going to happen will catch up with me. And then I'll die.
20 "Look, here's a town near enough to run to. It's small. Let me run to it. It's very small, isn't it? Then my life will be spared."
21 The Lord said to Lot, "All right. I will also give you what you are asking for. I will not destroy the town you are talking about.
22 But run there quickly. I can't do anything until you reach it." The town was named Zoar. Zoar means "small."