And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it [was] well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, [even] as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Ver. 10. And Lot lifted up his eyes.] This was "the lust of the eye" St John speaketh of, 1Jn 2:16 as he afterwards fell into "the lust of the flesh," Gen 19:33 a his incestuous posterity into "the pride of life." We have heard of the pride of Moab, and the ambition of Ammon,. Jeremiah 48:1,47 ; Jer 49:1-39 Lot might not be suffered so much as to look at Sodom while it was burning, as Abram might. God knew his weakness, and so prevented the temptation. He should have had the good manners to let his uncle choose first; but the dust of covetousness had put out his eyes, that he saw not what beseemed him for the present, as afterwards he did, when God so crossed him Psa 66:12 in that which he chose, and so blessed Abram in that which was left him. Psalms 107:33 ; Psa 107:35 Lot was a good man, but this, το της φιλοχρημοτιας νοσημα, somewhat obscured his virtues. b
That it was well watered everywhere,] and so fruitful. Hence the inhabitants, through abuse of their plenty, became wholly drowned in fleshly delights. It faring with them in this respect, as with the inhabitants of Oenoe, c a dry island besides Athens, who bestowed much labour to draw into it a river to water it, and make it more fruitful. But, when all the passages were opened, and the receptacles prepared, the water came in so plentifully, that it overflowed all, and at the first tide, drowned the island, and all the people. "They that will be rich," saith the apostle, - that are resolved to rise in the world, by what means it matters not, these, - "fall into temptation and a snare," as Lot, (that is the least evil can come of it), "and into many foolish and noisome lusts," as his neighbours the Sodomites did, "which" desperately "drown d men in" double "destruction". 1Ti 6:9
Like the land of Egypt.] Which was called of old, publicum orbis horreum the world's great granary. A country so fair and fertile, that the Egyptians were wont to boast, they could feed all men, and feast all the gods, without any sensible diminution of their provision.
a The leper shaved his eyebrows, to teach us to mortify the lust of the eyes.
b De Triboniano, Procopius .
c Una est ex tetrapoli Attica. - Steph.
d βυθιξουσι. Ita immergunt, ut in aquae summitate cursus non ebuliiant .