A Midrash expounded on the conversation between Lot and the angels. Expanding on the words, "but before they lay down" in , the Midrash told that the angels began questioning Lot, inquiring into the nature of the people of the city. Lot replied that in every town there are good people and bad people, but in Sodom the overwhelming majority were bad. Then (in the words of ) "the men of the city, the men of sodom, compassed the house round, both young and old," not one of them objecting. And then (in the words of ) "they called to Lot, and said to him: 'Where are the men that came to you this night? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.'" Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said in the name of Rabbi Padiah that Lot prayed for mercy on the Sodomites' behalf the whole night, and the angels would have heeded him. But when the Sodomites demanded (in the words of ) "Bring them out to us, that we may know them," that is, for sexual purposes, the angels asked Lot (in the words of ) "Do you have here (, "poh") any besides?" Which one could read as asking, "What else do you have in your mouth (, "peh") (to say in their favor)?" Then the angels told Lot that up until then, he had the right to plead in their defense, but thereafter, he had no right to plead for them.