"And when Our messengers came to Lot, he was distressed for them." Al-Hasan said: Their entry distressed him because of what he feared for them from his people. "And he felt straitened for them." Al-Kalbi said: He did not know where to lodge them.
He said: The people of Lot would not shelter a guest at night, and they would waylay those who passed by on the road during the day for immorality. So, when the angels came to Lot as evening fell, he disliked their arrival, yet he was unable to ward them off, and he said, "This is a distressful day," meaning intense.
﴿وَلَمَّا جَاءَتْ رُسُلُنَا لُوطًا سِيءَ بهم﴾ قَالَ الْحَسَنُ: سَاءَهُ دُخُولُهُمْ؛ لِمَا تَخَوَّفَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ ﴿وَضَاقَ بهم ذرعاً﴾ قَالَ الْكَلْبِيُّ: لَمْ يَدْرِ أَيْنَ يُنْزِلَهُمْ.
قَالَ: وَكَانَ قَوْمُ لوطٍ لَا يُؤْوُنَ ضَيْفًا بليلٍ، وَكَانُوا يَعْتَرِضُونَ مَنْ مَرَّ بِالطَّرِيقِ نَهَارًا لِلْفَاحِشَةِ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَتِ الْمَلائِكَةُ لُوطًا حِينَ أَمْسَوْا، كَرِهَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ دَفْعَهَمْ، فَقَالَ: ﴿هَذَا يومٌ عصيبٌ﴾ شديدٌ.
