Lot (Genesis 11:27–32; Genesis 12:4–5; Genesis 13:5–13; Genesis 14:12–16; Genesis 19:1–3; Genesis 19:4–11; Genesis 19:12–23; Genesis 19:24–29; Genesis 19:30–38; Deuteronomy 2:9; Deuteronomy 2:19; Psalms 83:8; Luke 17:28–32; 2 Peter 2:6–8)

Abraham's Nephew, Who Sat in the Gate of Sodom

The son of Haran who went with his uncle Abram out of Haran into Canaan, chose the Plain of the Jordan and moved his tent as far as Sodom, was taken captive and brought back by Abram, and was brought out of Sodom before it was overthrown.

Genesis introduces him in the line of Terah: “Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran. And Haran begat Lot” (Genesis 11:27). Haran died in Ur, and Terah took “Lot the son of Haran, his son’s son” (Genesis 11:31) with Abram and Sarai toward Canaan (Genesis 11:31). “So Abram went, as Jehovah had spoken unto him. And Lot went with him” (Genesis 12:4). When their substance was so great that “the land was not able to bear them” (Genesis 13:6), Lot “lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of the Jordan” (Genesis 13:10) and chose it (Genesis 13:10-11); he “dwelt in the cities of the Plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against Jehovah exceedingly” (Genesis 13:12-13). Four kings later took “Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods” (Genesis 14:12), and Abram brought him back (Genesis 14:16).

In Genesis 19 two angels come to Sodom at evening, and “Lot sat in the gate of Sodom” (Genesis 19:1). He receives them into his house; the men of the city surround it, calling for his guests; Lot goes out, shuts the door after him, and offers them his two daughters instead (Genesis 19:4-8), and the visitors draw him back in. They bid him bring out his own; he lingers, yet is brought forth, “Jehovah being merciful unto him” (Genesis 19:16). He flees to Zoar, and “Jehovah rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from Jehovah out of heaven” (Genesis 19:24). His wife “looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt” (Genesis 19:26), and “God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow” (Genesis 19:29).

The last report of him is in a cave in the mountain with his two daughters (Genesis 19:30). “Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father” (Genesis 19:36), and they bore Moab and Ben-ammi (Genesis 19:37-38). Scripture does not record his age or his death. Moses is told of “the children of Lot” (Deuteronomy 2:9), and a psalm says of those who consult together against God’s people, “They have helped the children of Lot” (Psalms 83:8). Jesus says, “Likewise even as it came to pass in the days of Lot” (Luke 17:28), and “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32). Peter writes that God “delivered righteous Lot, sore distressed by the lascivious life of the wicked” (2 Peter 2:7); Genesis does not use that word of him.

Strengths

• Hospitality to strangers
• Pleaded with the men of Sodom
• Warned his sons-in-law
• Called righteous

Weaknesses

• Lingered when told to flee
• Offered his daughters to the crowd

Themes

• Uncle and nephew
• Choosing the Plain
• Sodom
• Rescue from the overthrow
• Lot's wife
• The children of Lot

Goes out from Ur and Haran with Abram (Genesis 11:27–32; Genesis 12:4–5; Genesis 13:1)

Lot, the son of Haran, goes with his grandfather Terah and Abram from Ur toward Canaan, with Abram out of Haran into the land of Canaan, and up out of Egypt with him.

Strife of the herdsmen; Lot chooses the Plain (Genesis 13:1–13)

The herdsmen of Abram and Lot strive because the land cannot bear their flocks; Abram offers Lot his choice, and Lot chooses the Plain of the Jordan and moves his tent as far as Sodom.

Strife of the herdsmen; Lot chooses the Plain

“And Lot also, who went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together” (Genesis 13:5-6). “And there was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdsmen of Lot’s cattle” (Genesis 13:7).

“And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we are brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me” (Genesis 13:8-9).

“And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the Plain of the Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before Jehovah destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Jehovah, like the land of Egypt, as thou goest unto Zoar. So Lot chose him all the Plain of the Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other” (Genesis 13:10-11).

“Abram dwelt in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelt in the cities of the Plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against Jehovah exceedingly” (Genesis 13:12-13).

Taken captive and brought back by Abram (Genesis 14:1–16)

Kings who defeat Sodom take Lot and his goods; Abram hears that his brother is taken, pursues with his trained men, and brings back Lot, his goods, the women and the people.

Taken captive and brought back by Abram

In a war of kings in the Plain, “they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed” (Genesis 14:12).

“And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan” (Genesis 14:14).

“And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people” (Genesis 14:16).

Sits in the gate of Sodom and receives two visitors (Genesis 19:1–3)

Two angels come to Sodom at evening; Lot, sitting in the gate, rises to meet them, bows with his face to the earth, and urges them into his house, where he makes them a feast.

The men of Sodom at the door (Genesis 19:4–11)

The men of Sodom surround the house and call for the visitors; Lot goes out, offers his two daughters, and when the men press on him the visitors bring him in, shut the door, and smite the men with blindness.

The men of Sodom at the door

“But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both young and old, all the people from every quarter; and they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men that came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them” (Genesis 19:4-5).

“And Lot went out unto them to the door, and shut the door after him. And he said, I pray you, my brethren, do not so wickedly” (Genesis 19:6-7). Then he said, “Behold now, I have two daughters that have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing, forasmuch as they are come under the shadow of my roof” (Genesis 19:8).

“And they said, Stand back. And they said, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and drew near to break the door. But the men put forth their hand, and brought Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door” (Genesis 19:9-10). Those at the door were smitten “with blindness, both small and great” (Genesis 19:11).

Lingers, is brought out, and flees to Zoar (Genesis 19:12–23)

Lot warns his sons-in-law, who take him as one that mocked; he lingers, the men lay hold of his hand and bring him out, and he asks to flee to the little city of Zoar, which is granted.

Lingers, is brought out, and flees to Zoar

The men said, “bring them out of the place: for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxed great before Jehovah” (Genesis 19:12-13). “And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons-in-law, who married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for Jehovah will destroy the city. But he seemed unto his sons-in-law as one that mocked” (Genesis 19:14).

“But he lingered; and the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, Jehovah being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city” (Genesis 19:16). One of them said, “Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the Plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed” (Genesis 19:17).

“And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my lord: behold now, thy servant hath found favor in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy lovingkindness, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest evil overtake me, and I die” (Genesis 19:18-19). He asked for the little city near by, and it was granted: “See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also” (Genesis 19:21). “The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot came unto Zoar” (Genesis 19:23).

Sodom overthrown; Lot’s wife looks back (Genesis 19:24–29)

The LORD rains brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah; Lot’s wife looks back and becomes a pillar of salt; Abraham looks toward the smoking Plain, and God remembers Abraham and sends Lot out.

In the cave with his two daughters (Genesis 19:30–38)

Lot goes up out of Zoar, fearing to dwell there, and dwells in a cave in the mountain with his two daughters, who make him drink wine and lie with him, and bear Moab and Ben-ammi.

Abraham (Genesis 12:4–5; Genesis 13:8–11; Genesis 14:12–16; Genesis 19:29)

His uncle, called his brother in the text, who went out with him, parted from him, and brought him back from captivity; God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the overthrow.

Sarah (Genesis 11:31; Genesis 12:5)

Sarai, his uncle’s wife, who went with Lot from Ur and out of Haran into Canaan.

The LORD (Genesis 19:16; Genesis 19:24–25; Genesis 19:29)

The LORD was merciful to him when he lingered and overthrew the cities in which he had dwelt; God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out.

The two angels (Genesis 19:1–3; Genesis 19:10–16)

The visitors he took into his house; they drew him in from the door, bade him bring out his own, and laid hold of his hand to bring him out.

The men of Sodom (Genesis 19:4–9)

They surrounded his house, called for his visitors, and pressed sore upon him, saying that he would needs be a judge.

His wife (Genesis 19:15–16; Genesis 19:26; Luke 17:32)

She is taken by the hand and brought out of the city, then looks back and becomes a pillar of salt; she is never named.

His daughters (Genesis 19:8; Genesis 19:30–38)

Two daughters, never named, who are brought out with him and then dwell with him in the cave; their sons are Moab and Ben-ammi.

Major sections

• Genesis 11:27–13:18
• Genesis 14:1–16
• Genesis 19:1–38
• Deuteronomy 2:9–19
• Psalms 83:8
• Luke 17:28–32
• 2 Peter 2:6–8

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