Genesis Chapter 19
The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
A. The Two Angels Come to Sodom
(Genesis 19:1-3)
Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. And he said, “Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” And they said, “No, but we will spend the night in the open square.” But he insisted strongly; so they turned in to him and entered his house. Then he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.
The two visitors who had departed from Abraham in Genesis 18:22, as he continued conversing with the LORD, now arrived in Sodom. For the first time, these visitors are identified as angels, who previously accompanied the LORD during His visit to Abraham at Mamre (Genesis 18:1-2). There is no indication that Lot recognized them as angels; rather, he likely perceived them as noble and righteous travelers deserving of hospitality and protection.
Lot was found sitting in the gate of Sodom, a position indicating civic status or leadership. This marks a steady decline in Lot’s spiritual walk, showing how compromise eroded his separation from the world. He first looked toward Sodom (Genesis 13:10), then pitched his tent near it (Genesis 13:12), then dwelled in it (Genesis 14:12), losing all he had when the city was attacked. Now, having returned, he sat among its leaders, a man entangled in the very society he should have separated from. The city gate in ancient culture functioned as the town hall where elders, judges, and leaders met to conduct business and settle disputes.
Although Lot was described as righteous and was tormented by the lawless deeds of those around him, as stated in 2 Peter 2:7-8, “and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds),” his deep compromise destroyed his testimony. Few of his family members and none of his friends took his warnings seriously, showing that worldly compromise dulls spiritual influence.
Lot’s insistence that the visitors come under his roof was motivated by genuine hospitality but also urgency. He knew the danger that awaited them if they remained in the open square at night. His offer of a feast and unleavened bread reflected his attempt to provide safety and rest amid the corruption surrounding him.
(Genesis 19:4-5)
Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.”
Before Lot and his guests could rest, the depravity of Sodom was exposed in its full measure. The men of the city, young and old alike, from every part of town, surrounded Lot’s house and demanded that he bring out the visitors so they might “know them carnally.” The intent was unmistakable: they sought to homosexually abuse and violate the visitors, showing the complete moral decay of Sodom. This mob’s actions violated both hospitality and morality, two sacred pillars of ancient Near Eastern culture.
The phrase “both old and young, all the people from every quarter” demonstrates that the corruption of Sodom was universal. The depravity was not confined to a few immoral individuals; it had consumed the entire population. Their behavior was normalized, accepted, and celebrated.
In Ezekiel 16:49-50, God later compared the sin of Jerusalem to that of Sodom, saying, “Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.” The sins of pride, gluttony, idleness, and disregard for the poor were marks of Sodom’s moral decline, but these were coupled with abominations—specifically sexual perversions—that finally brought divine judgment.
The Genesis record makes it plain that sexual immorality, especially homosexual conduct, was a central sin of Sodom. Scripture consistently condemns such acts as rebellion against God’s design for human sexuality. Romans 1:26-28 states, “For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.”
The Old Testament is equally clear. Leviticus 18:22 declares, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination.” Likewise, Leviticus 20:13 states, “If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.”
Jesus affirmed the divine standard of sexual morality and marriage when He said in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill,” and again in Matthew 19:4-6, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.”
Scripture places homosexual conduct alongside other forms of sexual sin such as incest and bestiality, all of which are violations of God’s moral law. Once society embraces pleasure as the ultimate moral standard, all boundaries collapse. This is why Romans 1 links homosexual sin with “a debased mind,” showing that when men reject God’s truth, moral corruption soon follows.
Despite modern attempts to normalize homosexuality or claim genetic causation, no scientific evidence substantiates that people are “born that way.” Even if such predispositions existed, Scripture is clear that human nature is fallen and inherently sinful. Each person is responsible for their actions and must repent and submit to the transforming power of Christ.
Finally, the word “gay,” once meaning “happy” or “carefree,” has been tragically redefined to describe a lifestyle marked by moral confusion, physical disease, and spiritual despair. The story of Sodom stands as a solemn warning of what happens when a society celebrates what God condemns.
(Genesis 19:6-9)
So Lot went out to them through the doorway, shut the door behind him, and said, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly! See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men, since this is the reason they have come under the shadow of my roof.” And they said, “Stand back!” Then they said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” So they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near to break down the door.
Lot courageously stepped outside to face the violent mob, closing the door behind him to protect his guests. His words, “Please, my brethren, do not do so wickedly,” reveal both his compassion and his confusion. Addressing such depraved men as “brethren” exposed his deep compromise. Though he recognized their actions as wicked, he had lived among them so long that he had adopted their manner of speech and failed to maintain a clear moral separation. The plea itself was feeble, because the men of Sodom no longer shared any moral framework with him. They did not consider their pursuit of perverse pleasure as wickedness. To them, they were exercising their own will, while to Lot, they were committing grave sin.
This moment underscores a crucial truth: once God’s standard of morality is rejected, no consistent moral compass remains. If the Word of God is not the ultimate authority, then the only measure left is the shifting desires of men’s hearts. As Jeremiah 17:9 declares, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Without divine truth, society becomes a moral vacuum where wickedness is redefined as freedom.
Lot’s desperate offer to hand over his two virgin daughters to the mob is shocking and indefensible. He said, “See now, I have two daughters who have not known a man; please, let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them as you wish; only do nothing to these men.” This reveals how corrupted Lot’s judgment had become through his association with Sodom. His offer was a twisted attempt to uphold the ancient Near Eastern code of hospitality, which held a sacred duty to protect guests under one’s roof even above family members. Yet this human tradition had been exalted above divine righteousness. Lot had absorbed the world’s values so thoroughly that, in his attempt to do right, he proposed something abhorrent to God.
His words show how moral compromise can cloud even the righteous man’s discernment. Living in a wicked environment without drawing firm spiritual boundaries erodes moral clarity. Lot was described as righteous in 2 Peter 2:7-8, yet his choices show that even righteous men can fall into folly when they tolerate sin rather than resist it.
The mob’s response exposes their utter contempt for Lot. They said, “This one came in to stay here, and he keeps acting as a judge; now we will deal worse with you than with them.” Their mockery—accusing Lot of being judgmental—echoes the same disdain sinners have for moral truth today. When confronted with righteousness, those who love sin lash out and accuse others of hypocrisy or intolerance. Lot, who once thought he might influence the city through compromise, discovered the opposite: the city had influenced him.
The statement, “now we will deal worse with you than with them,” indicates their violent intent not only to assault the visitors but to destroy Lot himself for daring to oppose them. Their depravity was so deep that any restraint or voice of morality was met with hatred. The mob pressed hard against the door, nearly breaking it down, showing that once sin gains full control, it becomes uncontrollable and consumes everything in its path.
(Genesis 19:10-11)
But the men reached out their hands and pulled Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. And they struck the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they became weary trying to find the door.
At this point, divine intervention halted the chaos. The angels reached out, seized Lot, and pulled him inside, shutting the door securely behind him. This simple action demonstrated supernatural power. It is likely that the angels used more than human strength to rescue Lot from the mob’s violence. For the first time, Lot must have realized that his guests were not ordinary men but heavenly messengers sent by God.
Then the angels struck the men of Sodom with blindness, rendering them unable to find the door. This judgment was both physical and symbolic. Their moral blindness had already been complete; now their spiritual condition was reflected in their physical state. Even after being struck blind, the text says they “became weary trying to find the door.” Such persistence shows the depths of their depravity—they were so consumed by lust that even divine judgment could not restrain their sin.
This passage vividly illustrates the blinding nature of sin. When people continually reject God’s truth, He may give them over to their passions until they can no longer discern right from wrong. As Paul wrote in Romans 1:28, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.”
The blindness of the Sodomites foreshadows the moral blindness that characterizes any generation that celebrates wickedness and mocks righteousness. God’s justice is patient, but when judgment comes, it exposes both the corruption of man and the power of divine mercy that rescues those who still belong to Him.
B. The Angels’ Deliverance of Lot
(Genesis 19:12-14)
Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city—take them out of this place! For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.
The angels now revealed their divine mission and the urgency of their visit. They asked Lot, “Have you anyone else here?” demonstrating a genuine concern for Lot’s entire household. Although angels are powerful spiritual beings, they are not omniscient as God is. Their inquiry shows that they operate under divine command and observation rather than personal foreknowledge. They could perceive who was present but sought Lot’s input to ensure that all under his care would have the opportunity to escape.
Charles Spurgeon noted that this question reflects the heart of true godly concern for the salvation of others. When the angels asked, “Have you anyone else here?” it serves as a reminder that believers should not be content with their own deliverance but must also labor to bring their families and loved ones to safety in Christ. Genuine faith always seeks the rescue of others from coming judgment.
Lot’s daughters are described as virgins earlier in Genesis 19:8, meaning they were betrothed but not yet married. The term “sons-in-law” here refers to those pledged to marry them according to ancient Near Eastern custom, where betrothal carried binding weight. Lot therefore went to warn them as future members of his household.
The angels declared, “For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before the face of the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.” For the first time, Lot learned the true purpose of his heavenly guests: to bring God’s judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah. The outcry had reached Heaven, meaning the sins of these cities were no longer tolerable in the sight of God. His justice demanded intervention. This destruction would be both moral and physical, a fire that represented divine wrath against unrepentant wickedness.
Lot immediately obeyed the command to warn his family. He went to his sons-in-law and pleaded, “Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!” Yet tragically, they thought he was joking. The moral decay of Lot’s testimony was so complete that even when he spoke with life-and-death urgency, his words carried no weight. His years of compromise had stripped him of all spiritual credibility.
This moment demonstrates the sobering truth that a believer can indeed have a saved soul but a wasted life. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:15, “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” Lot’s salvation was real, but his witness had become powerless. He lived too comfortably among the wicked, and in the end, his warnings were dismissed as the ramblings of a man out of touch with reality.
(Genesis 19:15-16)
When the morning dawned, the angels urged Lot to hurry, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” And while he lingered, the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.
At dawn, the angels pressed Lot with renewed urgency, saying, “Arise, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the punishment of the city.” The sons-in-law had refused to believe, so they were left behind. Only Lot, his wife, and his two unmarried daughters remained. The phrase “lest you be consumed” makes clear that divine judgment would not discriminate; proximity to wickedness would bring destruction along with the wicked if they lingered.
Here, the angels provide a model of faithful evangelism. They went directly to Lot and his family, warning them plainly of coming destruction. They did not use flattery or vague spiritual talk but spoke with clarity and urgency. They implored Lot to act decisively, to separate himself from judgment, and to lead others to safety. Their example demonstrates the biblical principle that the messenger of God must both proclaim truth and urge repentance with compassion.
Yet even after hearing this grave warning, Lot lingered. His hesitation reveals how deeply Sodom had entangled his heart. Material comfort, social ties, and spiritual compromise had dulled his sense of danger. The pull of the world was so strong that he could barely bring himself to obey. This lack of urgency to respond to God’s clear command is a hallmark of backsliding and carnality. It shows how the world’s influence can erode spiritual discernment, leaving believers slow to act even when judgment is imminent.
In mercy, the angels intervened. They “took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters.” Each one was personally seized and pulled out of the city. Spurgeon insightfully remarked that the angels had four hands for four people—no more, no less—showing that God’s deliverance was both exact and sufficient. They did everything they could, using every available hand to rescue the righteous remnant.
The text says they “brought him out and set him outside the city.” This act fulfilled the essence of Abraham’s intercession in Genesis 18:23-32. Though there were not ten righteous within Sodom to spare the city, God still honored Abraham’s heart by saving Lot and his family. It reveals the power of intercessory prayer and God’s faithfulness to the covenant relationship He had established with Abraham.
Lot’s situation serves as a powerful warning to believers who try to live between two worlds. He was too worldly to enjoy fellowship with God, yet too aware of God to feel at home in the world. Such a man lives in tension and loss, never at peace in either camp. The only remedy is full obedience and separation unto the Lord. As James 4:4 says, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
(Genesis 19:17-22)
So it came to pass, when they had brought them outside, that he said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.” Then Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lords! Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.” And he said to him, “See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
The divine command was urgent and direct: “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you nor stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed.” The angels’ warning carried both urgency and simplicity—Lot’s survival depended entirely on obedience. They were far more eager to deliver Lot than he was to be delivered, which is often the case spiritually. God’s messengers are zealous for righteousness, while the redeemed sometimes cling to the very world that enslaves them.
Lot’s hesitation again revealed his spiritual frailty. Rather than fleeing to the mountains as commanded, he pleaded, “Please, no, my lords! Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight… but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die.” His response was weak and fearful, especially in contrast to Abraham’s bold intercession in Genesis 18. Lot’s faith faltered at the very moment it should have acted decisively. Though he acknowledged God’s mercy and favor, he doubted God’s ability to preserve him completely.
Lot requested permission to take refuge in a small nearby city, saying, “See now, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one; please let me escape there (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.” The city he referred to was Zoar, meaning “small” or “insignificant.” Even now, Lot was bargaining rather than trusting. His argument was that a smaller sin or compromise seemed safer than complete separation. Yet God in His patience granted the request.
The angel replied, “See, I have favored you concerning this thing also, in that I will not overthrow this city for which you have spoken. Hurry, escape there. For I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” This exchange demonstrates the restraint of divine judgment for the sake of the righteous. As Abraham had earlier declared in Genesis 18:25, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”—the answer was yes. God would not destroy the wicked until the righteous had been delivered. His justice would not allow it.
The statement “I cannot do anything until you arrive there” reveals both God’s mercy and His faithfulness to His covenant promise. He delayed judgment until Lot was safely out, showing that divine wrath never falls indiscriminately. God’s dealings are always righteous, measured, and purposeful.
Thus, the city was named Zoar, symbolizing God’s grace toward a weak believer who could not bear the full measure of obedience. Even in Lot’s timidity, the Lord showed compassion. This episode reminds believers that though God may accommodate human frailty at times, His mercy should never be taken as license for disobedience.
C. God’s Judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah
(Genesis 19:23-26)
The sun had risen upon the earth when Lot entered Zoar. Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
The judgment fell precisely as foretold. As soon as Lot reached Zoar and the sun rose, divine justice was unleashed. “Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens.” The destruction was complete—every city, every inhabitant, and even the vegetation of the plain was consumed. The phrase “from the LORD out of the heavens” indicates direct divine intervention, not a mere natural disaster. God Himself acted against these cities in response to their persistent wickedness.
This fulfillment also confirmed the angelic statement in Genesis 19:22, “I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” The Lord’s justice was restrained until the righteous were safe, honoring His promise and reflecting His unchanging character. Abraham’s intercession had not gone unanswered, for though the cities were destroyed, Lot—the one righteous man found there—was spared.
Archaeological and geological evidence suggests that the region once occupied by Sodom and Gomorrah may now lie beneath the southern basin of the Dead Sea. This area bears traces of intense combustion and sulfur deposits, fitting the biblical description of brimstone and fire. Whether through supernatural fire from heaven or catastrophic geological upheaval, the message remains the same: God’s judgment on sin is certain and complete.
Before their destruction, these cities had been described as “like the garden of the LORD” in Genesis 13:10, lush and fertile, a paradise on earth. Yet great privilege and blessing did not lead them to gratitude or repentance. Instead, prosperity fueled their pride and indulgence. They had also witnessed the power and mercy of God firsthand—Abraham’s military victory that liberated them, Melchizedek’s priestly testimony, and Lot’s own presence as a righteous man among them—all were opportunities for repentance, yet they rejected every one.
The text records one final, tragic act of defiance: “But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Despite the angels’ clear warning—“Do not look behind you”—Lot’s wife turned to gaze upon the city. Her heart remained tied to Sodom, and her longing glance revealed her true allegiance. Her transformation into a pillar of salt was likely a unique, miraculous judgment—a physical manifestation of her spiritual state. She became a monument to unbelief and disobedience.
The Hebrew term for “looked back” conveys more than a casual glance; it suggests a lingering, yearning look—a turning of the heart as well as the eyes. Henry Morris notes that the phrase might even be rendered “lagged back” or “returned back,” emphasizing her hesitation and divided loyalty. Her body froze as her heart had already done—caught between God’s command and her love for a doomed world.
Jesus Himself drew upon this event as a warning to future generations. In Luke 17:32, He said simply, “Remember Lot’s wife.” Her story stands as a solemn admonition for believers living in the last days. When judgment approaches, there is no time for hesitation or divided affection. Christians are to look forward to deliverance, not backward toward a world under condemnation.
As the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:15-17, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” Lot’s wife failed this test, and her judgment became an everlasting symbol of those who cannot let go of the world even as it perishes.
(Genesis 19:27-29)
And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD. Then he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had dwelt.
Early in the morning, Abraham returned to the place where he had stood before the LORD, the site of his intercession for the righteous in Sodom. The Scripture notes, “Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD,” which suggests deep reflection and a heavy heart. Abraham likely hoped that there had been at least ten righteous souls in Sodom, enough for God to spare the city as he had pleaded in Genesis 18:32. Instead, as he looked toward the plain, he saw “the smoke of the land which went up like the smoke of a furnace.” The sight confirmed that judgment had fallen in full measure.
Abraham’s gaze upon the smoldering ruins was not one of gloating but of sorrow, awe, and reverence. He saw the result of divine holiness confronting unchecked wickedness. Yet even amid judgment, grace was present, for “God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow.” Lot’s deliverance was a direct result of Abraham’s intercession. Though Abraham’s request had been to spare the cities, the heart of his prayer—to save the righteous—was fully granted. This passage powerfully illustrates that God remembers the prayers of His people and acts upon them, even when the outcome differs from what they envisioned.
Charles Spurgeon reflected on what emotions should fill the believer’s heart when observing divine judgment. The believer should respond with humble submission to God’s will, recognizing that His judgments are always just; with deep gratitude for personal deliverance from the wrath to come; with renewed vigilance over their own walk; and with a greater awareness of sin’s destructive power. God’s remembrance of Abraham in this scene serves as an enduring encouragement to those who intercede faithfully for others—the righteous prayer of one man can save another from ruin.
(Genesis 19:30-32)
Then Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountains, and his two daughters were with him; for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar. And he and his two daughters dwelt in a cave. Now the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.”
Lot’s story, which began with prosperity and promise, now descended into fear and isolation. Having pleaded earlier to stay in Zoar rather than flee to the mountains (Genesis 19:20-22), Lot now abandoned Zoar and settled in a cave. Scripture does not specify why he fled the city, but it suggests lingering fear—perhaps of judgment or rejection from the inhabitants. Whatever the reason, Lot’s journey had come full circle: he who once lived in the cities of wealth and influence was now dwelling in a cave, stripped of all he had gained through compromise.
The moral decay of Sodom had left a deep imprint upon his daughters. Believing that they were now cut off from the world, the firstborn said, “Our father is old, and there is no man on the earth to come in to us as is the custom of all the earth.” Their reasoning revealed both despair and distorted morality. They either wrongly assumed that the world had perished in the destruction, or they used it as justification for what they were about to do. Either way, their thinking had been corrupted by the immorality of Sodom.
They devised a plan to intoxicate their father and commit incest, saying, “Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.” This action demonstrates how deeply the environment of sin had shaped their moral compass. The influence of Sodom lingered in their hearts long after their bodies had escaped its walls. Lot’s spiritual compromise had far-reaching consequences, extending even to his children’s moral reasoning. What he tolerated, they embraced.
(Genesis 19:33-38)
So they made their father drink wine that night. And the firstborn went in and lay with her father, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. It happened on the next day that the firstborn said to the younger, “Indeed I lay with my father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go in and lie with him, that we may preserve the lineage of our father.” Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose. Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father. The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. And the younger, she also bore a son and called his name Ben-Ammi; he is the father of the people of Ammon to this day.
The text records this disturbing act without embellishment, demonstrating the Bible’s honesty in portraying sin and its consequences. Both daughters intoxicated their father and committed incest, each bearing a son as a result. Scripture notes, “He did not know when she lay down or when she arose,” emphasizing Lot’s complete lack of awareness due to drunkenness. Ironically, in his inebriation, Lot carried out the very sin he once offered his daughters to prevent—a bitter reminder of how far moral compromise can lead.
As Donald Barnhouse observed, it is better for children to learn of sin from Scripture, where sin is condemned, than from the world, where it is glorified. The Bible never conceals evil, but it always exposes its shame and warns of its consequences. This story serves as both a warning and a mirror—showing how even believers, when drifting from God, can fall into grievous sin and bring devastation to their families.
The firstborn named her son Moab, meaning “from the father,” and he became the ancestor of the Moabites. The younger named her son Ben-Ammi, meaning “son of my people,” the ancestor of the Ammonites. Both nations would become perpetual enemies of Israel, standing as living symbols of the corruption that results from compromise with the world.
The Moabites and Ammonites were known for idolatry and moral depravity. The Moabites later seduced Israel into sexual immorality and idolatry at Baal Peor (Numbers 25:1-3), and the Ammonites were infamous for their worship of Molech, which included child sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21, 1 Kings 11:7). Thus, the legacy of Lot’s family became one of shame, conflict, and opposition to God’s covenant people.
Lot’s life, once marked by promise, ended in ruin—his possessions lost, his wife turned to salt, his moral authority gone, and his descendants perpetually at odds with God’s chosen nation. His story is a sobering testimony of how love for the world leads to destruction, as written in 1 John 2:17, “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
