Gen 19:30-38 | NET2full | STEP | Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar . So he lived in a cave with his two daughters .

‏ Genesis 19:30-38

30 Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and settled in the mountains because he was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters. 31 Later the older daughter said ^{▼▼tn Heb “and the firstborn said.”} to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man in the country ^{▼▼tn Or perhaps “on earth,” in which case the statement would be hyperbolic.} ^{▼▼sn Presumably there had been some men living in the town of Zoar to which Lot and his daughters had initially fled. Perhaps they feared that the destruction was more widespread than it really was, or perhaps they feared some sort of stigma following the disaster that fell on their former town.} to sleep with us, ^{▼▼tn Heb “to come over us according to the manner of the whole world.” “To come over us” is a euphemism for sexual relations. “According to the manner of the whole world” is an idiom for what is customary and normal, elsewhere (Josh 23:14; 1 Kgs 2:2) used to describe dying.} the way everyone does. 32 Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine ^{▼▼tn Heb “drink wine.”} so we can go to bed with ^{▼▼tn Heb “and we will lie down with.” The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive is subordinated to the preceding cohortative and indicates purpose or result. The phrase “to lie down with” is a euphemism for sexual relations; the translation, in turn, also supplies a euphemism.} him and preserve ^{▼▼tn Or “that we may preserve.” Here the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates their ultimate goal.} our family line through our father.” ^{▼▼tn Heb “and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”} ^{▼▼sn For a discussion of the cultural background of the daughters’ desire to preserve our family line see F. C. Fensham, “The Obliteration of the Family as Motif in the Near Eastern Literature,” AION 10 (1969): 191-99.}

33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, ^{▼▼tn Heb “drink wine.”} and the older daughter ^{▼▼tn Heb “the firstborn.”} came in and went to bed with ^{▼▼tn Heb “came and lied down with.” Both of the expressions can be a euphemism for sexual relations. See the note at 2 Sam 12:24.} her father. But he was not aware of when she lay down with him or when she got up. 34 So in the morning the older daughter ^{▼▼tn Heb “the firstborn.”} said to the younger, “Since I went to bed with ^{▼▼tn Heb “to lie with.” The phrase is a euphemism for sexual relations.} my father last night, let’s make him drunk ^{▼▼tn Heb “Let’s make him drink wine.”} again tonight. Then you go in and go to bed with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” ^{▼▼tn Heb “And we will keep alive descendants from our father.”} 35 So they made their father drunk ^{▼▼tn Heb “drink wine.”} that night as well, and the younger one came and went to bed with him. ^{▼▼tn Heb “lied down with him.”} But he was not aware of when she lay down with him or when she got up.

36 In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older daughter ^{▼▼tn Heb “the firstborn.”} gave birth to a son and named him Moab. ^{▼▼sn The meaning of the name Moab is not certain. The name sounds like the Hebrew phrase “from our father” (מֵאָבִינוּ, meʾavinu) which the daughters used twice (vv. 32, 34). This account is probably included in the narrative in order to portray the Moabites, who later became enemies of God’s people, in a negative light.} He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben Ammi. ^{▼▼sn The name Ben Ammi means “son of my people.” Like the account of Moab’s birth, this story is probably included in the narrative to portray the Ammonites, another perennial enemy of Israel, in a negative light.} He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today.