Gen 19:32 | NETfull | STEP | Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine so we can have sexual relations with him and preserve our family line through our father.”

Genesis 19:32

32 Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine ^{▼▼ Heb “drink wine.”} so we can have sexual relations ^{▼▼ Heb “and we will lie down.” The cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive is subordinated to the preceding cohortative and indicates purpose/result.} with him and preserve ^{▼▼ Or “that we may preserve.” Here the cohortative with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates their ultimate goal.} our family line through our father.” ^{▼▼ Heb “and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”} ^{▼▼ 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.}