Sodom and Gomorrah: Why Did Lot Offer Up His Daughters? [Genesis 19]

The story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 is one of the most uncomfortable stories in the Bible. Why does Lot's wife turn into a pillar of Salt? Why is Lot rescued after offering up his daughters? In this episode I explain Genesis 19 and some of these uncomfortable details including Abraham and Lot, Lot's wife, and the destruction of the city.

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0:00 - Why does God save a bad guy like Lot?
4:53 - A modern parallel
6:10 - Why does Lot's wife turn into a Pillar of Salt?

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Selected sources and further reading:
Scott Morschauser (2003). ‘Hospitality’, Hostiles and Hostages: On the Legal Background to Genesis 19.1-9.
Bolin, T. M. (2004). The role of exchange in ancient Mediterranean religion and its implications for reading Genesis 18-19.
Hamilton, V. P. (1995). The Book of Genesis, Chapters 18-50 (Vol. 1).
Hunt, M. (2013). The two daughters of lot (Genesis 19: 1-38)
Kugel, J. L. (1999). The Bible as it was
R. Alter (1996). Genesis
G. Athas (2016). Has Lot Lost the Plot? Detail Omission and a Reconsideration of Genesis 19.

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[kenrenkerish]

My opinion is that the purpose of not looking back on Sodom was very symbolic of not looking back on one's sinful past. Thier time in that sinful city was over and they weren't to look back. Similarly we pursue God and leave behind the sinful world we used to live in. We must not look back and reminisce but must follow God with full abandon.

[CEDtalksHorror]

The most logical conclusion to Lot's wife was that the man trails behind the family in the case of a catastrophic event. You want to make sure everyone is safe. So Lot likely saw his wife look back when she was in front of him. And without having to look back, he would see her in all of her glory

[ravenaangel]

Wow. I never really thought about Lot like that. But I feel it's so true. Abraham's pleading for his unrighteous nephew's life shows how much God listens to our compassionate prayers and even shows mercy on the condemnable to ease our own grief.

[TiffanyByrdHarrison]

Powerful breakdown, Lachlan! The look back metaphor has always been frustrating, but I appreciate that there is not definitive answer on that point, and what I take away is, Listen to God, heed His gracious warnings. Which is enough for me. Well done!

[carlhorton]

Why did God save Lot? "So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe..." Gen 19:29. It was for Abraham's sake, not because Lot was righteous. And the entire town of Zoar was also saved when Lot went there, again because God remembered Abraham.

[aqqibabs]

Fascinating! Thank you so much. I'm reading through Genesis bit by bit to really take it in and try to digest it. This definitely helps!

[Nostradamus_Order]

Moral is that God would also save a sinner.

[kennethsantuyo]

Informative sir.. Lot is saved not because he deserved, but because God is merciful. Amen sir..

[TempestofSolace]

After Lot offered his daughters to the people of Sodom his wife probably would have left him anyway. She was salty on him. And then his daughters slept with him, although he reportedly knew nothing about it. Or did he know, just pretending he didn't know? Since it didn't happen one night, they did the same thing one by one separately. It's unlikely that the guy had no idea what was going on. Or maybe he knew what his daughters were like from the beginning, so that's why he wanted to get rid of them? God apparently has a sense of humor. He wanted to show Abraham that there was not a single righteous man. But apparently Lot wasn't the worst, at least he listened to what was being said to him and that probably saved him.

[mushroomhunter]

But why did God send 2 angels in the first place knowing this whole situation would happen, this is by design from God

[cheche]

Moral of the story. Don't look back to your old sinful self. Move forward and walk with Jesus. God will never leave us nor forsake us.

[jerrimcelroy]

She looked back with a desire to stay in the world instead of going forward with the LORD.

[knightrider]

Seems more like a comedy. Abraham negotiates God down to ten innocent people to save the city. The Angels find Lot, his wife, and two daughters. Four people they just need to find some more! Lot goes to get his daughters' fiances who laugh the whole thing off. The Angels end up not finding enough people to save the city and begin raining down destruction while Lot's family escape. Then the punchline is that even the few people saved were disobedient and sinful, not "innocent" after all.

[knightrider]

Weird how people complain that in a book about how humanity has fallen into evil so many humans are presented as evil.

[SerErryk]

I saw Lot being chosen as righteous was to show just how evil the city had become.

[ronaldritchie]

The deal with Lot and his daughter's was that Lot invited the Angels into his home assuring their protection under his roof as was near east custom. When everyone from old man to young boy came to Lots house it was to have sex with the angels which had taken the form of men. Lot offered up his daughter's for two reasons. He knew the population of the city and knew they didn't find normal sexual relations appealing and would therefore reject the offer. Further he may have thought that the offer would shock the townspeople back to their senses. The bottom line was that Lot had no intention of actually offering up his daughter's. Had that been the case the Bible, the written word of God, who loves His family and expects us to follow His lead, would not have the act shown in a favorable light.

[CroakandCrow]

The beauty of Bible stories is that they speak to each of us individually

[ChosenOnes]

I enjoyed your exposition on Genesis 19. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Clear and understandable

[tracyensleyharp]

I love how you tackle hard passages like this!! I like the idea of condemning without saying I’m so many words...makes sense!

[Checkmate]

I need some help. Catholics and Orthodox usually argue “the angel of the Lord” is Jesus but I’m confused by they call the 2 angels that go to Lot as lords in Genesis 19:2. I see it’s lowercase and plural and God is always referred to as “the Lord” but I’m confused on what the word lord means and why he’s calling them lords when they are just angels right? Would love for someone to fill me in on what the title of lord means or what I’m missing.