Now Lot went up out of Zoar and settled in the hills1 with his two daughters, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar; so he lived in a cave with his two daughters. And the firstborn said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the world. Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father2." So they made their father drink wine3 that night; and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she rose.
On the next day, the firstborn said to the younger, "Look, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father." So they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger rose, and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab; he is the ancestor of the Moabites4 to this day5. The younger also bore a son and named him Ben-ammi; he is the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day.
[1] He begged the angel to let him to go Zoar, then flees to the hills anyway?
[2] Where does such a thought come from? Are they morally corrupt, or just so desperate to have children that they even consider extreme measures?
[3] The second time a patriarch has been subject to a sinful act via drunkenness.
[4] Israel's neighbors get a mixed mention here. Their origin from Lot makes them a close cousin to Israel, but they are given a very shameful past.
[5] "To this day" emphasizes the connection between this action and the current peoples.
Take-home: Lot continues to be indecisive and fearful. Alcohol can be used to get people to do sinful things. It must be considered that the purpose of this story is to give a negative explanation for the origins of the Moabites and Ammonites.
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