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Lot


The son of Abraham’s brother Haran. Lot accompanied Abraham on his journey into Canaan (Gen 12:1-9) and to and from Egypt (Gen 12:10-20, Gen 13:1). Upon their return, a quarrel between Lot’s and Abraham’s herdsmen (Gen 13:7) prompted Abraham to propose an amicable separation, offering Lot his choice of where to settle. Then, in (Gen 14), Lot is taken captive in a battle with nine kings, and Abraham must come to his rescue. Still later, God destroys the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, but (as a result of Abraham’s pleading) sends emissaries to rescue Lot and his family first (Gen 19:1-29). On departing, Lot’s wife looks back at the destruction and turns into a pillar of salt. Lot’s daughters, possibly believing themselves to be the world’s sole survivors, ply Lot with liquor and cohabit with him, conceiving Moab (Heb., “of the same father”) and Ben-ammi (Heb., “son of paternal kin”), ancestors of Israel’s Transjordanian neighbors, the Moabites and Ammonites (Gen 19:30-38).

  • Powell, Mark Allan, ed. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary. Abridged Edition. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009.