Genesis 19:31-38 Meaning: The Desperate Act of Lot's Daughters
31The firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us in the way of all the earth.
32Come, let’s make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s family line.”
33They made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father. He didn’t know when she lay down, nor when she arose.
34It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let’s make him drink wine again tonight. You go in, and lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s family line.”
35They made their father drink wine that night also. The younger went and lay with him. He didn’t know when she lay down, nor when she got up.
36Thus both of Lot’s daughters were with child by their father.
37The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.
38The younger also bore a son, and called his name Ben Ammi. He is the father of the children of Ammon to this day.
31And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
32Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
33And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
34And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
35And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
36Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
37And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
38And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben–ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
31And the first-born said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth:
32come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
33And they made their father drink wine that night: and the first-born went in, and lay with her father; and he knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
34And it came to pass on the morrow, that the first-born said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
35And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he knew not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
36Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
37And the first-born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
38And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-ammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
31And the first-born saith unto the younger, `Our father is old, and a man there is not in the earth to come in unto us, as is the way of all the earth;
32come, we cause our father to drink wine, and lie with him, and preserve from our father--a seed.'
33And they cause their father to drink wine on that night; and the first-born goeth in, and lieth with her father, and he hath not known in her lying down, or in her rising up.
34And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the first-born saith unto the younger, `Lo, I have lain yesterday-night with my father: we cause him to drink wine also to-night, and go thou in, lie with him, and we preserve from our father--a seed.'
35And they cause their father to drink wine on that night also, and the younger riseth and lieth with him, and he hath not known in her lying down, or in her rising up.
36And the two daughters of Lot conceive from their father,
37and the first-born beareth a son, and calleth his name Moab; he is father of Moab unto this day;
38as to the younger, she also hath born a son, and calleth his name Ben-Ammi: he is father of the Beni-Ammon unto this day.
31And the first-born said to the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the land to come in to us after the manner of all the earth:
32come, let us give our father wine to drink, and let us lie with him, that we may preserve seed alive of our father.
33And they gave their father wine to drink that night. And the first-born went in, and lay with her father, and he did not know of her lying down, nor of her rising.
34And it came to pass on the next day that the first-born said to the younger, Lo, I lay last night with my father: let us give him wine to drink to-night also, and go thou in, lie with him, that we may preserve seed alive of our father.
35And they gave their father wine to drink that night also. And the younger arose, and lay with him; and he did not know of her lying down, nor of her rising.
36And both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father.
37And the first-born bore a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites to this day.
38And the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-ammi; the same is the father of the children of Ammon to this day.
Meaning in one sentence
Why did Lot's daughters get him drunk and sleep with him? Explore the tragic story behind the origins of Moab and Ammon.
Context
Lot has just escaped the fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. His wife turned to salt. Now he hides in a cave with his two daughters, terrified of living even in the small town of Zoar. The world they knew is gone. From inside that rocky shelter, the sisters look at their aging father and see no future. No husbands. No children. No way to continue the family line. So they devise a plan that will haunt the pages of Scripture. They get Lot drunk on two successive nights and each bears a child by him. Those children become the ancestors of Israel's neighbors: Moab and Ammon. This is not a story the Bible celebrates; it records it, raw and honest, as a warning about what fear and isolation can drive people to do.
Key Words
The Hebrew word behind "preserve seed" is zera, meaning offspring or descendants. It is the same word God used when promising Abraham countless children (Genesis 15:5). Lot's daughters want a zera, a future, but they have forgotten that the promise belongs to God to give, not for them to seize by any means.
The verb "lie with" is shakav, the ordinary word for sleeping together, often for sexual relations. Here it is stripped of tenderness. It is a cold, desperate act done in darkness.
And then there is the small but terrible word "knew", yada. The text says Lot "did not know" when his daughters lay down or rose up (verses 33, 35). The same word is used later for sexual intimacy (Genesis 4:1), but here it means he was completely unaware. Drunk and numb, he had no idea what was happening. The man who once welcomed angels into his home is now a passive participant in his own family's shame. Scripture does not excuse him, but it shows how sin dulls even the most righteous.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have wrestled with this passage in different ways. Some, like Matthew Henry, see it as a tragic fall for Lot, a righteous man dragged into shame by his own drunkenness and his daughters' scheming. The Cambridge Bible suggests it may not be literal history but a folk story that grew up to explain the names Moab and Ammon. Other commentators, like Keil and Delitzsch, read it as a historical account of how fear made the daughters believe no other men existed, so they resorted to incest. Across traditions, there is agreement that the story is told without endorsement: it shows the consequences of living in isolation from God's people. Whether read as literal or symbolic, it stands as a sobering picture of what happens when we stop trusting God's provision and take matters into our own hands.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
Most of us will never face a situation anything like this cave. But we all know what it is like to feel cornered, to believe there is no way out and that we must solve our own problem, even if it means crossing a line. This week, be honest with yourself about where desperation is driving you. Maybe it is a financial panic that tempts you to lie. Maybe it is loneliness that pushes you toward a relationship you know is wrong. Before you act, stop and pray. Ask God to show you an open door you cannot see. He is not trapped in a cave. He sees a future you cannot imagine.
Main takeaway: Desperate circumstances can lead to terrible choices, but God's redemptive plan can still run through the wreckage of human sin.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Lot and his daughters were very scared and made a bad choice. They forgot to ask God for help. When you are scared, always remember to pray first.
For ages 9, 12
After escaping Sodom, Lot's daughters thought there was no one left to marry. They made a terrible plan to have children with their own father. This story shows that when we panic and stop trusting God, we can do things that hurt our families. God still worked through this mess, years later, Ruth (who was a Moabite) became part of Jesus' family. Even our biggest mistakes are not too big for God to redeem.
Questions People Ask
Why did Lot's daughters think there was no man left to marry?
They believed everyone in the region had been destroyed by the fire from heaven. The only survivors they knew of were themselves and their father. They were afraid of marrying the people of Zoar, perhaps because they saw God's judgment on Sodom and thought Zoar might also be destroyed, or they considered them unworthy.
Was Lot responsible for what happened?
The text says Lot did not know when his daughters lay down or rose up due to drunkenness. While he was not actively complicit, the Bible does not excuse his drunkenness. Commentators like Calvin note that his guilt is diminished but not annulled because his intoxication led to the sin. The story shows how one sin can lead to another.
Why is this story in the Bible?
It explains the origins of two of Israel's neighbors, the Moabites and Ammonites, who later interacted (often conflictually) with God's people. It also serves as a sober warning about fear, isolation, and taking matters into your own hands. Additionally, it shows that God's redemptive plan continues even through human failure, Ruth, a Moabite, becomes an ancestor of King David and Jesus.
Does this story mean incest is ever acceptable?
Absolutely not. The Bible records this event without approving it. Later in the Old Testament, incest is strictly forbidden (Leviticus 18:6-18). This passage is descriptive, not prescriptive. It shows the tragic consequences of living apart from God's guidance and the desperation that can lead people to sin.
Why did the daughters name their sons Moab and Ben-ammi?
Moab sounds like the Hebrew phrase 'from the father,' and Ben-ammi means 'son of my people.' These names openly acknowledge the children's origin. The daughters seemed shameless about their actions, perhaps because they believed they had done what was necessary to preserve the family line. The names become a perpetual reminder of what happened in that cave.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study