The Origin of Moab and Ammon

30 Lot departed from Zoar and lived in the mountains along with his two daughters, because he was afraid to live in Zoar. Instead, he and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31 Then the firstborn said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man in the land to sleep with us as is the custom of all the land. 32 Come, let’s get our father to drink wine so that we can sleep with him and preserve our father’s line.” 33 So they got their father to drink wine that night, and the firstborn came and slept with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she got up.

34 The next day the firstborn said to the younger, “Look, I slept with my father last night. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight so you can go sleep with him and we can preserve our father’s line.” 35 That night they again got their father to drink wine, and the younger went and slept with him; he did not know when she lay down or when she got up.

36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn gave birth to a son and named him Moab.[a] He is the father of the Moabites of today.(A) 38 The younger also gave birth to a son, and she named him Ben-ammi.[b] He is the father of the Ammonites of today.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 19:37 = From My Father
  2. Genesis 19:38 = Son of My People

30 Since Lot had become fearful of living in Zoar, he and his two daughters headed up from Zoar and settled in the mountains where he and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31 The older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there are no men in the land to sleep with us as is the custom everywhere. 32 Come on, let’s give our father wine to drink, lie down with him, and we’ll have children from our father.” 33 That night they served their father wine, and the older daughter went in and lay down with her father, without him noticing when she lay down or got up. 34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Since I lay down with our father last night, let’s serve him wine tonight too, and you go in and lie down with him so that we will both have children from our father.” 35 They served their father wine that night also, and the younger daughter lay down with him, without him knowing when she lay down or got up. 36 Both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the ancestor of today’s Moabites. 38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-ammi.[a] He is the ancestor of today’s Ammonites.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 19:38 Or son of my people

Lot and His Daughters

30 Lot and his two daughters left Zoar(A) and settled in the mountains,(B) for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the custom all over the earth. 32 Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line(C) through our father.”(D)

33 That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.(E)

34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.”(F) 35 So they got their father to drink wine(G) that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.(H)

36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.(I) 37 The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab[a];(J) he is the father of the Moabites(K) of today. 38 The younger daughter also had a son, and she named him Ben-Ammi[b]; he is the father of the Ammonites[c](L) of today.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 19:37 Moab sounds like the Hebrew for from father.
  2. Genesis 19:38 Ben-Ammi means son of my father’s people.
  3. Genesis 19:38 Hebrew Bene-Ammon