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

The Origin of Moab and Ammon

30 Later on, Lot and his two daughters abandoned Zoar and settled in the hills because Lot was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived there in a cave, along with his two daughters. 31 One day the firstborn told the younger one, “Our father is old, and there’s no man in the land to have sex with us,[a] as everybody else throughout all the earth does. 32 Come on! Let’s make our father drink wine, and then we’ll have sex with him so we can preserve our father’s lineage.”

33 So they had their father drink wine that night, and the older one had sexual relations with her father, but he was not aware when she lay down or when she got up. 34 The next day the firstborn told the younger one, “Look! I had sex with my father last night. Let’s make him drink wine tonight again as well. Then you have sex with him, too. That way we’ll preserve our father’s lineage.” 35 So they made their father drink wine that night as well, so he was not aware when she lay down or when she got up.

36 That’s how both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The firstborn gave birth to a son and named him Moab,[b] and he is the ancestor of the Moabites to this day. 38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-ammi,[c] and he is the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 19:31 Lit. to come in to us
  2. Genesis 19:37 The Heb. name Moab means from my father
  3. Genesis 19:38 The Heb. name Ben-ammi means son of my people