Lot's daughters are figures in the Old Testament, specifically in the Book of Genesis. They are the unnamed daughters of Lot, the nephew of Abraham. Their account is primarily found in Genesis 19, which details the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the subsequent events involving Lot and his family.

Escape from Sodom

Lot's daughters first come into prominence during the narrative of Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction. As the cities were about to be destroyed due to their wickedness, two angels visited Lot and urged him to flee with his family. Lot hesitated, but the angels took hold of his hand, along with the hands of his wife and daughters, and led them out of the city to safety. The angels instructed them, "Flee for your lives! Do not look back, and do not stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains, or you will be swept away!" (Genesis 19:17).

The Fate of Lot's Wife

As they fled, Lot's wife looked back at the city and was turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). This left Lot and his two daughters to continue their escape alone. They eventually settled in a cave in the mountains, fearing to live in the nearby town of Zoar.

The Incident in the Cave

In the isolation of the cave, Lot's daughters, concerned about the continuation of their family line, devised a plan to preserve their father's lineage. They believed there were no men left on earth to give them children, so they decided to get their father drunk and lie with him. The elder daughter said to the younger, "Our father is old, and there is no man in the land to sleep with us, as is the custom all over the earth. Come, let us get our father drunk with wine so we can sleep with him and preserve his line" (Genesis 19:31-32).

On consecutive nights, they executed their plan. The elder daughter lay with Lot the first night, and the younger did the same the following night. Lot was unaware of their actions due to his inebriation. As a result, both daughters became pregnant by their father.

The Moabites and Ammonites

The children born from these unions became the ancestors of two significant groups in the biblical narrative: the Moabites and the Ammonites. The elder daughter bore a son named Moab, who became the father of the Moabites. The younger daughter bore a son named Ben-Ammi, who became the father of the Ammonites (Genesis 19:37-38).

Biblical Significance

The Moabites and Ammonites frequently appear in the biblical text as neighboring nations to Israel. Their origins, as described in Genesis, are often viewed through the lens of the moral and ethical standards of the time. The account of Lot's daughters is sometimes interpreted as a reflection of the desperate circumstances they faced and the lengths to which they went to preserve their family line.

Throughout the Bible, the Moabites and Ammonites have complex relationships with the Israelites, ranging from conflict to cooperation. Despite their origins, individuals from these groups, such as Ruth the Moabitess, play significant roles in the biblical narrative, demonstrating God's overarching plan and the inclusion of Gentiles into His covenant community.