וַ֠יָּבֹאוּ שְׁנֵ֨י הַמַּלְאָכִ֤ים סְדֹ֙מָה֙ בָּעֶ֔רֶב וְל֖וֹט יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּשַֽׁעַר־סְדֹ֑ם וַיַּרְא־לוֹט֙ וַיָּ֣קָם לִקְרָאתָ֔ם וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ אַפַּ֖יִם אָֽרְצָה׃

The two angels came to Sodom in the evening. The Sages teach that the third angel did not travel to Sodom, because his mission had been fulfilled in informing Abraham and Sarah of their forthcoming son. The two other angels had tasks to perform in Sodom. And Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom. Sitting at the gate of a city was typically a sign of high status, as that was where the judges and town elders convened. Lot saw them and rose to meet them, and he prostrated himself with his face to the earth. Lot had either learned the attribute of hospitality from Abraham, or they had both learned it as a family tradition.

וַיֹּ֜אמֶר הִנֶּ֣ה נָּא־אֲדֹנַ֗י ס֣וּרוּ נָ֠א אֶל־בֵּ֨ית עַבְדְּכֶ֤ם וְלִ֙ינוּ֙ וְרַחֲצ֣וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם וְהִשְׁכַּמְתֶּ֖ם וַהֲלַכְתֶּ֣ם לְדַרְכְּכֶ֑ם וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ לֹּ֔א כִּ֥י בָרְח֖וֹב נָלִֽין׃

He said: Behold now my lords; please turn aside to your servant’s house, stay the night, and wash your feet, and you shall awaken early and go on your way. Lot’s proposal was less generous than that of Abraham, who had included food and drink as well. Nevertheless, Lot did offer them a place to rest. They said: No, for we will stay the night in the street.

וַיִּפְצַר־בָּ֣ם מְאֹ֔ד וַיָּסֻ֣רוּ אֵלָ֔יו וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לָהֶם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה וּמַצּ֥וֹת אָפָ֖ה וַיֹּאכֵֽלוּ׃

He implored them greatly, and eventually they turned aside to him and entered his house; he prepared a feast for them, he baked unleavened bread, and they ate. He gave them food and drink as well, despite the fact that he did not initially refer to provisions.

טֶרֶם֮ יִשְׁכָּבוּ֒ וְאַנְשֵׁ֨י הָעִ֜יר אַנְשֵׁ֤י סְדֹם֙ נָסַ֣בּוּ עַל־הַבַּ֔יִת מִנַּ֖עַר וְעַד־זָקֵ֑ן כָּל־הָעָ֖ם מִקָּצֶֽה׃

Before they, the angels, lay down to sleep, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, from young to old, all the people from every quarter. The mention of the men of Sodom evokes the earlier verse: “The men of Sodom were extremely wicked and sinful to the Lord” (13:13).

וַיִּקְרְא֤וּ אֶל־לוֹט֙ וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ ל֔וֹ אַיֵּ֧ה הָאֲנָשִׁ֛ים אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֥אוּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ הַלָּ֑יְלָה הוֹצִיאֵ֣ם אֵלֵ֔ינוּ וְנֵדְעָ֖ה אֹתָֽם׃

They called to Lot, and said to him: Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, and we will be intimate with them. The residents of the city demanded that Lot bring out his guests so that they could exploit them sexually. It was not clear at this point whether their demand was based on sexual desire or to demonstrate their absolute intolerance of guests.14 The only person in Sodom who accepted guests was Lot, who was not a native of the city.

וַיֵּצֵ֧א אֲלֵהֶ֛ם ל֖וֹט הַפֶּ֑תְחָה וְהַדֶּ֖לֶת סָגַ֥ר אַחֲרָֽיו׃

Lot went out to them, the residents of the city, to the entrance of his home, and he closed the door behind him, to prevent them from entering the house.

וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אַל־נָ֥א אַחַ֖י תָּרֵֽעוּ׃

He said: Please, my brethren, do not do evil. He requested that they forgo their wicked demand.

הִנֵּה־נָ֨א לִ֜י שְׁתֵּ֣י בָנ֗וֹת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יָדְעוּ֙ אִ֔ישׁ אוֹצִֽיאָה־נָּ֤א אֶתְהֶן֙ אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם וַעֲשׂ֣וּ לָהֶ֔ן כַּטּ֖וֹב בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֑ם רַ֠ק לָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים הָאֵל֙ אַל־תַּעֲשׂ֣וּ דָבָ֔ר כִּֽי־עַל־כֵּ֥ן בָּ֖אוּ בְּצֵ֥ל קֹרָתִֽי׃

Here now are my two virgin daughters who have not been intimate with a man; I will now bring them out to you, and you may do to them as is fit in your eyes. Only to these men do nothing, as for this they came under the shelter of my roof.

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ ׀ גֶּשׁ־הָ֗לְאָה וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ הָאֶחָ֤ד בָּֽא־לָגוּר֙ וַיִּשְׁפֹּ֣ט שָׁפ֔וֹט עַתָּ֕ה נָרַ֥ע לְךָ֖ מֵהֶ֑ם וַיִּפְצְר֨וּ בָאִ֤ישׁ בְּלוֹט֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַֽיִּגְּשׁ֖וּ לִשְׁבֹּ֥ר הַדָּֽלֶת׃

They said: Move aside. And they said: This one came to reside, and he sits in judgment? You are not a native of the city, but merely a sojourner who came to live here temporarily. How do you presume to pass judgment on our behavior? Now we will treat you worse than them. If you insist on protecting them, we will inflict an even worse punishment on you. It can be inferred from this statement that those surrounding the house were not motivated by sexual desire, but by a wish to inflict pain and humiliation on the guests. They implored the man, Lot, and when that attempt proved unsuccessful, they approached to break the door, which had been locked from the inside.

וַיִּשְׁלְח֤וּ הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ אֶת־יָדָ֔ם וַיָּבִ֧יאוּ אֶת־ל֛וֹט אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם הַבָּ֑יְתָה וְאֶת־הַדֶּ֖לֶת סָגָֽרוּ׃

The men, the angels, who had the appearance of men, extended their hand and brought Lot to them, to the house, and closed the door. With their ability to perform miracles, the angels were able to spirit Lot into the house without letting the mob force its way inside.

וְֽאֶת־הָאֲנָשִׁ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־פֶּ֣תַח הַבַּ֗יִת הִכּוּ֙ בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֔ים מִקָּטֹ֖ן וְעַד־גָּד֑וֹל וַיִּלְא֖וּ לִמְצֹ֥א הַפָּֽתַח׃

They smote the men who were at the entrance of the house with blindness or blurred vision, from small to great, so that they, the residents, were unable to find the entrance. Consequently, the crowd ceased to pose a threat to Lot and his guests.

וַיֹּאמְר֨וּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים אֶל־ל֗וֹט עֹ֚ד מִֽי־לְךָ֣ פֹ֔ה חָתָן֙ וּבָנֶ֣יךָ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יךָ וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־לְךָ֖ בָּעִ֑יר הוֹצֵ֖א מִן־הַמָּקֽוֹם׃

The angels had yet to perform the tasks for which they were sent: the destruction of Sodom and the rescue of Lot. Although Lot was not altogether righteous, he was saved due to Abraham, his uncle. The men said to Lot: Who else have you here? Do you have any family in the city? A son-in-law, and your sons, and your daughters, and everyone whom you have in the city, remove from the place.

כִּֽי־מַשְׁחִתִ֣ים אֲנַ֔חְנוּ אֶת־הַמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־גָֽדְלָ֤ה צַעֲקָתָם֙ אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַיְשַׁלְּחֵ֥נוּ יְהוָ֖ה לְשַׁחֲתָֽהּ׃

For we are destroying this place, as their outcry, that of the oppressed and ill-treated in the city, has amassed before the Lord, and the Lord sent us to destroy it.

וַיֵּצֵ֨א ל֜וֹט וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר ׀ אֶל־חֲתָנָ֣יו ׀ לֹקְחֵ֣י בְנֹתָ֗יו וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ ק֤וּמוּ צְּאוּ֙ מִן־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה כִּֽי־מַשְׁחִ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־הָעִ֑יר וַיְהִ֥י כִמְצַחֵ֖ק בְּעֵינֵ֥י חֲתָנָֽיו׃

Lot came out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had betrothed his daughters. Lot told his sons-in-law, who were certainly natives of the city, what was about to happen. And he said: Arise, depart from this place, for the Lord is destroying the city. But he seemed as one who jests in the eyes of his sons-in-law. They did not believe him and ignored his warning.

וּכְמוֹ֙ הַשַּׁ֣חַר עָלָ֔ה וַיָּאִ֥יצוּ הַמַּלְאָכִ֖ים בְּל֣וֹט לֵאמֹ֑ר קוּם֩ קַ֨ח אֶֽת־אִשְׁתְּךָ֜ וְאֶת־שְׁתֵּ֤י בְנֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ הַנִּמְצָאֹ֔ת פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶ֖ה בַּעֲוֺ֥ן הָעִֽיר׃

About when the dawn broke, the angels urged Lot, saying: Arise; take your wife and your two daughters who are present, lest you too be destroyed in the iniquity of the city. There is nothing we can do to save the rest of your family, whom you were unable to convince to flee. The time has arrived to leave the city.

וַֽיִּתְמַהְמָ֓הּ ׀ וַיַּחֲזִ֨קוּ הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים בְּיָד֣וֹ וּבְיַד־אִשְׁתּ֗וֹ וּבְיַד֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י בְנֹתָ֔יו בְּחֶמְלַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה עָלָ֑יו וַיֹּצִאֻ֥הוּ וַיַּנִּחֻ֖הוּ מִח֥וּץ לָעִֽיר׃

Perhaps Lot himself did not completely believe the angels’ warning. Their power to strike the residents of the city with blindness would certainly have impressed him, but he may still not not have entirely placed his confidence in them, and he may also have harbored concern about his uncertain future outside the city. Therefore, he hesitated. And the men forcefully grasped his hand, the hand of his wife, and the hand of his two daughters who were in the house. All this was performed out of the compassion of the Lord for him; although he was unworthy of being saved, it was the angels’ task to save him, even against his will. They took him out and placed him outside the city. They led him by foot to the entrance to the city or supernaturally transported him to the city’s outskirts.

וַיְהִי֩ כְהוֹצִיאָ֨ם אֹתָ֜ם הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הִמָּלֵ֣ט עַל־נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ אַל־תַּבִּ֣יט אַחֲרֶ֔יךָ וְאַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֖ד בְּכָל־הַכִּכָּ֑ר הָהָ֥רָה הִמָּלֵ֖ט פֶּן־תִּסָּפֶֽה׃

It was when they took them out that he, one of the angels, said: Flee for your life; do not look behind you and do not stay in the entire plain of the Jordan, which encircled Sodom. Flee to the highlands surrounding the plain, lest you be destroyed.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹט אֲלֵהֶ֑ם אַל־נָ֖א אֲדֹנָֽי׃

Lot said to them: Please, no, my lords.

הִנֵּה־נָ֠א מָצָ֨א עַבְדְּךָ֣ חֵן֮ בְּעֵינֶיךָ֒ וַתַּגְדֵּ֣ל חַסְדְּךָ֗ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ עִמָּדִ֔י לְהַחֲי֖וֹת אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֑י וְאָנֹכִ֗י לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ לְהִמָּלֵ֣ט הָהָ֔רָה פֶּן־תִּדְבָּקַ֥נִי הָרָעָ֖ה וָמַֽתִּי׃

Please, behold, your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have increased your kindness that you have done with me to save my life. But I will not be able to flee to the highlands; it is too far, the climb is exhausting and dangerous, and I am too old for such a challenging expedition. But I cannot remain on the plain either, lest the evil overtake me and I die.

הִנֵּה־נָ֠א הָעִ֨יר הַזֹּ֧את קְרֹבָ֛ה לָנ֥וּס שָׁ֖מָּה וְהִ֣יא מִצְעָ֑ר אִמָּלְטָ֨ה נָּ֜א שָׁ֗מָּה הֲלֹ֥א מִצְעָ֛ר הִ֖וא וּתְחִ֥י נַפְשִֽׁי׃

Here now, this city is near to flee there, and it is small; please, I will flee there. Although it is a city with its own king (see 14:2), is it not small enough to escape destruction, and perhaps there my life will be saved?

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו הִנֵּה֙ נָשָׂ֣אתִי פָנֶ֔יךָ גַּ֖ם לַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה לְבִלְתִּ֛י הָפְכִּ֥י אֶת־הָעִ֖יר אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּֽרְתָּ׃

He, the angel, said to him: Behold, not only have I taken you out of the city, but I have granted your request for this matter as well, not to overturn the city of which you spoke. I will destroy only the large cities on the plain, Sodom, Gomorrah, Adma, and Tzevoyim, but I will leave standing the city to which you referred.

מַהֵר֙ הִמָּלֵ֣ט שָׁ֔מָּה כִּ֣י לֹ֤א אוּכַל֙ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת דָּבָ֔ר עַד־בֹּאֲךָ֖ שָׁ֑מָּה עַל־כֵּ֛ן קָרָ֥א שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר צֽוֹעַר׃

Hurry and flee there, as I will not be able to do anything until your arrival there. Since an angel is only a messenger of God, he has no choice but to obey the instructions given to him. These angels had been directed to destroy the sinful cities and to save Lot. They could not strike the cities if that would put Lot in danger. The Torah notes: Therefore, because the city was small [ mitz’ar ], he called the name of the city Tzoar. This became an additional name of the city.

הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ יָצָ֣א עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְל֖וֹט בָּ֥א צֹֽעֲרָה׃

Lot and his family left at daybreak. A short while later, the sun rose upon the earth, and Lot came to Tzoar.

וַֽיהוָ֗ה הִמְטִ֧יר עַל־סְדֹ֛ם וְעַל־עֲמֹרָ֖ה גָּפְרִ֣ית וָאֵ֑שׁ מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה מִן־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

The Lord rained brimstone and fire upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah, as well as on Adma and Tzevoyim, from the Lord from the heavens.

וַֽיַּהֲפֹךְ֙ אֶת־הֶעָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔ל וְאֵ֖ת כָּל־הַכִּכָּ֑ר וְאֵת֙ כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הֶעָרִ֔ים וְצֶ֖מַח הָאֲדָמָֽה׃

Furthermore, He overturned those cities, the entire plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and the vegetation of the earth. Apart from the fire and brimstone, there was a massive earthquake that overturned the entire area, until nothing remained as it had been.

וַתַּבֵּ֥ט אִשְׁתּ֖וֹ מֵאַחֲרָ֑יו וַתְּהִ֖י נְצִ֥יב מֶֽלַח׃

His, Lot’s, wife looked behind him, despite the angel’s warning. She had been rescued due to her relationship with Lot, but she may have been a native of Sodom, and apparently still felt connected to the city. Whether out of curiosity or emotional distress, she turned to look at her city, and she became a pillar of salt. This could be meant literally or metaphorically that she froze in place and died.

וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֥ם אַבְרָהָ֖ם בַּבֹּ֑קֶר אֶל־הַ֨מָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁר־עָ֥מַד שָׁ֖ם אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃

Abraham arose early in the morning to the place where he stood before the Lord.

וַיַּשְׁקֵ֗ף עַל־פְּנֵ֤י סְדֹם֙ וַעֲמֹרָ֔ה וְעַֽל־כָּל־פְּנֵ֖י אֶ֣רֶץ הַכִּכָּ֑ר וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֤ה עָלָה֙ קִיטֹ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ כְּקִיטֹ֖ר הַכִּבְשָֽׁן׃

He looked over Sodom and Gomorrah, and over all the land of the plain of the Jordan, the region that is currently the Dead Sea. And he saw that behold, the smoke of the earth rose thickly and in abundance, like the smoke of a kiln. In addition to the destruction wreaked by the earthquake, the entire plain was burnt, leaving no trace of anything that had stood there.

וַיְהִ֗י בְּשַׁחֵ֤ת אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־עָרֵ֣י הַכִּכָּ֔ר וַיִּזְכֹּ֥ר אֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיְשַׁלַּ֤ח אֶת־לוֹט֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַהֲפֵכָ֔ה בַּהֲפֹךְ֙ אֶת־הֶ֣עָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יָשַׁ֥ב בָּהֵ֖ן לֽוֹט׃

The Torah summarizes the previous events: It was when God destroyed the cities of the plain, and God remembered Abraham. And due to Abraham’s merit, He sent Lot from the midst of the upheaval, as He overturned the cities in which Lot lived.

וַיַּעַל֩ ל֨וֹט מִצּ֜וֹעַר וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב בָּהָ֗ר וּשְׁתֵּ֤י בְנֹתָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ כִּ֥י יָרֵ֖א לָשֶׁ֣בֶת בְּצ֑וֹעַר וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ בַּמְּעָרָ֔ה ה֖וּא וּשְׁתֵּ֥י בְנֹתָֽיו׃

Lot ascended from Tzoar and lived in the hills, and his two daughters with him, because he feared to live in Tzoar. Lot had stayed in Tzoar on the first night, but he was afraid to remain there, as it was one of the cities of the plain that had originally been intended for punishment. As Lot suspected that its destruction had been merely delayed due to his presence and request, he felt anxious. Therefore, he eventually ascended into the mountains, as the angel had originally instructed him. And he lived in a cave, he and his two daughters.

וַתֹּ֧אמֶר הַבְּכִירָ֛ה אֶל־הַצְּעִירָ֖ה אָבִ֣ינוּ זָקֵ֑ן וְאִ֨ישׁ אֵ֤ין בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ לָב֣וֹא עָלֵ֔ינוּ כְּדֶ֖רֶךְ כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Lot and his two daughters stayed alone in the cave, surrounded by total desolation. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah presumably prevented any traveler from approaching the area. Lot’s daughters did not know that the destruction was limited to Sodom and its environs. They assumed that a global catastrophe like the flood had occurred and that they were the only survivors. As stated earlier (verse 8), both were young and unmarried. Therefore, the elder said to the younger: Our father is old; we cannot expect that he will have use of his faculties for long. And there is no man on the earth aside from him to consort with us in the way of the world. The continuation of the human race depends on us. Although we are his daughters, we must act like the family of Adam, the first man, and procreate from family members, in order to prevent the extinction of humanity.

לְכָ֨ה נַשְׁקֶ֧ה אֶת־אָבִ֛ינוּ יַ֖יִן וְנִשְׁכְּבָ֣ה עִמּ֑וֹ וּנְחַיֶּ֥ה מֵאָבִ֖ינוּ זָֽרַע׃

Let us give our father wine to drink so that he will be drunk, and we will lie with him, and we will give life to offspring from our father. Lot’s daughters chose to intoxicate their father rather than plan with him, whether out of concern that he would react negatively or because they were embarrassed to discuss the idea with him.

וַתַּשְׁקֶ֧יןָ אֶת־אֲבִיהֶ֛ן יַ֖יִן בַּלַּ֣יְלָה ה֑וּא וַתָּבֹ֤א הַבְּכִירָה֙ וַתִּשְׁכַּ֣ב אֶת־אָבִ֔יהָ וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֥ע בְּשִׁכְבָ֖הּ וּבְקׄוּמָֽהּ׃

They gave their father wine to drink that night. The wine was likely brought from Tzoar, along with the other provisions they had taken for their survival. The elder came and lay with her father, and in his drunken state, he did not know when she lay or when she arose.

וַֽיְהִי֙ מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת וַתֹּ֤אמֶר הַבְּכִירָה֙ אֶל־הַצְּעִירָ֔ה הֵן־שָׁכַ֥בְתִּי אֶ֖מֶשׁ אֶת־אָבִ֑י נַשְׁקֶ֨נּוּ יַ֜יִן גַּם־הַלַּ֗יְלָה וּבֹ֙אִי֙ שִׁכְבִ֣י עִמּ֔וֹ וּנְחַיֶּ֥ה מֵאָבִ֖ינוּ זָֽרַע׃

It was the next day, and the elder said to the younger: Behold, I lay last night with my father. Since I have already broken the taboo, let us give him wine to drink tonight as well, and you come and lie with him; and we will give life to offspring from our father. We cannot know yet if I have become pregnant. Since we must guarantee the survival of the human race, we will improve our chances of success if you lie with him as well.

וַתַּשְׁקֶ֜יןָ גַּ֣ם בַּלַּ֧יְלָה הַה֛וּא אֶת־אֲבִיהֶ֖ן יָ֑יִן וַתָּ֤קָם הַצְּעִירָה֙ וַתִּשְׁכַּ֣ב עִמּ֔וֹ וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֥ע בְּשִׁכְבָ֖הּ וּבְקֻמָֽהּ׃

They gave their father wine to drink that night as well. The younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay or when she arose.

וַֽתַּהֲרֶ֛יןָ שְׁתֵּ֥י בְנֽוֹת־ל֖וֹט מֵאֲבִיהֶֽן׃

Lot’s two daughters conceived from their father.

וַתֵּ֤לֶד הַבְּכִירָה֙ בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ מוֹאָ֑ב ה֥וּא אֲבִֽי־מוֹאָ֖ב עַד־הַיּֽוֹם׃

The elder gave birth to a son and called his name Moav; he is the ancestor of the Moavites to this day. The name Moav can be understood to mean: From father [ me’av ].

וְהַצְּעִירָ֤ה גַם־הִוא֙ יָ֣לְדָה בֵּ֔ן וַתִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ בֶּן־עַמִּ֑י ה֛וּא אֲבִ֥י בְנֵֽי־עַמּ֖וֹן עַד־הַיּֽוֹם׃ (ס)

The younger too gave birth to a son, and called his name Ben Ami, which has a similar meaning, as the word ami can denote a close familial relationship (see, e.g., 49:29). Nevertheless, this was a more subtle reference to his sordid origins than Moav. He is the ancestor of the descendants of Amon to this day.