Lot

31Terah took his son Abram. He took his grandson Lot, the son of Haran. He took Sarai, his daughter-in-law, who was Abram's wife. Together they left Ur of the Chaldees to go to the land of Canaan. But they came to a place called Haran, and they lived there.

And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

NoteCanaan was a land far to the west, near the sea. Careful: Haran here is a town, not the brother who died. The man and the town have names that look the same in English.

32Terah lived 205 years. Terah died in Haran.

And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

4So Abram left, just as the LORD had told him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

NoteHaran was a city far away where Abram's family had been living. Lot was Abram's nephew, the son of his brother.

5Abram took his wife Sarai and Lot, his brother's son. He took everything they had gathered. He took the people they had gained in Haran. They set out for the land of Canaan, and they came to it.

And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

NoteCanaan was the land where Abram was going. The "people they had gained" were servants who worked for them and traveled with them.

1Abram left Egypt and went up into the dry land in the south. His wife went with him. So did Lot, and everything Abram owned.

And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.

NoteEgypt was a big country far to the south, along a great river. Abram had gone there when food ran out where he lived. The dry land in the south is a hot place with sand, rocks, and little rain.

2Abram had become very rich. He had many animals, and much silver and gold.

And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

NoteLong ago people did not keep money in a bank. A rich man was one who owned many animals, plus silver and gold.

3He traveled from place to place, from the south all the way to Bethel. He came back to the spot between Bethel and Hai. His tent had stood there before.

And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;

NoteBethel and Hai were small towns. Abram lived in a tent, so he could fold it up and move. He was going back to a spot he knew before.

4It was the place where he had built an altar before. There Abram called on the name of the LORD.

Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

NoteAn altar is a pile of stones built for giving gifts to God. "Called on the name of the LORD" means he prayed to God out loud. LORD in big letters stands for God's own special name.

5Lot traveled with Abram. Lot also had flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and tents.

And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.

NoteA flock is a group of sheep and goats. A herd is a group of cows. Lot had many animals too.

6The land could not support them both while they stayed together. They owned so much that they could not live in one place.

And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.

NoteAnimals eat grass and drink water every day. So many animals in one place would eat all the grass. There was not enough for both families.

7The men who kept Abram's animals argued with the men who kept Lot's animals. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in that land too.

And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.

NoteHerdsmen were men whose job was watching the animals. The Canaanites and the Perizzites were families of people already living in that land. Abram and Lot were guests there.

8Abram said to Lot, "Please, let there be no fighting between you and me. Let there be no fighting between your herdsmen and mine. We are brothers."

And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.

NoteLot was really Abram's nephew, his brother's son. Back then close family often called each other brothers.

9"Isn't the whole land right in front of you? Please move away from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right. If you go to the right, I will go to the left."

Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

NoteAbram let Lot pick his land first. Usually the older man chose first. People there faced east when they pointed, so left meant north and right meant south.

10Lot looked up and saw the whole plain of the Jordan River. It had plenty of water everywhere, all the way to Zoar. It was like the garden of the LORD, and like the land of Egypt. This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

NoteA plain is wide, flat land. The Jordan is a river, and land near a river grows green. The garden of the LORD means the beautiful garden at the very start of the Bible. Zoar, Sodom, and Gomorrah were towns on that flat land.

11Then Lot chose the whole plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot traveled east. The two men went apart from each other.

Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

12Abram lived in the land of Canaan. Lot lived in the towns on the plain. He set up his tent as far as Sodom.

Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

NoteCanaan was the land God had promised to give Abram. Lot moved his tent closer and closer to the town of Sodom.

13But the men of Sodom were very bad. They sinned against the LORD very much.

But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

NoteTo sin means to do what God says is wrong. The people of Sodom did wrong things all the time.

8Then the king of Sodom went out to fight. So did the kings of Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim. So did the king of Bela, the town also called Zoar. They lined up for battle in the Valley of Siddim.

And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;

9They fought Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of nations. They also fought Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar. It was four kings against five kings.

With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.

10The Valley of Siddim was full of thick, sticky tar pits. The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah ran away, and they fell there. The men who were left ran to the mountain.

And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

NoteTar is thick, black, sticky stuff that comes up out of the ground. Men and animals could get stuck in it.

11The four kings took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah. They took all their food too, and then they went on their way.

And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

NoteGoods means everything people owned. Clothes, tools, dishes, and animals were all goods.

12They also took Lot, the son of Abram's brother. Lot lived in Sodom. They took his things too, and then they left.

And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

NoteLot was the son of Abram's brother, so Lot was Abram's nephew.

13One man got away and came and told Abram the Hebrew. Abram was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite. Mamre was the brother of Eshcol and the brother of Aner. These men had an agreement with Abram to help each other.

And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

NoteHebrew was the name for Abram and the family that came from him.

14Abram heard that his relative had been taken away. So he got his trained servants ready to go. There were 318 of them, all born in his own house. He went after the kings as far as the town of Dan.

And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

NoteThese servants had been born in Abram's camp and grew up there. They were part of his big household.

15In the night Abram split his men into groups. He and his servants attacked the kings and beat them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus.

And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

NoteDamascus is a very old city. It was far to the north of Abram's home.

16He brought back all the goods. He brought back his relative Lot and Lot's things too. He brought back the women and the other people as well.

And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

1Two angels came to Sodom in the evening. Lot was sitting at the city gate. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them. He bowed down low with his face toward the ground.

And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

NoteAngels are messengers God sends. The city gate was like the town's front door. Important men sat there to talk and decide things. Bowing low with your face down showed great respect.

2He said, "My lords, please come to my house. I am your servant. Wash your feet and stay the night. In the morning you can get up early and go on your way." They said, "No. We will stay in the street all night."

And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

NotePeople walked in sandals on dusty roads. Washing a guest's feet was a kind welcome. Lot calls them "my lords," a polite way to speak to someone important. Calling himself their servant was polite too.

3But Lot kept asking them again and again. So they went with him into his house. He made them a good meal. He baked bread made without yeast, and they ate.

And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

NoteBread without yeast is flat bread. Yeast is what makes bread puff up, and that takes hours. Flat bread could be made fast for surprise guests.

4Before they lay down to sleep, the men of the city came. They were the men of Sodom, both old and young. They came from every part of the city and stood all around the house.

But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

NoteThe whole town came, not just a few men. That is why Lot was so afraid at his door.

5They called out to Lot. They said, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us. We want to sleep with them."

And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

NoteThe King James says "that we may know them." Long ago "know" could mean to sleep with someone. These men meant to hurt Lot's guests.

6Lot went out the door to the men. He shut the door behind him.

And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

7He said, "Please, my brothers, do not do such a wicked thing."

And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

Note"Brethren" is an old word for brothers. Lot is speaking to his neighbors, hoping they will listen.

8"Look, I have two daughters. No man has ever slept with them. Let me bring them out to you. Do to them whatever seems good to you. But do not do anything to these men. They have come under the shelter of my roof."

Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

Note"Under the shadow of my roof" means they are guests in my house. Back then a host promised to keep his guests safe. Lot's offer of his daughters was a terrible one.

9They said, "Stand back." They said again, "This one man came here to live as a stranger. Now he wants to be our judge! We will treat you worse than we treat them." They pushed hard against Lot. They came close to breaking down the door.

And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

NoteA stranger was someone born in another place. Strangers had few rights and could not tell others what to do. That is why the men were angry that Lot spoke up.

10But the men inside reached out their hands. They pulled Lot into the house with them. Then they shut the door.

But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.

11They struck the men at the door of the house so they could not see. Young and old alike went blind. The men wore themselves out trying to find the door.

And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

NoteThe angels made the men unable to see. So the men groped around and could not find the door.

12The men said to Lot, "Do you have anyone else here? A son-in-law, the man married to your daughter, or your sons and daughters? Is anyone in the city yours? Bring them all out of this place."

And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:

13"We are going to destroy this place. The cry against its people has grown very loud before the LORD. The LORD has sent us to destroy it."

For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.

Note"The cry against its people" means people who were hurt cried out to God. LORD in capital letters stands for God's own name.

14So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters. He said, "Get up! Get out of this place! The LORD is going to destroy this city." But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.

And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

NoteThese men were promised to marry Lot's daughters. The King James says Lot "seemed as one that mocked." That means they thought he was making a joke.

15When morning came, the angels hurried Lot along. They said, "Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here. If you stay, you will be swept away when the city is punished for its sin."

And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

Note"Swept away" means carried off and destroyed, like water carrying things away.

16Lot was slow to go. So the men took hold of his hand. They took the hands of his wife and his two daughters. The LORD was kind to him. The men led them out and set them outside the city.

And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.

17When they had brought them outside, he said, "Run for your life! Do not look behind you. Do not stop anywhere on the flat land. Run to the mountain, or you will be swept away."

And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

NoteThe flat land was the wide valley where the cities sat. It was low ground near what we call the Dead Sea.

18Lot said to them, "Oh no, my lord, please!"

And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my LORD:

19"Look, you have been kind to me, your servant. You have shown me great kindness by saving my life. But I cannot run all the way to the mountain. Something bad may catch me, and I will die."

Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:

NoteThe King James says Lot "found grace" in their sight. That means they were kind to him and helped him.

20"Look, that town is close enough to run to, and it is a little one. Oh, let me run there. Is it not a little one? Then I will live."

Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.

21He said to him, "All right. I will do this for you too. I will not destroy the town you asked about."

And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.

22"Hurry! Run there. I cannot do anything until you get there." So the town was named Zoar.

Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

NoteThe name Zoar sounds like the Hebrew word for "little." Lot had just called the town little twice.

23The sun had come up over the land when Lot came into Zoar.

The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.

24Then the LORD rained burning sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. It came from the LORD out of the heavens.

Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

NoteThe King James word is "brimstone." That is an old name for sulfur. Sulfur is a yellow rock that burns with a strong smell.

25He destroyed those cities and all the flat land around them. He destroyed everyone who lived in the cities. He destroyed everything that grew on the ground.

And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

26But Lot's wife looked back, behind him. She turned into a tall post of salt.

But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

NoteA pillar is a tall post, like a stone column. There is a lot of salt in the land around the Dead Sea.

27Abraham got up early in the morning. He went to the place where he had stood before the LORD.

And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:

NoteThis is the same spot from the day before. Abraham had stood there talking with God about these cities.

28He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah. He looked toward all the flat land. He saw smoke going up from the land, like smoke from a furnace.

And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

NoteA furnace is a very hot oven. People used one to melt metal or bake clay pots. Its smoke was thick and dark.

29When God destroyed the cities of the flat land, God remembered Abraham. He sent Lot out from the middle of it. That is how Lot got out when God destroyed the cities where he had lived.

And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

Note"God remembered Abraham" does not mean God had forgotten. It means God acted because of Abraham.

30Lot went up out of Zoar. He lived on the mountain with his two daughters. He was afraid to live in Zoar. So he lived in a cave with his two daughters.

And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

31The older daughter said to the younger one, "Our father is old. There is no man in the land to sleep with us, the way people do everywhere on earth."

And 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:

NoteIn that time a family kept going through its children. If there were no children, the family name stopped. The daughters were afraid that would happen to their father.

32"Come, let us give our father wine to drink. Then we will sleep with him. That way our father's family will go on through us."

Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

NoteThe King James says "preserve seed of our father." Seed here means children and grandchildren. What they did to their father was wrong.

33That night they gave their father wine to drink. The older daughter went in and slept with her father. He did not know when she lay down or when she got up.

And 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.

NoteWine is a strong drink made from grapes. Too much of it makes a person sleepy and confused.

34The next day the older daughter said to the younger one, "Last night I slept with my father. Let us give him wine to drink tonight too. Then you go in and sleep with him. That way our father's family will go on through us."

And 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.

35That night they gave their father wine to drink again. The younger daughter got up and slept with him. He did not know when she lay down or when she got up.

And 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.

36So both of Lot's daughters were going to have babies by their father.

Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

37The older daughter had a son. She named him Moab. He is the father of the people called Moabites, right up to today.

And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

NoteThe name Moab sounds like Hebrew words meaning "from father." The Moabites were a people who later lived east of the Dead Sea. "Right up to today" means when this story was written down.

38The younger daughter had a son too. She named him Ben-ammi. He is the father of the people called Ammonites, right up to today.

And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

NoteThe name Ben-ammi means "son of my people" in Hebrew. The Ammonites lived near the Moabites. Both peoples were neighbors of Israel later on.