Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Lot’s desperate offer of his daughters reveals not just his terror, but the deep-seated cultural value of hospitality, making the protection of guests an almost sacred duty that overrides even parental instinct. This crisis highlights the clash between a man's ingrained sense of honor and the horrific moral compromise he faces when those values are tested by extreme depravity.
Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
As two divine messengers arrive in Sodom and are welcomed by Lot, the men of the city surround his house, demanding that Lot bring out his guests so they can assault them. Lot, desperate to protect his visitors due to the sacred laws of hospitality, makes the shocking offer to hand over his two virgin daughters to the mob instead, pleading with them to leave his guests unharmed. The mob refuses, threatening Lot himself, but the angels then intervene, striking the men blind and revealing their divine purpose to destroy the city because of its overwhelming wickedness.
Lot's offer of his daughters is shocking to modern sensibilities. What drove him to such a desperate, unthinkable proposition?
Lot's offer, while morally reprehensible by today's standards, must be understood within the ancient Near Eastern context of the absolute sanctity of hospitality.
The Sacred Duty
The Bible calls Lot 'righteous,' yet his actions here are deeply flawed. How can we reconcile these seemingly contradictory aspects of his character?
Ask a follow-up
Lot was a man of faith who lived in a deeply wicked city, and this created a significant spiritual tension in his life.
The Vexed Soul
Understand the original words
yada' · Hebrew Verb
Refers to sexual intimacy or experiential knowledge of a person. In biblical usage, it implies a deep, relational, and often physical union between individuals.
tsel · Hebrew Noun
A protective covering or refuge; in ancient Near Eastern culture, providing 'shelter' or hospitality to guests was a sacred duty, implying that the host was responsible for the protection and safety of those under his roof.
Lot's desperate offer to sacrifice his daughters, while shocking to modern readers, reflects the extreme cultural emphasis on hospitality in the ancient Near East, where protecting guests was considered a paramount duty, even above personal or family honor. This context helps explain, though not fully excuse, his actions in a moment of intense crisis.
c. 1800 BC - 1600 BC
Early Patriarchal Period
This period marks the time of Abraham, Lot, and their families, living as nomadic or semi-nomadic peoples in Canaan and the surrounding regions. Their lives were shaped by tribal customs, the demands of pastoral life, and interactions with various city-states.
c. 1800 BC
Abraham and Lot's Separation
Following a period of shared life and prosperity, Abraham and Lot separate due to conflicts between their herdsmen. Lot chooses to settle in the fertile Jordan plain, near the infamous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, a decision that brings him into proximity with their wickedness.
c. 1800 BC
Abraham Pleads for Sodom
After being informed of God's intention to destroy Sodom, Abraham famously intercedes, bargaining with God to spare the city if even ten righteous people can be found within it. This highlights the value God places on even a few righteous individuals.
c. 1800 BC— this verse
Angels Visit Sodom
Two angels arrive in Sodom in human form. Lot, adhering to the sacred laws of hospitality deeply ingrained in the culture, invites them into his home, offering them protection and sustenance.
c. 1800 BC
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
God rains down sulfur and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying them and the surrounding cities of the plain, as judgment for their immense wickedness. Lot and his immediate family are rescued by the angels.
This passage describes the depravity of those who have turned away from God, mirroring the sinful actions of the men of Sodom and highlighting the consequences of abandoning natural affections for unnatural desires.
Jude 1:7This verse directly references the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, describing their example of going after 'strange flesh' and serving as a warning of divine vengeance for such acts.
2 Peter 2:6-7This passage recounts the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the deliverance of Lot, noting that his righteous soul was 'vexed' by the lawless deeds he witnessed, reinforcing the extreme wickedness of the city.
Luke 17:28-32Jesus uses the example of Lot and the destruction of Sodom to warn against clinging to earthly possessions and comfort when facing divine judgment, echoing the tragic fate of Lot's wife and Lot's own initial reluctance to flee.
clarkeGenesis 19:8: "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."
Behold now, I have two daughters - Nothing but that sacred light in which the rights of hospitality were regarded among the eastern nations, could either justify or palliate this proposal of Lot. A man who had taken a stranger under his care and prote…
ellicottGenesis 19:8: "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."
(8) I have two daughters. —It is plain from Judges 19:24 that this proposal was not viewed in old time with the horror which it seems to deserve. Granting with St. Ambrose that it was the substitution of a smaller for a greater sin, and with St. Chrys…
Lot’s desperate offer of his daughters reveals not just his terror, but the deep-seated cultural value of hospitality, making the protection of guests an almost sacred duty that overrides even parental instinct. This crisis highlights the clash between a man's ingrained sense of honor and the horrific moral compromise he faces when those values are tested by extreme depravity.
As two divine messengers arrive in Sodom and are welcomed by Lot, the men of the city surround his house, demanding that Lot bring out his guests so they can assault them. Lot, desperate to protect his visitors due to the sacred laws of hospitality, makes the shocking offer to hand over his two virgin daughters to the mob instead, pleading with them to leave his guests unharmed. The mob refuses, threatening Lot himself, but the angels then intervene, striking the men blind and revealing their divine purpose to destroy the city because of its overwhelming wickedness.
As two divine messengers arrive in Sodom and are welcomed by Lot, the men of the city surround his house, demanding that Lot bring out his guests so they can assault them. Lot, desperate to protect his visitors due to the sacred laws of hospitality, makes the shocking offer to hand over his two virgin daughters to the mob instead, pleading with them to leave his guests unharmed. The mob refuses, threatening Lot himself, but the angels then intervene, striking the men blind and revealing their divine purpose to destroy the city because of its overwhelming wickedness.
"Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man. Let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.”" — Lot’s desperate offer of his daughters reveals not just his terror, but the deep-seated cultural value of hospitality, making the protection of guests an almost sacred duty that overrides even parent…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026