A Lesson Abraham Taught Lot

There are some events in Scripture that are difficult to read because they force us to confront uncomfortable questions about the people G-D chose to use. We often look at Abraham as the father of faith and Lot as the nephew whose life became entangled with the wickedness of Sodom. We tend to view their stories separately, focusing on Abraham's faith and Lot's failures.

But what if we look at their stories together? What if we consider the possibility that Lot's shocking decision to offer his daughters to the men of Sodom was not simply an isolated moment of poor judgment, but was influenced, at least in part, by something he had witnessed years earlier in the life of his uncle Abraham?

I want to be careful here because Scripture does not explicitly tell us that Lot consciously copied Abraham's behavior. However, the biblical timeline establishes that Lot accompanied Abraham into Egypt and was present during the events recorded in Genesis 12. In Genesis 12, Abraham had received a calling from ADONAI. He had been instructed to leave his homeland and travel to a land that G-D would show him. He had received promises concerning his descendants and the future of his family.

Yet, when a famine came upon the land, Abraham traveled to Egypt. As he approached Egypt, he became afraid that the Egyptians would kill him because of Sarah's beauty. His solution was to ask Sarah to identify herself as his sister rather than his wife. Genesis 12:13 records Abraham's request: Please say that you are my sister, so that I’ll be treated well for your sake, and my life will be spared because of you." 

Consider what Abraham was asking. He was asking his wife to conceal their marriage so that he could protect his own life. The consequence was that Sarah was taken into Pharaoh's household. Abraham had received promises from G-D, yet in a moment of fear, he acted as though his survival depended upon his own strategy rather than the faithfulness of ADONAI.

Now, here is the detail that makes this particularly interesting: Lot was with Abraham. Genesis 13:1 tells us that Abraham went up from Egypt with Sarah, Lot, and everything they possessed. Lot had accompanied his uncle into Egypt and would have been in a position to witness the circumstances surrounding Abraham's deception.

We cannot say what Lot thought about Abraham's actions. We cannot say whether he approved, questioned, or even fully understood what had happened. But we can recognize that Lot had an opportunity to see how his uncle Abraham, a man of faith, responded to a perceived danger by offering his wife to someone in order to save his own life. Examples matter. Especially when they come from people we respect.

Now turn the page to Genesis 19. Lot is living in Sodom. Two angels, appearing as men, arrive in the city. Lot welcomes them into his home. Unfortunately before the visitors can go to sleep for the night, the men of Sodom surround Lot's house and demand that he bring the men outside. Lot goes out to meet the crowd, closes the door behind him, and attempts to reason with them. 

Then comes one of the most disturbing statements in the entire Bible. Genesis 19:8: Look, I have two daughters who haven’t been intimate with a man. Please let me bring them out to you—do to them whatever is good in your eyes! However, do nothing to these men—since they have come under the protection of my roof.”

Stop and consider what we are reading. A father is offering his own daughters to a violent mob. Why? Lot appears desperate to protect the men who have entered his home. Lot is afraid for the lives of the two men in his home. And here is where the comparison with Abraham becomes particularly troubling. Abraham placed Sarah in a dangerous position to protect himself, a man. Lot placed his daughters in a dangerous position to protect the men in his home.

The circumstances were different, we should not pretend that the actions were identical. Abraham offered his wife while Lot offered his daughters. But both men demonstrated a willingness to place the women entrusted to their care in harm's way when confronted with a crisis. Both were willing to trade women and not just women, but Abraham his wife and Lot his daughters for the lives of men. 

Did Lot offer his daughters because he was following the example of Abraham in Egypt? We cannot prove that this was Lot's reasoning. However, this possibility should cause us to think seriously about the influence of our examples. Abraham was Lot's uncle, his family leader, and a man who had received extraordinary promises from G-D. Lot traveled with him, shared in his experiences, and witnessed his decisions.

Whether or not Lot consciously imitated Abraham, the possibility that Lot offered his daughters to save two men based upon witnessing Abraham’s compromise should remind us that our actions carry consequences beyond our immediate circumstances. 

Our children, families, congregations, and communities are watching. If we compromise our convictions when life becomes difficult, we should not be surprised when our children and others watching us conclude that compromise is an acceptable response to certain difficult circumstances.

This connection between the actions of Abraham and Lot is extremely sobering. We should not read about Lot’s decision to offer his daughters in a vacuum separated from the example and experience he witnessed in Abraham. 

The Torah does not expressly tell us that Lot thought, "Abraham did this, so I can do it too." But Torah does share both stories which would lead us to conclude they were included for our benefit. The relationship between these two accounts should raise in our minds an important question about the generational influence of compromised behavior. May we learn from Abraham's mistakes and Lot's mistakes. Because the legacy we leave the next generation is not only what we teach, our example.

Let’s not allow our legacy to be that when we face circumstances frightening enough, it is acceptable to compromise our faith.