Genesis 19:34-38

19:34 So in the morning the older daughter ¹  said to the younger, “Since I had sexual relations with my father last night, let’s make him drunk again tonight. ²  Then you go and have sexual relations with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” ³  19:35 So they made their father drunk ⁴  that night as well, and the younger one came and had sexual relations with him. ⁵  But he was not aware that she had sexual relations with him and then got up. ⁶ 

19:36 In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 19:37 The older daughter ⁷  gave birth to a son and named him Moab. ⁸  He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. 19:38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben-Ammi. ⁹  He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today.

[19:34]  ¹ tn Heb “the firstborn.”

[19:34]  ² tn Heb “Look, I lied down with my father. Let’s make him drink wine again tonight.”

[19:34]  ³ tn Heb “And go, lie down with him and we will keep alive from our father descendants.”

[19:35]  ⁴ tn Heb “drink wine.”

[19:35]  ⁵ tn Heb “lied down with him.”

[19:35]  ⁶ tn Heb “And he did not know when she lied down and when she arose.”

[19:37]  ⁷ tn Heb “the firstborn.”

[19:37]  ⁸ sn The meaning of the name Moab is not certain. The name sounds like the Hebrew phrase “from our father” (מֵאָבִינוּ, me’avinu) which the daughters used twice (vv. 32, 34). This account is probably included in the narrative in order to portray the Moabites, who later became enemies of God’s people, in a negative light.

[19:38]  ¹⁰ sn The name Ben-Ammi means “son of my people.” Like the account of Moab’s birth, this story is probably included in the narrative to portray the Ammonites, another perennial enemy of Israel, in a negative light.