The Pulpit Commentary — Genesis — Section 328

tain (i. e. of Moab, on the enst of the Dead stand, though we cannot cen.se to abhor, their Sen), and his two daughters-step-daughters, incestuous cond net" (Kalisch). Their pro- it hne been suggested, if Lot married a widow posal was revolting and unnatural in the ex- who wns the mother of the two girls (Starke) treme. By subsequent Mosaic legislation a -with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar translp'ession of such enormity was rendered -from which the panic-stricken inhabitants pnnisll.able by death. Even in the present may have fled towards the mountains rnstance the perpetrators were not wholly ().Iurphy), eitl,~r because at that time it wns unconscious or the wickedness of their con- shaken by an earthquake (Jerome, Roscn- duct. The fact that they required a strata- miiller); or because he dreaded the conflagra- gem for the attainment of their purpose shows tion which devoured the other cities might that at least they could not calculate on their spread thither (Poole, Kalisch, Wordsworth), father's approbation. The entire story bas or the rising waters of the Dead Sea which been regarded as the invention of later Jewish engulfed them might reach to it (Bush) hatred to the Moabites and Ammonites (De -apprehensions which were groundless and Wette), a conjecturu believed by some to be unbelieving, since God had granted Zoar "not improbable" (Roscnmliller); but if so, for an asylum (Lange) ; or because he saw how should the same writer exhibit Abraham the wickedness of the inhabitants, who had (eh. xviii. 23) as filled \\ith compassionate not been improved by Sodom's doom (Vata- tenderness towards the cities of the phin ·1 blns,Inglis); or simply because he was driven (Hiivemick). Tho.t we may preserve seed ot by "a blind anxiety of mind" (Cal,in). our father. Literally, quicken or vivify seed And he dwelt in a cave,-i. e. in one of tho3e (cf. ver. 34). Lot's daughters may be credite,1 cavernous recesses with which the Moabiti3h "ith whate,•er virtue may be supposed tu mountains abound, and which already had reside in this motive for their conduct. been con.ertcd into dwelling-places by the Ver. 33.-And they me.de their fo.ther drink primith·e inhabitants of the region (cf. eh. wine that night-which was sinful both iu ~iv. 6)-he and his two daughters. them and him (vide Isa. v, 11 ; Prov. u. l; Yer. 31.-And the firstboru said unto the Hab. ii. 15)-aud the firatborn went in, and younger,-showina that she had not escaped lay with her fo.ther; and he perceived not the pollution, if she had the destruction, of when ehe lo.y down, nor when she arose. Sodom. "It was time that Lot hnd left the That it was his °'m daughter guacum con- cities of the plain, No wealth could com- cumberet (Rosenmiiller), being so intoxicated pensate for the mora\ degradation into which that be could not discern who it wus to whom his family hnd sunk" (lnglis)-0ur fo.ther is he bad approached, or even what be was doing old,-an indirect confit,nation of the infer- (Keil). The reading "when he lay down ence (vide eh. xi. 26) that Abram wns younger and when he arose" (LXX.) is incorrect, thtm Hurnn, since Lot, Haran's son, is now nnd the explanations that Lot was o. mere an old ruan-o.nd there is not a mo.n in the unconscious instrument in this disgraceful ear\h-not in the entire world (Origen, trnnsaction (Knlisch), that he was entirely frenll!UB, Chrysostom, Kalisch), which is ignorant of nil that had takeu place (Chry- smrcely probublc, since they knew that Zonr sostom, Cajetan), that he was struck on ac- hud been spa1·ed ; but either in the district count of his intemperance "ith a spirit of whither they hnd fled (Calvin, Willet), being stupor (Calvin), nre not warranted by the text. under the impression thnt, living in so cleso- Ver. 34. -And it came to pass on the lato I\ region, they could have no more inter- morrow, that the firstborn ea.id unto the course with mankind ; or in the laud of younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with ruy Cannan (Ainsworth, Bush), meaning that fo.ther: let us make him drink wine this there wero no moro godly men with whom night also; and go thou in, and lie with they might marry ; or perhups they meant him, tho.t we mo.y preserve seed of our father. thut no mnn would now care to unite himself Ver. 35. -And they me.de their father with them, the remnunt of a curse-stricken drink wine that night also. The facility region (Knobel, Keil)-to come in unto us with which Lot allowed himself to be ine- after the manner of all the earth. briated by hiJ dnu!;htcrs Clericus regards as Ver. 32.-Come, let us make our fo.ther a sign that before tllis the old man had been drink wiue,-cither, therefore, Lot had not accustomed to over-indulgence in wine. The left Sodom totally unprovided (Inglis), or inference, however, of Knlisch, that becuuse some little time hud elapsed after his escaping "Lot's excess in the enjoyment of wine is no to the mountl\in cave, smce his daughters are more blamed than it wns in Noah," "the provided with this intoxicating beverage- nnrrati,·e exempts him from all serious re- and we will lie with him. Considering the proach," cnn scarcely be ndmitted. And tha town in which the do.ughters of Lot bud been younger a.rose, o.nd lo.y with him (following reared, the mother of whom they were tho the bnd example of her sister) ; o.nd he per- offsp1ing, and the example they had received ceived not when she lay down, nor when from their father (vel'. 8) 1 "we cnn under- ehe arose (i•ide s1,pra, ver. SS~ 262 '11 HE BOOK OF GENESIS. [ell. XIX. 29-38.