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Lot

malePatriarchal

Meaning: “Covering; veil

Abraham’s nephew, who journeyed with him to Canaan and settled in Sodom. He was rescued from the city’s destruction but lost his wife and his home.

L

Biography

Lot, the nephew of Abraham, is a study in the cost of worldly choices. Though Peter calls him "just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked" (2 Peter 2:7), his story is one of gradual compromise.

Choosing the plain of Jordan

When the herdsmen of Abraham and Lot quarreled, Abraham generously offered Lot first choice of land. Lot "lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where" and chose it, pitching his tent "toward Sodom" (Genesis 13:10–12). The narrator adds ominously that "the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly" (Genesis 13:13).

Rescued by Abraham — and by angels

Lot was captured when raiding kings sacked Sodom, and Abraham rescued him (Genesis 14:12–16). Later, when God determined to destroy Sodom, two angels urged Lot to flee. He lingered, and "the LORD being merciful unto him," they seized his hand and led him out (Genesis 19:16). His wife looked back and "became a pillar of salt" (Genesis 19:26) — a warning Jesus echoes: "Remember Lot's wife" (Luke 17:32).

A diminished end

Lot ended his days in a cave, and his two daughters bore sons by him — Moab and Ben-ammi, fathers of the Moabites and Ammonites (Genesis 19:36–38). His life warns that proximity to sin, chosen for its advantages, exacts a heavy toll.

Life Timeline

2086 BC

Travels with Abraham from Haran to Canaan

Genesis 12:5
2080 BC

Chooses the plain of Jordan and moves toward Sodom

Genesis 13:11
2070 BC

Captured by raiding kings and rescued by Abraham

Genesis 14:16
2067 BC

Rescued by angels from the destruction of Sodom

Genesis 19:16

On the Bible timeline

Lot belongs to the Creation & the Early World era (Beginning – c. 2100 BC).

  1. c. 2200 BCThe Tower of Babel

Family Tree

LLotPatriarchal
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Themes & lessons from Lot

Biblical themes that run through the passages where Lot appears.

Sodom15×Angel (1)10×Abraham6×Sodomites6×Canaanites, the3×Tents3×Zoar3×Chedorlaomer2×Deluge, the2×Genealogy2×Haran2×Judgments2×Ox, the2×Patriarchal Government2×Sodomy2×Strife2×Terah2×Worldliness2×

People they appear with

Abraham12×
Terah2×
Sarah2×
Nahor1×
Haran1×

Places in their story

Sodom5×
Haran4×
Zoar3×
Ur of the Chaldees1×
Gomorrah1×

Scripture Appearances

35 verses in 6 books
Genesis27 verses

Genesis 11:27

Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

Genesis 11:31

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.

Genesis 12:4

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.

Genesis 12:5

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.

Genesis 13:1

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

Genesis 13:5

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

Genesis 13:7

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.

Genesis 13:8

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. brethren: Heb. men brethren

Genesis 13:10

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.

Genesis 13:11

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

Genesis 13:12

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

Genesis 13:14

And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

Genesis 14:12

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

Genesis 14:16

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

Genesis 19:1

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;

Genesis 19:5

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.

Genesis 19:6

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

Genesis 19:9

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.

Genesis 19:10

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

Genesis 19:12

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:

Genesis 19:14

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.

Genesis 19:15

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. are here: Heb. are found iniquity: or, punishment

Genesis 19:18

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

Genesis 19:23

The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. risen: Heb. gone forth

Genesis 19:29

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.

Genesis 19:30

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.

Genesis 19:36

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

Deuteronomy2 verses

Deuteronomy 2:9

And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession. Distress: or, Use no hostility against Moab

Deuteronomy 2:19

And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.

Esther1 verse

Esther 9:26

Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them, Pur: that is, Lot

Psalms1 verse

Psalms 83:8

Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. holpen: Heb. been an arm to

Luke3 verses

Luke 17:28

Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

Luke 17:29

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

Luke 17:32

Remember Lot's wife.

2 Peter1 verse

2 Peter 2:7

And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

Frequently asked about Lot

Who was Lot in the Bible?

Abraham’s nephew, who journeyed with him to Canaan and settled in Sodom. He was rescued from the city’s destruction but lost his wife and his home.

What does the name Lot mean?

The name Lot means “Covering; veil”.

What did Lot do in the Bible?

Lot served as herdsman, of the tribe of Hebrew.

Who were Lot's parents?

Lot was the child of Haran.

Where does Lot appear in the Bible?

Lot is mentioned 35 times across 6 books: Genesis, Deuteronomy, Esther, Psalms, Luke, 2 Peter.

What can we learn from Lot?

The story of Lot touches on themes of sodom, angel (1), abraham, sodomites — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Lot's life.

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