Genesis 19 35

Genesis 19:35 kjv

And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

Genesis 19:35 nkjv

Then they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

Genesis 19:35 niv

So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.

Genesis 19:35 esv

So they made their father drink wine that night also. And the younger arose and lay with him, and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

Genesis 19:35 nlt

So that night they got him drunk with wine again, and the younger daughter went in and had intercourse with him. As before, he was unaware of her lying down or getting up again.

Genesis 19 verses

Genesis 19 35 meaning

Genesis 19:35 describes the successful execution of the younger daughter's plan from the previous night, after the elder daughter had already acted. It states that on the morning after the first incestuous encounter, the elder daughter instructed the younger to repeat the act, having their father Lot consume more wine to be unaware. The explicit motivation given by the daughters for this sin was "that we may preserve seed of our father," reflecting their belief in being the last survivors to perpetuate their family line after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the death of their mother.

Genesis 19 35 Context

This verse is set in the immediate aftermath of the divine judgment and utter destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:24-28). Lot, having been rescued by angels at Abraham's intercession, witnessed the cataclysmic event and then the tragic loss of his wife, who looked back and became a pillar of salt (Gen 19:26). Driven by fear and likely overwhelming despair, Lot and his two daughters retreated to a remote cave in the mountains (Gen 19:30).

The daughters, believing they were the sole survivors and that "there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth" (Gen 19:31), conspired to impregnate themselves by their father. This desperate belief, fueled by their extreme isolation and trauma, shows a profoundly warped perspective, indicating a complete disregard for wider human population or moral norms beyond their immediate perceived necessity. In a patriarchal society where the continuation of a family line was paramount, barrenness and the absence of heirs were seen as great misfortunes. Their actions reflect an intense, though misguided, drive to preserve their lineage in the face of what they perceived as existential obliteration.

Genesis 19 35 Word analysis

Word-by-word analysis:

• And it came to pass (וַיְהִי - wa·y’hi): A common Hebrew narrative transitional phrase, introducing the next event in a sequence. It often signals a new development.
• on the morrow (מָחָר - ma·khar): Refers to "tomorrow" or "the next day." This clearly indicates the second night after the destruction of Sodom, showing a deliberate and planned continuation of their sinful scheme, not a one-off impulse.
• that the elder (הַגְּדוֹלָה - ha·g’dō·lāh): The feminine definite article "the" combined with "great/elder one." Emphasizes her status as the instigator and leader in this scheme, taking responsibility for the family's survival in a perverse way.
• said (וַתֹּאמֶר - wa·tō·mer): Simple past tense, indicates direct communication.
• unto the younger (אֶל־הַקְּטַנָּה - ’el ha·q’ṭan·nāh): The feminine definite article with "small/younger one." Again, identifying the specific participant.
• Behold (הִנֵּה - hin·nēh): An interjection used to draw attention, similar to "look" or "listen." It introduces a statement of fact or a declaration.
• I lay (שָׁכַבְתִּי - šā·ḵaḇ·tī): From the root שָׁכַב (shakav), meaning "to lie down," often used euphemistically for sexual intercourse in biblical contexts. This is a confession and a factual report of the previous night's event.
• last night (אֶמֶשׁ - ’e·meš): Refers to the "evening" or "last night," specifically confirming the prior sexual encounter.
• with my father (אֶת־אָבִי - ’eṯ ’ā·ḇî): "With my father." Directly names the father as the partner, emphasizing the incestuous nature of the act.
• let us make him drink wine (נַשְׁקֶנּוּ־יַיִן - naš·qe·nnu ya·yin): Literally "let us cause him to drink wine." The verb implies purposeful action. Wine is used as a means to incapacitate Lot, rendering him unconscious or morally compromised and oblivious, removing any consent or awareness.
• this night also (גַּם־הַלַּיְלָה - gam hal·lay·lāh): "Also this night." Explicitly planning for a second night of the same sin, indicating methodical determination.
• and go thou in (וּבֹאִי - ū·ḇō·’î): Imperative verb, "and go you (fem.) in." A direct command.
• and lie with him (שִׁכְבִי עִמּוֹ - šiḵ·ḇî ‘im·mōh): "Lie with him." Another imperative from שָׁכַב (shakav), indicating the specific sexual act.
• that we may preserve seed (וּנְחַיֶּה זֶרַע - ū·n’ḥay·yeh ze·ra‘): A crucial phrase. נְחַיֶּה (n’ḥay·yeh) is "that we may cause to live" or "preserve/revive." זֶרַע (zera') means "seed," "offspring," or "descendants." This clearly states their primary motivation: procreation and perpetuation of their father's lineage, driven by their mistaken belief that they were the last family left.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "elder said unto the younger": This emphasizes the deliberate planning and joint nature of the transgression. The elder daughter takes the lead, indicating agency and calculated intent.
• "I lay last night with my father": This statement, confirming the prior act, solidifies the illicit pattern and serves as a direct encouragement and instruction to the younger sister. It frames the actions as a coordinated effort.
• "let us make him drink wine this night also": The repetition of stupefying their father highlights their manipulative method and the vulnerability of Lot due to his intoxication. The "also" signifies a pre-meditated continuation.
• "go thou in, and lie with him": This is the direct instruction for the incestuous act. The imperative verbs underscore the elder daughter's control over the situation and her sister's compliance.
• "that we may preserve seed of our father": This phrase reveals the daughters' overriding motivation. It suggests a tragic misconception of moral obligations and perceived necessity. While the action is profoundly immoral by divine standards, their stated purpose indicates desperation to avoid extinction of their lineage rather than purely carnal desire. It highlights the strong cultural importance of family continuity.

Genesis 19 35 Bonus section

• Narrative Purpose (Etiology): This event is foundational for understanding the lineage and subsequent relationship of the Moabites and Ammonites to Israel. Their illicit birth provides a historical and theological basis for their later adversarial stance and exclusion from the Israelite assembly (Deut 23:3-6). The narrative implies a divine disfavor upon these nations from their very origins, distinct from the promise and blessing given to Abraham's lineage.
• Lot's Diminished Role: Following his ill-advised choice to live among the wicked in Sodom (Gen 13), Lot's moral compass is repeatedly shown as flawed. Here, his drunken state and ultimate unawareness demonstrate a profound fall from grace and the consequences of compromising associations, leaving him vulnerable to his daughters' sin.
• Lack of Justification: While the daughters' desperate reasoning ("no man left on earth") is given, the Bible never justifies their actions. Instead, the subsequent legal prohibitions and the narrative's consequences (the birth of antagonistic nations) underscore the sinful nature of their choices.
• God's Sovereignty and Providence: Even through this grievous sin, God's overarching providence can be observed. The story eventually intertwines with the lineage of King David and even Jesus Christ through Ruth, a Moabitess. However, this is not an endorsement of the act, but a testament to God's ability to work His purposes even amid human failings and the tragic consequences of sin, ultimately demonstrating His ability to bring good out of a fallen world without condoning the evil itself.

Genesis 19 35 Commentary

Genesis 19:35 graphically describes the methodical continuation of an act deeply abhorrent in subsequent biblical law. It serves as a stark commentary on human depravity, even among those spared from immediate judgment. The daughters' motivation, "that we may preserve seed of our father," highlights a warped sense of duty rooted in extreme fear and a profound isolation-induced misperception that humanity had been wiped out save for them. This desperate drive for perpetuation of the family line, highly valued in ancient cultures, underscores the cultural pressures that, when unmoored from divine righteousness, can lead to grave sin.

The verse portrays Lot as a passive victim of intoxication, rendering him complicit through his vulnerability rather than active consent. The narrative presents these events factually, without explicit divine commentary at this point. However, the subsequent explicit prohibition of incestuous relations in the Mosaic Law (e.g., Lev 18:6-18) clarifies that such actions are a severe abomination to God. This narrative also functions as an etiology, explaining the origins of the Moabites and Ammonites (whose names derive from the children born of these unions, Gen 19:37-38)—nations who would later become persistent adversaries to Israel, serving as a subtle divine commentary on their illicit foundations. The entire episode serves as a sobering example of how human sin can permeate even into a "righteous" household, demonstrating that mere physical deliverance from judgment does not equate to spiritual transformation.