Genesis 19:37 kjv

And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

Genesis 19:37 nkjv

The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day.

Genesis 19:37 niv

The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab; he is the father of the Moabites of today.

Genesis 19:37 esv

The firstborn bore a son and called his name Moab. He is the father of the Moabites to this day.

Genesis 19:37 nlt

When the older daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Moab. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Moabites.

Genesis 19 verses

Genesis 19 37 Meaning

Genesis 19:37 concisely narrates the birth of Moab, the son born to Lot's firstborn daughter through an incestuous union. This verse also definitively identifies Moab as the ancestral father of the Moabite nation, indicating their distinct origin and cementing a specific identity for them within the biblical narrative up to the time of writing. The name "Moab" itself is understood through folk etymology to mean "from father," explicitly linking him to his scandalous origin and making this an enduring part of the Moabite identity.

Genesis 19 37 Context

Genesis chapter 19 describes the devastating judgment of God upon Sodom and Gomorrah. Following the angelic warning, Lot and his two daughters barely escape the destruction. However, Lot's wife looks back and is turned into a pillar of salt. Overwhelmed by fear and a sense of isolation after losing everything and everyone they knew, Lot and his daughters flee to a cave in the mountains. The daughters, believing that all other people on earth have been destroyed and fearing the extinction of their family line, conspire to get their father drunk and conceive children by him to preserve their lineage. Verse 36 records the elder daughter's successful attempt, and verse 37 announces the birth of her son, Moab, serving as the etymological origin for the Moabite nation. This narrative immediately follows intense divine judgment and personal despair, painting a complex and sorrowful picture of their desperate actions.

Genesis 19 37 Word analysis

• And the firstborn: This refers to Lot's older daughter. The phrase highlights her seniority and implied leadership in initiating the plan to conceive from their father, suggesting a strategic, albeit morally condemned, action driven by her perception of their dire situation and a desire to continue their lineage.
• bare a son: The Hebrew word for "bare" is וַתֵּלֶד (va-têled), indicating a simple, direct statement of childbirth. This phrasing brings to fruition the scheme initiated in Gen 19:34.
• and called his name Moab: The act of naming by the mother underscores her authority and role in the child's identity. The Hebrew for "called his name" is וַתִּקְרָא שְׁמוֹ (vat-tiqrā sh'mô).
• Moab: The Hebrew name is מוֹאָב (Mô'āv). Its significance lies in its folk etymology. While not explicitly stated in the text, it is widely understood by ancient and modern scholars alike to be derived from the Hebrew phrase מֵאָב (mēʾāv) or מִיּאב (mîy-ʾāḇ), meaning "from (my) father." This etymology immediately and powerfully connects the nation's origin to the incestuous act of Lot and his daughter, serving as a permanent and unflattering identifier within the Israelite worldview. This specific name embodies the polemical intent of the narrative against the Moabites.
• the same is the father of the Moabites: Hebrew הוּא אֲבִי מוֹאָב (hû ʾăvî Môʾāv), meaning "he is the father of Moab." This statement is an etiological claim, clearly establishing Moab as the patriarch and foundational figure of the Moabite nation. It grounds their national identity and history directly in this particular origin story, legitimizing the tribal connection for the audience.
• unto this day: The Hebrew phrase עַד הַיּוֹם (ʿad hayyōm) is a common Biblical literary marker. It signifies that the situation, identity, or lineage described was still true and observable at the time the narrative was compiled or read by its original audience. In this context, it reinforces the enduring consequence and memory of the Moabite origin from Lot's incest, providing a historical anchor and underscoring the perpetual recognition of Moab as distinct and tracing back to this controversial act.

Genesis 19 37 Bonus section

• The naming of Moab contrasts with naming conventions in Genesis where names often reflect hope, God's intervention, or unique circumstances but less often explicit transgression. The name "Moab" uniquely functions as a perpetual historical indictment.
• The phrase "unto this day" is crucial for establishing the historical authenticity and relevance of the account for its immediate ancient audience, implying a recognized connection between the Genesis narrative and the then-contemporary Moabite people.
• The ethical dilemma presented to Lot's daughters—believing they were the sole survivors and therefore responsible for the continuation of humanity—does not negate the sinful nature of the act but explains the desperation that drove them, albeit flawedly. This also provides context to the deep societal despair and isolation experienced in the wake of divine judgment.
• The similar origin story of the Ammonites (Moab's brother-nation, also from Lot) found in the very next verse (Gen 19:38) underscores a shared problematic ancestry for these two persistent enemies of Israel in later biblical history.

Genesis 19 37 Commentary

Genesis 19:37 concludes a segment of Lot's story following the cataclysmic judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. It unveils the shocking and morally condemned origin of the Moabite nation through an incestuous union between Lot and his elder daughter. The name "Moab" itself serves as an indelible inscription of this unsavory birth ("from father"), effectively labeling and denigrating the nation from its inception in the eyes of an Israelite audience. This narrative acted as a strong polemic, highlighting the distinction between Israel's divinely-ordained lineage and the Moabites' lineage rooted in human depravity and despair. Despite this infamous origin, the overarching biblical narrative beautifully showcases God's sovereignty and grace, notably in the book of Ruth, where a Moabitess becomes an ancestress of King David and, subsequently, of Jesus Christ, demonstrating that divine plan and redemption can transcend human failures and origins of sin.