Genesis 19:36 — Word Study
WLCוַֽתַּהֲרֶ֛יןָ שְׁתֵּ֥י בְנֽוֹת־ ל֖וֹט מֵאֲבִיהֶֽן׃
BSAThus bothshᵉnayim [the two] of Lot’sLôwṭ [Abraham's nephew, covering] daughtersbath [female children, women] became pregnanthârâh▸ [to conceive] by their fatherʼâb [parent]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַֽתַּהֲרֶ֛יןָ | and they conceived | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person feminine plural |
| שְׁתֵּ֥י | [the] two | Adj |
| בְנֽוֹת־ | [the] daughters of | Noun common, feminine plural construct |
| ל֖וֹט | Lot | Noun proper masculine |
| מֵאֲבִיהֶֽן׃ | from father their | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Thus both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. |
| KJV | Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. |
| ASV | Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. |
| YLT | And the two daughters of Lot conceive from their father, |
| WEB | Thus both of Lot’s daughters were with child by their father. |
| BBE | And so the two daughters of Lot were with child by their father. |
The translations agree on the wording of this verse.
The main clause is straightforward, with a clear subject and action, followed by a prepositional phrase providing additional context.
4 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbהָרָה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Genesis 19:36
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Consequences of Lot's Daughtersgenerated
Genesis 19:36 recounts a troubling episode where Lot's daughters, believing they were the last survivors of humanity after the destruction of Sodom, took drastic actions to preserve their family line. This narrative follows the earlier events in Genesis 19:35, where they intoxicated their father, leading to the conception of their children, Moab and Ben-ammi, who became the ancestors of the Moabites and Ammonites, respectively.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 19:8 | Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them to you, and you can do to them as you please. But do not do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.” |
| 2 | Leviticus 18:6–7 | None of you are to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD. |
| 3 | Judges 1:7 | Then Adoni-bezek said, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have gathered the scraps under my table. As I have done to them, so God has repaid me.” And they brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. |
| 4 | 1 Samuel 15:33 | But Samuel declared: “As your sword has made women childless, so your mother will be childless among women.” And Samuel hacked Agag to pieces before the LORD at Gilgal. |
| 5 | Habakkuk 2:15 | Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin until they are drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 6 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וַֽתַּהֲרֶ֛יןָ, va.ta.ha.Rei.nagenerated
The verb הָרָה (*harah*) means to conceive or become pregnant. It is a Qal verb in the sequential imperfect tense, indicating an action that is ongoing or incomplete at the time of the narrative. The use of this verb in this context highlights the significant and shocking nature of the daughters' actions, as they attempt to ensure their lineage continues.
This word is frequently used throughout the Hebrew Bible to describe the miracle of conception, such as in the narratives involving Sarah and Hannah. It carries a weight of both physical and spiritual implications, as it signifies the beginning of new life.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree on the wording of this verse, with terms like became pregnant used consistently across versions such as the BSB, KJV, and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb וַֽתַּהֲרֶ֛יןָ, they conceived, governs the entire clause, with the subject and additional phrases providing context. The structure emphasizes the action taken by the daughters, with the subject placed at the beginning of the sentence, drawing attention to their pivotal role in the narrative.
The sentence is straightforward, with a clear subject-verb-object order, which is typical in Hebrew prose, allowing for a direct understanding of the events.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וַֽתַּהֲרֶ֛יןָ as συνέλαβον (*sunelabon*), meaning 'they conceived.' This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning but also suggests a collective action, emphasizing the daughters' unity in their decision.
This translation reflects the broader implications of their actions, as it carries a sense of intentionality and shared purpose in their desperate circumstances.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 19:36 tells us that Lot's daughters, believing they were the last people left after the destruction of Sodom, took drastic measures to ensure their family line continued. They became pregnant by their father, leading to the births of Moab and Ben-ammi, who became the ancestors of the Moabites and Ammonites.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
They believed they were the last survivors after the destruction of Sodom and wanted to preserve their family line.
The older daughter named her son Moab, and the younger daughter named her son Ben-ammi.
Moab and Ben-ammi became the ancestors of the Moabites and Ammonites, two significant groups in the history of Israel.
It illustrates the desperate actions taken by individuals in extreme circumstances, raising questions about morality and survival.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this narrative teach us about the consequences of desperation?
- How can we understand the actions of Lot's daughters in the context of their circumstances?
- What lessons can we draw from the complexities of family relationships as depicted in this story?
- In what ways can we apply the themes of this passage to our own lives today?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers have commented on this passage, often discussing the implications of Lot's actions and the moral lessons drawn from the narrative.
This had happened without Lot’s knowledge and without his having been a slave to pleasure; it was accomplished wholly by divine arrangement, through which the two synagogues born from one and the same father, without carnal pleasure,Early Church Fathers on Genesis 19 →
After these things, therefore, Lot ascends into the mountains, and there “he dwells in a cave,” as the Scripture says, “he and his two daughters.” The law also should be thought to have ascended,Early Church Fathers on Genesis 19 →
As we have been able, we have carved out these explanations according to the spiritual understanding of Lot and his wife and daughters.Early Church Fathers on Genesis 19 →
Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 19:36 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
Read John Gill on Genesis 19 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: The first-born said unto the younger.
Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 19 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhich they might possibly imagine to be an evidence of Divine approbation of their fact; whereas, indeed, it was a design of God to make a lasting monument of their sin and shame.
Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 19 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsGenesis 19:36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.Ver. 36. With child by their father.] God suffers, oft, such unlawful commixions to take effect; for a just punishment of the same. But as a fair and perfect child born, doth not make anything better the adultery or incest in which it was begotten, so neither doth God’ s purpose the sins of graceless persons.
Read John Trapp on Genesis 19 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Thus both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.
Thus both of Lot’s daughters were with child by their father.
Thus both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.
In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.
Tyndale line
Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
Thus were both the daughters of Lot with childe by their father.
Strictly literal
And both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father.
And the two daughters of Lot conceive from their father,
And the two daughters of Lot conceive from their father,
And both the daughters of Lot became with child by their father.
So both the daughters of Lot were pregnant by their father.
From the Latin
So the two daughters of Lot were with child by their father.
Simplified
This is how both Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father.
And so the two daughters of Lot were with child by their father.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint largely agree on the wording of this verse, with the Septuagint providing a similar meaning but differing slightly in word order. The Samaritan Pentateuch, however, differs in one word, using תהרנה instead of the Masoretic וַֽתַּהֲרֶ֛יןָ, which translates to 'they became pregnant.' This indicates a variation in the understanding of the verb form used.
וַֽתַּהֲרֶ֛יןָ שְׁתֵּ֥י בְנֽוֹת־ ל֖וֹט מֵאֲבִיהֶֽן׃
4 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ותהרנה שׁתי בנות לוט מאביהן
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: תהרנה (be pregnant)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Genesis 19:36
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word הָרָה (*harah*) primarily means to conceive or become pregnant, as noted in various lexicons. It can refer to both literal and figurative conception, and includes nuances such as bearing a child or devising something. The entries also indicate different grammatical forms, including Qal, Pual, and Poel, which reflect various aspects of the root meaning.
הָרָה vb. conceive, become pregnant
Qal
lit. conceive, become pregnant
metaph.
Pu. a man hath been conceived
Po. conceive, contrive, devise
base
H2029 הָרָה conceive, become pregnant
2029 harah haw-raw'
a primitive root; to be (or become) pregnant, conceive
(literally or figuratively):--been, be with child, conceive,
progenitor.
הָרָה (ha.rah) — to conceive.
1) to conceive, become pregnant, bear, be with child, be conceived, progenitor
1a)(Qal) to conceive, become pregnant
1b) (Pual) to be conceived
1c) (Poel) to conceive, contrive, devise
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person feminine pluralHc/Vqw3fp
שְׁנַ֫יִם (shnayim) means 'two' and serves as both a cardinal and ordinal number. It can denote 'both,' 'double,' or 'twice,' and is used in various combinations with other numbers. The word is derived as a dual form of שָׁנָה (shanah), which relates to the concept of pairs.
שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם 768 n.m. et f. du. two
base
H8147 שְׁנַ֫יִם, שְׁתַּיִם two
8147 shnayim shen-ah'-yim
dual of 8145; feminine shttayim {shet-tah'-yim}; two; also
(as ordinal) twofold:--both, couple, double, second, twain, +
twelfth, + twelve, + twenty (sixscore) thousand, twice, two.
see HEBREW for 08145
שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) — two.
1) two
1a) two (the cardinal number)
1a1) two, both, double, twice
1b) second (the ordinal number)
1c) in combination with other numbers
1d) both (a dual number)
Adj — AdjHAcfdc
too.
See NUMBER.
בַּת (bat) means 'daughter' and encompasses a range of meanings including female child, young women, and even personifications of cities or inhabitants. It can also refer to villages in certain contexts. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and is used in various figurative senses, such as 'branch' or 'apple of the eye.'
בַּת 587 n.f. daughter
daughter, female child
young women, women
with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants
pl. = villages, after name of city
in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.
ostrich
fig.
of vine = branch
as n. relat.
base
H1323 בַּת daughter . daughter, female child
. young women, women
. with name of city, land, or people, poet. personif. of that city or inhabitants
. pl. = villages, after name of city
. in phrases denoting character, quality, etc.
. ostrich
. fig.
. of vine = branch
. as n. relat.
1323 bath bath
from 1129 (as feminine of 1121); a daughter (used in the same
wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and
figuratively):--apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter,
X first, X old, + owl, town, village.
see HEBREW for 01129
see HEBREW for 01121
בַּת (bat) — daughter.
: daughter
1) daughter
1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin
1a1) as polite address
1a2) as designation of women of a particular place
2) young women, women
1a3) as personification
1a4) daughter-villages
1a5) description of character
Also means: bat (בַּת ": village" H1323H)
בַּת (bat) — daughter: village.
: village
1) daughter
1a) daughter, girl, adopted daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, granddaughters, female child, cousin
1a1) as polite address
1a2) as designation of women of a particular place
2) young women, women
1a3) as personification
1a4) daughter-villages
1a5) description of character
בַּת (bat) — Bath (Shua).
A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.2;
daughter of: Shua (H7770); married to Judah (H3063);
mother of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209) and Shelah (H7956)
N-fp — Noun common · feminine plural constructHNcfpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
לוֹט (Lot) refers to the son of Haran and nephew of Abram, noted for settling in Sodom. The entries highlight his familial connections, including his daughters and descendants, Moab and Ben-ammi. The name is derived from a root meaning 'covering.' He is first mentioned in Genesis 11:27.
לוֹט 33 n.pr.m. Lot son of Haran, and nephew of Abram
base
H3876 לוֹט Lot son of Haran, and nephew of Abram
3876 Lowt lote
the same as 3875; Lot, Abraham's nephew:--Lot.
see HEBREW for 03875
לוֹט (lot) — Lot.
A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.11.27;
son of: Haran (H2039);
brother of: Milcah (H4435) and Iscah (H3252);
father of: daughter1_of_Lot (H3876H), daughter2_of_Lot (H3876I), Moab (H4124H), Ben-ammi (H1151)
Also named: Lōt (Λώτ "Lot" G3091)
§ Lot = "covering"
son of Haran and Abraham's nephew who settled in Sodom and was delivered from its destruction by God
N-proper — Noun proper masculineHNpm
Lot
(Heb. goral, a “pebble”), a small stone used in casting lots (Num. 33:54; Jonah 1:7). The lot was always resorted to by the Hebrews with strictest reference to the interposition of God, and as a method of ascertaining the divine will (Prov. 16:33), and in serious cases of doubt (Esther 3:7). Thus the lot was used at the division of the land of Canaan among the serveral tribes (Num. 26:55; 34:13), at the detection of Achan (Josh. 7:14, 18), the election of Saul to be king (1 Sam. 10:20, 21), the distribution of…
(literally a pebble). The custom of deciding doubtful questions by lot is one of great extent and high antiquity. Among the Jews lots were used with the expectation that God would so control them as to give a right direction to them. They were very often used by God’s appointment. "As to the mode of casting lots, we have no certain information. Probably several modes were practiced." "Very commonly among the Latins little counters of wood were put into a jar with so narrow a neck that only one could come out at a time. After the jar had been filled with water and the contents shaken, the lots were determined by the order in which the bits of wood, representing the several parties, came out with the water. in other cases they were put into a wide open jar, and the counters were drawn out by the hand. Sometimes again they were cast in the manner of dice. The soldiers who cast lots for…
The son of Haran, and nephew of Abraham, followed his uncle from Ur, and afterwards from Haran, to settle in Canaan, Ge 11:31 12:4-6 13:1. Abraham always had a great affection for him, and when they could not continue longer together in Canaan, because they both had large flocks and their shepherds sometimes quarreled, Ge 13:5-7, he gave Lot the choice of his abode. Lot chose the plain of Sodom, which appears then to have been the most fertile parts of the land. Here he continued to dwell till the destruction of Sodom and the adjacent cities. He was a righteous man even in Sodom, 2Pe 2:7; but the calamities consequent upon his choice of this residence-his capture by eastern marauders, the molestation caused by his ungodly and…
Lotan, wrapt up; hidden; covered; myrrh; rosin
אָב (av) means 'father' and encompasses various roles such as the literal father of an individual, God as the father of His people, and the head of a household or clan. It can also refer to an ancestor, originator of a profession, or a figure of respect and protection. Notably, it can imply a ruler or chief in later contexts.
אָב 1101 n.m. father
father of individual
of God as father of his people
head of household, family or clan
ancestor
originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
fig. of producer, generator
fig. of benevolence & protection
term of respect & honor
specif., ruler, chief (late)
base
H1 אָב father . father of individual
. of God as father of his people
. head of household, family or clan
. ancestor
. originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
. fig. of producer, generator
. fig. of benevolence & protection
. term of respect & honor
. specif., ruler, chief (late)
1 'ab awb
a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or
figurative and remote application):--chief,
(fore-)father(-less), X patrimony, principal. Compare names
in "Abi-".
אָב (av) — father.
1) father of an individual
2) of God as father of his people
3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan
4) ancestor
4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person
4b) of people
5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art
6) of producer, generator (fig.)
7) of benevolence and protection (fig.)
8) term of respect and honour
9) ruler or chief (spec.)
Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)
אָב (av) — (Huram)-abi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.7.13; also called Huram-abi (KJV: "Huram my father's") at 2Ch.2.13; 4.16;
Combined with chi.ram (חִירָם "Hiram" H2438H)
אָב (av) — father of.
The father of Gibeon, also known as Abiel - a man of the tribe of Benjamin living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.9.1;
son of: Zeror (H6872C); married to Maacah (H4601N);
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp3fp