I tend to think it was indeed wrong for Lot to offer his daughters. But he was under extreme duress
I can’t imagine the level of stress necessary for someone to do what Lot is said to have done. At what point does a man decide that offering up his daughters in such a way is a viable solution to anything? And let’s call what was being offered for what it is: Rape by a gang of men.
Having asked for men, I don’t think they would have taken the daughters.
What I always find funny is that at no point did Lot offer himself up to the mob. He was more than willing to have his daughters brutalized, but he didn’t feel it would be in his best interested to throw himself at the mob’s mercy.
That said, this action - which seems shocking to us - must be understood in terms of the culture of the Ancient Near East. In such cultures, a host’s duties to his guest were paramount and sacred; it was something like the medieval concept of Sanctuary. Therefore, in keeping with the “hardness of heart” of those times, Lot made a “lesser of two evils” choice: offering his daughters to protect his guests.
Moreover, since the assailants were sodomites, they may not have been interested in women at all; Lot may have been buying himself a little time. Note that they refused his offer immediately, and he and his daughters were saved by divine intervention immediately after this.
Again, if he was so sure that the mob was only after men why didn’t he offer himself up. It seems these sacred duties of a host mean having your daughters face the brunt of it all. He can’t be bothered to go down with his ship like a good captain would.
Besides, who is to say that just because the assailants were sodomites that one or more of the mob wouldn’t have taken Lot up on his offer of having their way with his daughters. What sane man would even think such an offer? What loving father would speak of it?
It was wrong, plain and simple. To the best of my knowledge, the Bible often does not criticize wrong action every time it occurs. Just because the Bible fails to criticize at every instance, does not mean that it supports the action in question.
Otherwise you give too much credibility to those who claim that the Bible supports slavery.
The Bible says that God approved it. In no way was Lot punished or admonished for asking an angry mob to gangrape his daughters. He was judged rigtheous and was saved, whereas children and the unborn in Sodom were judged unrigtheous and burned to death.
Showing no sign of compassion for your daughters? Escape.
Looking back as a chaos is all around you? Death.
We know what is right and wrong. And yes, it turned out okay for Lot’s daughters, but can anyone forget the horrifying tale at the end of Judges 19?
Unlike Judges 19, God explicitly saves Lot after he does the unthinkable with regards to his daughters. God approved of what Lot did despite it being incredibly evil.
What is ‘messed up’, is applying the morality of one culture against another culture. I believe that, at that time, daughters were considered property. It would be no more immoral for him to offer his daughters than it would be for you to offer money.
God is supposed to be both all-loving and unchanging. He approved of what deal Lot was making with the mob. Would God approve of such a deal now. Remember, even if cultures change God doesn’t. If he was fine with what Lot did then, surely he has no problem with now. Don’t try to whitewash it.
Scriptural passages often have a hidden meaning within Jewish mysticism. Before judging Lot, it may be useful to get the interpretation based on this mysticism. I believe everything is cool!
Can you back up that assertion? You can’t just say that there may be a hidden meaning where Lot isn’t a horrible person and where God doesn’t allow Lot to be as such.
So let’s break down the story bit by bit.
- Abraham bargains down God to not destroying the cities if he can find 10 righteous men.
- Angels visit Lot and he lets them inside.
- An angry mob hears about this and want to rape the angels.
- They come to Lot’s door and demand he send the angels out.
- Lot offers up his daughters to be raped instead of the angels. He stresses that they are virgins and that the mob can do “whatever they like” to his daughters.
- The mob is not interested and try to go through the door.
- The angels blind the mob so Lot and company can escape.
Now even if we ignore how awful part 5, does anyone notice that there is nothing between parts 4 and 5. Lot’s first and only action was to ask that the mob rape his virgin daughters. He doesn’t demand that the mob leave. As noted, he didn’t offer himself to the mob. He didn’t offer money or goods to the mob. He didn’t threaten the mob. He didn’t pray for help. He didn’t ask the angels for help.
He didn’t do anything that a reasonable father and host might do. No matter what obligations he had as a host, he also had obligations as a father. No matter the time or place or culture, any good father understands that ingrained obligation to protect his children.
No, plan A for Lot – his only plan – was the daughter rape. And God saw it and he said it was good.
