In the Bible, Lot (לוֹט "Hidden, covered", Standard Hebrew Lot, Tiberian Hebrew Loṭ; Qur’anic Arabic لوط Lūṭ) was the nephew of the patriarch, Abraham or Abram. He was the son of Abraham's brother Haran. (Gen. 11:27)

Tanach

The story of Lot is told in Genesis. Lot is mentioned in Genesis chapters 11-14 and 19.

Lot accompanied Abraham in his journeys and went down to Egypt with Abraham and his family. When Abraham journeyed to the Land of Canaan at the command of God, Lot accompanied him. (Gen 12:1-5).

Lot and Abraham were both wealthy shepherds (Gen. 13:2,5), and there came a time when the land they used could not contain the flocks of both, and their herdsmen began to quarrel with each other (Gen 13:6-7). At this time Abraham and Lot decided to split (Gen. 13:8-9). Lot went southeast to plains near the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, since the land there was well watered. (Gen. 13:10-12).

In Gen. 14, Sodom and Gomorrah are attacked by their enemies, and Lot is taken captive, but Abraham rescues him. Abraham defeats the enemies of Sodom and Gomorrah, but when offered a reward by the King of Sodom, he refuses even a shoelace.

In Gen. 19, when God decided to overturn and destroy the five cities of the plain, he sent angels to rescue Lot and his family.

The angels offer to help Lot, his wife and his two daughters escape from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, on the condition that they not look back. Lot's wife disregarded the command. She turned back to see the destruction of the city and was changed into a pillar of salt. Lot and his two daughters escaped to the hills. (Gen. 19:15-28).

In Gen. 19:30-38, Lot's daughters incorrectly believed they were the only females to have survived the devastation. Thus, they believed that it was their responsibility to bear children and enable the continuation of the human race. On two subsequent nights, they got their father drunk enough to sleep with them, and they became pregnant. The first son was named Moav (Hebrew, lit., "from the father" ). He was the patriarch of the nation known as Moab. The second son was named Amon (Hebrew, lit., "from our nation"). He became the patriarch of the nation of Amon.

Midrash

Jewish midrash records a number of additional stories about Lot, not present in the Tanach. These include:

• Abraham took care of Lot after Haran was burned in a gigantic fire in which Nimrod, King of Babylon, tried to kill Abraham.
• While in Egypt, the midrash gives Lot much credit because, despite his desire for wealth, he did not inform Pharaoh of the secret of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

Islam

Lut (Arabic: لوط ) was a prophet listed in the Qur'an and known as Lot in the Bible.

According to Islamic

Allah's repeated offer of forgiveness was communicated by Lut but each time it fell on deaf ears.

And Lut, when he said to his tribe: "Do you commit an obscenity not perpetrated before you by anyone in all the worlds? You come with lust to men instead of women. You are indeed a depraved tribe." The only answer of his tribe was to say: "Expel them from your city! They are people who keep themselves pure!" So We rescued him and his family-except for his wife. She was one of those who stayed behind. We rained down a rain upon them. See the final fate of the evildoers!

(Qur'an, 7:80-84)

Lut, who was a patient, determined, and courageous servant, manifested his joyous faith in and respect for God. His tribe's mockery and attacks only reinforced his enthusiasm and determination. Like all of the other prophets, he continued to command what is good and forbid what is evil, thus scrupulously fulfilling his God-given duty.

"Of all beings, do you lie with males, leaving the wives God has created for you? You are a people who have overstepped the limits." They said: "Lut, if you do not desist, you will be expelled." He said: "I am someone who detests the deed you perpetrate." (Qur'an, 26:165)

The Biblical stories of Lut's incestuous relationship with his daughters are considered a perversion and blasphemous in Islam, as such an action would remove a man from being a prophet of God in the Islamic view.

The Qur'an tells that Lut was willing to offer his daughters — or, as some scholars suggest, young women of his tribe — so that people would turn away from the prohibited act of homosexuality.

His tribe came running to him excitedly — they were long used to committing evil acts. He said: "My people, here are my daughters. They are purer for you. So fear God and do not shame me with my guests. Is there not one rightly-guided man among you?" They said: "You know we have no claim on your daughters. You know very well what we want." (Qur'an, 11:78-79)

But this, too, was of little importance to the people. Then finally the angels disguised as two men came to Lut. They gave him the news of the imminent destruction of the city's people, and Allah ordered the prophet to take away his selected people and leave his wife, and not to look back upon the city.

They said: "Lut, we are messengers from your Lord. They will not be able to get at you. Set out with your family-except for your wife-in the middle of the night, and none of you should look back. What strikes them will strike her as well. Their promised appointment is the morning. Is the morning not close at hand?" (Qur'an, 11:81)

See also

• Similarities between the Bible and the Qur'an.

Lot Lot (AT) Lot (bíblico) Loth לוט (דמות תנ"כית) Lot ロト (聖書) Lot (Bijbel) Lot Лот (Библия) Loot