Genesis 19:8 (KJV)

What does Genesis 19:8 mean?

In Genesis 19:8, Lot offers his two daughters to the men outside his house, asking them to leave his guests unharmed. His offer places his daughters in danger of sexual violence while he tries to protect the visitors.

Lot speaks after the crowd has demanded that he bring out his guests. His phrase “under the shadow of my roof” pictures the visitors as people sheltered in his home, for whom he feels responsible.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 19:8

• “known” — יָדַע (yadaʿ): This word can mean “know,” but it can also describe sexual relations. Here, “have not known man” means that Lot’s daughters had not had sexual relations with a man.
• “good” — טוֹב (tov): The word often means “good” or “pleasing.” In “as is good in your eyes,” Lot leaves the choice of what to do to the men outside.

Why Genesis 19:8 matters

• The offer is part of Lot’s attempt to negotiate with the crowd. He contrasts what the men may do to his daughters with his plea to “do nothing” to his guests.
• Lot’s appeal to the shelter of his roof reflects the importance attached to a host’s protection of guests. The verse makes that concern central to his request, even as his proposed way of protecting them exposes his daughters to violence.
• The visitors are more than ordinary travelers in the wider account. Genesis 19:1 identifies them as angels, though Lot calls them “these men” here.