Genesis 19:37

37 The firstborn bore a son, and called his name ¹Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day.

Genesis 19:37 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 19:37

And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab
As if it was "Meab", from the father, as Aben Ezra, and so Josephus, that is, which she had by her father; and she was so far from being ashamed that it might be known in time to come, she gave him this name. Hillerus ^F23 makes it to be a compound of (ba) and (abwm) , and to signify "going into", or "lying with a father", which still more notoriously points to her own action. Drusius has another derivation of the word, at least proposes it, and renders it "aqua patris"; "mo" in the Egyptian language signifying "water", which is sometimes used for seed, see ( Isaiah 48:1 ) : the same [is] the father of the Moabites unto this day;
a people that lived on the borders of the land of Canaan, often troublesome to the Israelites, and frequently spoken of in the Old Testament.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Onomastic. Sacr. p. 414.

Genesis 19:37 In-Context

35 So they made their father drink wine that night also, and the younger arose and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she arose.

36 Thus both the daughters of Lot were with child by their father.

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

38 As for the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-ammi; he is the father of the sons of Ammon to this day.

Cross References

• 1. Deuteronomy 2:9