Genesis 19:38

38 When the younger daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Ben-ammi. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Ammonites.

Genesis 19:38 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 19:38

And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name
Benammi
That is, "the son of my people", being the son of her father; which though it does not so manifestly appear in this name, as in the other, yet there is some trace of it; and she would have it be known by this, that he was not the son of a stranger, but of a relation of her own: some attribute this to her being more modest than her elder sister; but it looks as if neither of them were sensible of any crime they had been guilty of, but rather thought it a commendable action, at least that it was excusable: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day;
a people that lived near their brethren the Moabites, and were both enemies to the people of God; they quickly falling into idolatry, and whose names we often meet with in the sacred writings; and of these two sons, Josephus says F24, the one begat the Moabites, being still a great nation, and the other the Ammonites, and both inhabit Coelesyria; they are both called the children of Lot, ( Psalms 83:8 ) . After this we hear no more of Lot in this history; and it is remarkable, that there never was, as we know of, any town or city that had in it any, trace of his name; but we are not from hence to conclude that he was a wicked man, whose memory perished with him; for mention is made of him in the New Testament, where he has a very honourable character, and is called "just Lot", ( 2 Peter 2:7 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F24 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 11. sect. 5.

Genesis 19:38 In-Context

36 As a result, both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their own father.
37 When the older daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Moab. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Moabites.
38 When the younger daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Ben-ammi. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Ammonites.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Ben-ammi means “son of my kinsman.”
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