Bereshis 19:37

37 And the bechirah bore ben, and called shmo Moav; the same is the Avi Moav unto this day.

Bereshis 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.

Bereshis 19:37 In-Context

35 And they made their av drink yayin balailah also; and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he had da’as not when she lay down, nor when she arose.

36 Thus were both the banot of Lot with child by their av.

37 And the bechirah bore ben, and called shmo Moav; the same is the Avi Moav unto this day.

38 And the younger, she also bore ben, and called shmo Ben-Ammi; the same is the Avi Bnei Ammon unto this day.