CHAPTER 19

19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. ON THE APPARITION OF THE ANGELS TO LOT. — The fact that Lot presents himself before the angels and adores them prostrating himself seems to indicate that he thought they were angels. But when he invites them to replenish their strength, which is necessary for mortals, he seems to indicate that he thought they were men. So the question is solved in the same way as it was resolved in regard to those three who came to the encounter of Abraham, that is to say, that it would appear by some signs that had been sent by God, but so that they were believed to be men. This is what the Scripture says in the Epistle to the Hebrews (13:2), when it speaks of the virtue of hospitality: By it some unknowingly received the angels in their house. [Questions on Genesis, 41]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. The two angels came to Sodom in the evening. (Gen. 19:1) A smiling meadow shows us a variety of flowers of every kind; thus the divine Scripture shows us the virtues of the righteous, not in order to make us enjoy, for a few short moments, the perfume of these flowers, but in order that we derive a lasting utility from them. The flowers that our hand picks in the fields, wither very quickly, and lose their luster; it is not the same with the flowers of Scripture. When we have learned the virtues of the righteous, when we put them in reserve, within our soul, we can always savor this perfume; it is enough to want. Well ! therefore, since such is the good odor of the saints in Divine Scripture, let us seek the perfume of Lot today; Let us understand well that what led this righteous man to the summit of so high a virtue is his commerce with the patriarch, whose traces he followed, to which he owed especially the virtues which he showed in the exercise of hospitality. To give more clarity to our conversation, it is good to hear the words of Scripture: The two angels came to Sodom in the evening. Why does the text begin like this? Why does he say: The two angels came to Sodom in the evening? This is because, after remaining under the patriarch's tent, they got up and went out; but the God of goodness, manifesting Himself, by solicitude for us, in a human form, remained with the Patriarch, and spoke to him as you heard yesterday. God wanted to teach us all, and the greatness of his patience, and the charity of the patriarch. As for the angels, they then went to the side of Sodom. Scripture, according to the order of the facts, now tells us: The two angels came to Sodom in the evening to do what was commanded. See the accuracy; the care of the divine Scripture. She shows us the time of their arrival. Indeed, she tells us: In the evening. Why did it mark the time? Why did the angels come in the evening? Scripture wants to show us the generous hospitality of Lot; just as the patriarch, sitting in front of his tent, in the middle of the day, watched the travelers who could pass, spied on them, eagerly pursuing this generous hunt, and rushed upon them, and that it was a feast for him to receive strangers; so even this righteous man, who knew the evil of the inhabitants of Sodom, did not go out of his house at night, but sat there, worth his home, so as not to lose a treasure that might have escaped him, in order to ensure the fruit of hospitality. It is really permissible to admire the virtue of this righteous man who, in the midst of men so impious, has not only not relaxed, but has shown only more virtue. And when all, so to speak, rushed into the precipice, he alone, in so great a multitude, followed the right path.

Where are they now, who claim that one can not, in the middle of a city, preserve virtue? that he needs a retreat, a stay on the mountains? that when one has a house to drive, when one has a wife, children to look after, and servants, and servants, can one not practice virtue? Let them see this righteous man, with his wife, children, and servants, living in the heart of a city, and likewise, in the midst of all these wicked, all those wicked, to a spark shining in the midst of the sea, so that they see it persist, not only without extinguishing, but spreading a light every day more dazzling. And what I'm saying is not to prevent people from seeking retirement out of cities; it is not to forbid the stay of mountains or solitudes; but I show that he who wants to live in temperance, to practice exactly and actively virtue, finds nothing out of him that can prevent it. As the indolent, that the one that a nothing abates, derives no profit from loneliness; (In fact, it is not the place where one is that virtue depends, it is the fruit of our wisdom and our manners;) likewise, the wise and vigilant man, does not have to to suffer from the cities' stay. So I would like to see, like this blessed, virtuous men living in the cities, where they would be like a ferment that would attract others, who would carry them to follow their example. However, as life in these conditions seems difficult, we allow that one tries the other kind of life. Indeed, the figure of this world passes. (I Corinthians VII, 31.) The present life is short; and, if we do not take advantage of the moment that we are still in the stadium, to undertake the works of virtue, to escape the nets of malignity, it is in vain, later, that we will claim to correct ourselves, when the repentance will be of no use. As long as we remain in the present life, repentance can have its utility; the atonement of the first faults is gained, and the mercy of the Lord is acquired. If we let the present time escape, if suddenly we are carried away, we will be able to repent, but we will not benefit from it. Do you want insurance? listen to what the Prophet says: Who is the one who will praise you in hell? (Psal. VI, 5.) And elsewhere: The brother does not redeem his brother, will the stranger redeem him? (Psal. XLVIII, 8.) There will not be, said the Psalmist, no one, later, to deliver the one betrayed by his negligence; there will there be no brother, no father, no mother; and what am I saying, neither brother, nor father, nor mother? Even the righteous ones, who enjoy the intimacy of God, can not be of any help to us if, in the present life, we give way to numbness. Indeed, says the Prophet, that Noah, Job and Daniel are there at the same time, they will not deliver their sons or their daughters. (Ezek XIV, 20.) See what a terrible threat; what righteousness the Scriptures have named! Indeed, these wise men, when they lived, procured; even the salvation of others; Noah, when the dreadful flood seized the earth, saved his wife and sons; Job, too, was a cause of salvation for others, Daniel also tore a great number of men to death, when this barbarian asked for things impossible to human nature, and wanted to exterminate Chaldeans, Magi, and Gazarenians.

Do not think that it will be the same in the coming century, and that those who have spent their lives in virtue, who are in favor with God, may free their friends, their parents, from punishment. lived here below in a soft neglect. That's why the text told us about these righteous men; it is to inspire us with terror, it is to show us that each one of us must base on his own works, at the same time as on divine grace, the hope of his salvation; that we must neither boast of the virtues of our ancestors, nor anything outside ourselves, nor build upon this foundation our confidence, if we persevere in sin; but it is necessary to worry only, if our fathers have shone by virtue, to imitate their virtue; and if the contrary has happened to them, if we are born of perverted parents, we must not believe that there is anything injurious to us there, so long as we practice the fatigues of virtue. Indeed, we will not remove, from what is not personal to us, any damage; each is crowned or condemned only for his own works, as Blessed Paul says: In order that everyone may receive what is due to the good or bad deeds he has done, (292) while he was wearing his body. (II Corinthians 10: 10) And elsewhere, speaking of God: He will render to each according to his works. (Romans II, 6.) Perfectly informed of these truths, let us shake off all negligence; let us attach ourselves, with all our strength, to virtue: let us take advantage of the fact that we are still in the stadium, that it is the time of the struggle, and, before the spectators separate, let us be concerned about our hello, so that after having, in the short life given to us, practiced virtue, we receive the reward, in life which will have no end. Like the righteous man who, in the midst of so many wicked men, and finding no one to imitate his virtue, and only seeing around him the mockery of wicked perversity, not only did not stop he became less active, but shone with such brilliance of virtue that he deserved to receive, at home, the angels of the Lord. And when these angels destroyed all the inhabitants, he alone, with his daughters, avoided the punishment inflicted upon them. Let us return, moreover, after our conversation: The two angels came to Sodom in the evening. The moment of the day shows above all the perfect virtue of this righteous, since, in the evening, he remained in front of his house and did not return. For, as he knew the profit of hospitality, jealous of acquiring the riches which it gives, he took great care in it; and the day finished, he continued again. This is the mark of a soul in which the fervor of active zeal reigns; no obstacle prevents him from manifesting his virtue; Much more; the greatest obstacles only excite him further, and engulf him with a greater desire.

When Lot, said the text, saw them, he got up to go to meet them. Listen to these words, you who, at the sight of strangers, who pray to you and beseech you, and go so far as to lower themselves before you, show them your aversion and repel them. See how that's right-do not wait for them to come to him; he is like the patriarch: ignorant of who these guests were, taking them for simple travelers, he seemed to jump with joy, because he had obtained the prey he was seeking, and his desire did not deceive him. Lot saw them, got up, went to meet them, and fell to the ground. (Gen. 19:1) He gave thanks to God, who had judged him worthy to receive these travelers. Notice the virtue of this just; he regarded it as a great blessing of God, to have met these men, in order to satisfy, in receiving them, his desire to exercise hospitality. Do not hurry to say that they were angels; consider rather that this just did not know it yet; he receives them as strangers, as ordinary travelers; his soul was thus made. And he said unto them, Come, ye lords, I pray thee, into the house of thy servant, and abide there, and wash thy feet, and tomorrow ye shall go on your way. These words are enough to reveal the virtue hidden in the soul of this righteous person. How can we be surprised to admire this perfect humility, the ardent zeal it shows in exercising hospitality? Come, "said he," lords, into the house of your servant, and he calls them lords, and he calls himself their servant. Let us listen attentively to these words, my beloved ones, and we, too, learn to do as he does. A man who had the right to be proud, a man of a great name, so rich, the father of such a beautiful family, perceives travelers, strangers, strangers, apparently quite miserable; they pass, they are nothing to him, he calls them lords, and he says: Come to your servant's house and rest. It is evening, said he, grant me this grace, rest from the fatigue of the day by coming into the house of your servant. Am I making a wonderful promise? You will wash your feet, tired of a long walk, and tomorrow you will continue your journey. Grant me this grace, and do not refuse my prayer. And they answered him, says the text, we will not go to your house, but we will remain in the place. Even after their refusal, in response to such an urgent exhortation, he does not become numb; he does not give up his plan; it does not do what we do sometimes, when we happen to send an exhortation to someone, if we see him resist, no matter what, refuse, we stop immediately, which comes from what we have neither affection nor real zeal, and above all, from what we see as a sufficient excuse, to be able to say, I did what I had to do.

What do you say, that you did what you had to do? You hunt, and you let the prey escape. You're going away from the treasure, and you did what you had to do? You would have done your duty if you had not thrown away the treasure you had in your hands; if, while hunting, you had not let the prey escape; if you did not, only for the sake of your conscience, and only in words, showed the virtues of hospitality. This just, on the contrary, does not work the same way: but what does it do? He sees them, who resist his prayers and want to stay in the square. Now, what the angels wanted was to make the virtue of the just man explode, and show us all how great was his affection for hospitality. Soon, therefore, he is no longer limited to words, but he does them violence. Christ also said: It is the violent ones who take away the kingdom of heaven. (Matt XI, 12.) Indeed, where shines a spiritual gain, the violence is about, and the constraint is laudable. And he pressed them, says the text, with great authority. It seems to me that he drew them in spite of themselves: soon, when they saw all the zeal of the just man, when they were forced to accede to his desire. And when they had come to his house, he gave them a feast, and he baked unleavened bread, and they ate before going to bed. Do you see, here again, that it is not in the sumptuousness of the table that hospitality resides, that it is the generosity of the soul that constitutes it? As soon as he has been able to introduce them into his house, he is quick to fulfill all the duties towards the guests, and he himself is preparing to serve them. He brings what is necessary for the meal, he renders all sorts of honors to them, he surrounds with care those men whom he takes for simple travelers. [Homilies on Genesis]

19:2-8 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. 4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.

Ambrose of Milan (De Abraham PL 14:462) and Augustine (Against lying 9.21) saw Lot’s actions of offering his daughters to the Sodomites as choosing between two evils. Augustine does take in consideration that Lot made the offer of his daughters because he was confused. Ephrem the Syrian (Com. on Gen.) does not come out and condemn Lot’s act of offering his daughters to the Sodomites, but he did see this as a form of value for the daughters, that would credit them with a partial way of atoning for their later sin of incest (19:30-36). Chrysostom (Hom. 43 on Gen.) oddly appears to commend Lot’s behavior of offering his daughters as if Lot went above and beyond showing hospitality for the two angels.  Procopius of Gaza (PG 87:371-72) held this position as well.

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Verse 8) CONDUCT OF LOT TO THE SODOMITES. — Lot says to the Sodomites, “But I have two daughters, who have not known a man. I will bring them out to you, and use them as it may please you, only do not injury to these men.” He wished, in giving up his daughters, to obtain in return that his guests should not suffer such an outrage on the part of the Sodomites. In this respect, the question arises as to whether a change of dishonest acts or any sin can be admitted, so that we do one bad thing so that another does not do a greater evil; or rather this should be attributed to fear, and not to clear thinking, that Lot said that. And truly this was dangerous exchange. Now, if it is attributed to a human disturbance and to a mind impressed by such great wickedness, it is not to be followed as an example. [Questions on Genesis, 42]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. But the inhabitants of Sodom surrounded the house, from the children to the elders, and all the people were there, and called Lot, and said to him, Where are these men that came to your house this evening? get them out so we know them. (Gen. 19:5) Let us beware, my beloved, of passing on these words; do not confine ourselves to seeing the abominable delirium of these men; let us meditate on the virtue of this righteous man, who, amidst these wild beasts, has shown the excellence of virtue; who endured their iniquity, who did not escape from their city; who supported their interview. Here is what I say: The Master of all creatures, foreseeing the dreadful corruption of these men, wanted this righteous to reside among them, to be like an excellent physician who would heal their sickness. When he saw that the care was useless, that their evil was incurable, he did not forfeit the cure; that's what doctors usually do. They may see that diseases are stronger than medicine, it is not for them a reason to neglect their duty, because if it can be done, even after a long time, that the patient recover, healing will prove the excellence of their art; if, on the contrary, their care is useless, it will not be so much the more to reproach them, as they will have done all that depended on them.

This is, of course, what happened here. This just man among these men, even in these circumstances, preserved justice and showed the extent of his wisdom. As for the inhabitants of Sodom, this is precisely what takes away their excuses; not only did they not correct their malignancy, but it only increased. See, indeed, they surrounded the house; from the children to the old men, all the people were there. Abominable conspiracy of corruption, violent desire for evil, inexpressible grandeur of depravity, criminal attempts that nothing can excuse! from the children, says the text, to the old men. Not only, says the text, did childhood seek this sacrilegious violation, but there were men in the decline of age, and all the people were there. And they did not blush at something so infamous, so shamelessly infamous; and they did not think of the Eye that never sleeps; and they did not respect the just man, nor those whom they took for travelers in the house of the just, to receive hospitality; they had no regard for them; without shame, and, as the proverb says, without a mask, uttering the words of their fornication, they approached, they called the righteous, and said to him, "Where are these men who have come into your house? Get them out so we know them. It is, I think, because the righteous foresaw this criminal attempt, that sacrilegious perversity, that he had sat in front of his door until evening, not wanting the travelers to be surprised in the nets of these men. And this just, with the perfection of hospitality, and, moreover, a great feeling of modesty, took care to welcome all the travelers, to let none escape, although he did not know that they were angels, and he took them simply for men. As for these impious, besides doing nothing that resembled the conduct of this righteous, they had only a passionate desire, it was to commit an abomination surpassing, in an incredible way, all what can conceive of infamy. The angels, therefore, wished to remain in the place, in order to afford the opportunity to manifest their hospitality, and also to show, by the very reality of things, the justice of the punishments which were going to strike the perverts, rushing into so frightful disorders.

But let us see, in what follows, the great virtue of the just man. Lot went out of his house, and having shut the door behind him, he said to them. (Gen. 19:6) See the fear of the righteous; he trembles for his guests, and he does not just close the door behind him; but, knowing the fury and audacity of the inhabitants, suspecting their violence, he said to them, "Do not think, my brethren. O patience of the right man! O greatness of humility! This is true virtue; to address words so sweet to such men! One must not, in fact, when one wishes to cure a patient, when one proposes the correction of a madman, employ the anger and the roughness of language. And see, those who wanted to perform unheard-of deeds, he calls them his brethren, to touch their conscience, to turn them away from their sacrilegious infamy. "Do not think," said he, "my brothers, do not think of committing so great a mischief. Do not have such a thought, do not receive in your mind the idea of ​​such a dreadful crime; do not betray nature itself; do not invent illegal businesses. But if you want to satisfy the furious passion with which the sting gives you vertigo, I will get you, me, which will lessen the weight of your crime: I have two girls still virgins, that is to say who, to this day, he says, have not known marriage, intact, young, still in the prime of life; I give them to you all; serve them as you please, take them, "said he," satisfy them with your passion, satisfy your concupiscence, provided you do not commit a guilty action on these men, because they have entered my house. (Gen. 19:8) Since, he said, I forced them to come under my roof, so that I would not be charged with the iniquity against them, so that it would not be said that I am the author of the outrage that is done to them, for this reason, I give you my two daughters, to remove these men from your hands. What a great virtue of the just man! He has passed the highest peaks of the virtue of hospitality; what praises might equal the wisdom of this righteous man, who did not even spare his daughters, to do honor to his hosts, to deliver them from the evil of the Sodomites. And this man has prostituted his daughters, to deliver hosts, travelers, I want to say again, who were absolutely unknown to him; to remove them from sacrilegious affronts. And we, many times, seeing our brothers fallen into the very abyss of ungodliness, I will say almost, seeing our brothers in the mouth of the devil, we do not deign to speak to them, to worry for them, to send them warnings to tear them from malignity, to bring them back to virtue! What will be our excuse, when this righteous does not even spare his daughters, in order to render to his guests the care due to them? We, on the contrary, are pitiless to our brethren, and often we utter these words, devoid of sentiment, and all filled with absurd extravagance: What do I have in common with such? I take no trouble from him; I have no business with him. O man, O man, what are you saying? You have nothing in common with him? He is your brother, of the same nature as you; you are subject to the same Lord, you often participate at the same table, at the spiritual table, do you hear well, at this terrible table, and you say: I have nothing in common with him, and you pass without mercy in your heart, your way, and you do not reach out to the one you see lying!

The Jews had a law which required them to take care of the beasts of burden which they saw falling and which belonged to their enemies. (Exodus, XXIII, 5.) And you who often see your brother wounded by the devil, lying, I do not say on the earth, but on the edge of the abyss of sin, you do not remove it, by your exhortations; you do not warn him; you do not call for help to remove, if possible, the monster's mouth, the one who is one of your members, to make him go back to his rank, so that you, if you If you happen to fall, far from you, this misfortune, in the nets of this cursed demon, you find, in your turn, helpful brothers, who hasten to deliver you? In this thought, Paul, wishing to excite the Galatians, to bring them to foresee the fate of those who are their members, wrote to them: Reflecting on yourselves, fearing to be tempted, you too (Gal.) as if he were saying to them: If you go your way, without pity, without humanity for your fallen brother, perhaps it will happen that with you, if you come to fall, another, like you, will pass his path; therefore, if you want us to pay attention to you, to be relieved, if you happen to fall, do not neglect others; show the perfect goodness, look, like the richest treasure, to be able to save your brother. If you only consider that man, that you do not look, near which you continue your way, without stopping; is so much in honor with God, that the Lord, did not refuse to spread, for him, to his own blood, as Blessed Paul says: And so by your knowledge, you will lose your brother, for whom Jesus Christ is dead (I Corinthians 8:11), how can you not be ashamed of your indifference to the point of going underground? If Christ, for this man, has shed his blood, what will be marvelous if you show your affection to the same man by words which exhort him, who lift him up when he falls? who bring back this plunged man, perhaps engulfed in the depths of the abyss of malignity; who render it in the light of virtue, and do not allow it to plunge back into the darkness of corruption?

Let us imitate, I conjure you, this just man, and if we must even expose ourselves to danger, to save our neighbor, do not back down. The danger thus confronted will be worth our salvation, intimacy in the bosom of the Lord. Consider, indeed, I implore you, how this just man stood up to a whole people, to this conspiracy of these depraved beings. How sweet ! what inexpressible courage he has testified, although he could not, even by this conduct, correct; to tame this mad delirium. In fact, after he had said these words, that he had shown a sweetness so rare, when he had, by his words, delivered his daughters, as with his own hands, what do they say to him? [Homilies on Genesis]

19:9-11 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. 10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. BLINDNESS OF THE SODOMITES — And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness. The Seventy use the word aorasia, which properly means, if it can be said so, an invisibility that does not entail a total loss of vision, but only obscures what is not necessary to see. For this reason, it would cause us peculiarity that they might faint for the door, had they been punished with such blindness as to prevent them from seeing. In this case, troubled by their calamity, they would have stopped looking for the door. With this same aorasía was also punishment for those who looked for Elisha (Cf. 2 Kings 6:18). And this same blindness also had those who, walking with the Lord, (Cf. Lk. 24:16) after his resurrection, did not recognize him on the road, although there is no mention of this word, but the same thing. [Questions on Genesis, 43]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. Retire. (Gen. 19:9) O depth of drunkenness! O excess of delirium! This is how this unbridled brute, this detestable concupiscence behaves. When she has conquered reason, she is no longer supported by the aspect of virtue and honesty. He needs darkness at night to fight his fights. Withdraw, they say, you have come here as a stranger among us; Is it to be our judge? Well ! we will treat you, even worse than them. See how gently the right man speaks to them; with what fierce brutality they answer him. It is because the devil has poured out his intoxication; it is the devil who walks at their head, and, under his guidance, they attack the just man, and they say to him, 'You have come here as a stranger among us; Is it to be our judge? We have received you, they say, as a stranger; Have you become our judge? O excess of the perversity! It was necessary to blush, it was necessary to receive with respect the advice of the just man; but, like the furious patients who want to throw themselves, even on their doctor, there they are, too, who say to him: "Well! we will treat you worse than them. If you do not want, say they, to keep quiet, to rest, you will learn that your protection will only succeed in removing them from danger, to make you fall yourself. And they fell on Lot with great violence. See the courage of the just man, who strives to resist such a great multitude. When they were already about to break the doors. You know that on leaving, foreseeing the senseless rage of this people, he had closed his door behind him, and those impious, scoundrels, not tolerating the warnings of the just man, pressed him with violence, and were preparing to break the door. But experience had shown enough, on the one hand, the virtue of the just man, his desire to show hospitality to those whom he regarded as mere travelers; on the other hand, what was to be expected of all this people, conspiring only for an infamy.

The travelers in turn reveal themselves, manifest themselves. They have seen that the righteous man has fulfilled all his duty, they are bursting their power, and are helping the righteous who was suffering the violence of a senseless rage. Wherefore, saith the text, they took Lot by the hand, and having brought it into the house, they shut the door. For the men who were outside, they struck them with blindness, from the smallest to the largest, so that they could not find the door. (Gen. 19:10-11) You see how the righteous immediately receives the reward of his hospitality; how ungodly are they worth the trouble they deserve? In fact, says the text, they took Lot, and having brought it into the house, they closed the door. As for the others, they struck them with blindness, from the smallest to the largest, so that they could no longer find the door. As their minds were blinded, their eyes were blinded too. It is to teach us that the eyes of the body are useless, when the eyes of the mind are struck with blindness. And because they had all conspired in this depravity, because all, old men and young men, had taken their part in this criminal attempt, all were struck blind; and not only blindness, but they lost the strength of their bodies; for since they were weakened as to the soul, which is the best part of man, they were also weakened as to the body. And those who at first tried to break the door and threatened the just man, suddenly stopped, unable to use their limbs; and the door was before their eyes, and they did not see it. From that moment, the righteous breathed, seeing who his guests were, and the greatness of their power. [Homilies on Genesis]

19:12-15 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. 14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. 15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

JEROME OF STRIDON. 19:14 AND HE SPOKE TO HIS SONS-IN-LAW, TO THOSE WHO HAD MARRIED HIS DAUGHTERS. — It is written later that two daughters of Lot remained virgins, and it was of them that he had said to the inhabitants of Sodom, "Here are my two daughters, who have not known a man." And as some of them believe that his married daughters remained in Sodom, and that they left with them that were virgins. As the Scriptures report here that he had some deeds, some think that his married daughters remained at Sodom, and that those who were virgins left with him. This is not what the Scripture says, that we must see in the truth of the Hebrew text: "Lot went out, and spoke to the spouses, who were to be united to his sons." These were still virgins they had not been married. [Hebrew Questions on Genesis]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. And they said to Lot, Do you have here a son-in-law, or sons, or daughters, or some of your relatives in this city? (Gen. 19:12) See how they reward the hospitality of the just man, as they want to make him a beautiful present, the salvation of all his parents. If you have told him, in this city, that you want to be saved, if you know anyone who does not share their crimes, Bring him out of this city, and out of the country; bring out all those who belong to you, for we are going to destroy this place. (Gen. 19:13) Then they give the reason for this extermination. They are just learning, with great care Because the cry of the abominations of these peoples has risen before the Lord, and the Lord has sent us to lose them. This was what had been said to the patriarch Abraham: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is increasing more and more, and their sin has risen to its height; their cry, says the text, has risen even before the Lord. (Gen. XVIII, 20.)

The greatness of their wickedness is unheard, and as evil is incurable, as the plague is impossible to heal, God has sent us to lose them. This is what David said: He who makes his angels winds, and his ministers, fiery flames. (Psal. CIII, 4.) As we have come, say the travelers, to destroy this whole country (indeed the land itself will be punished for the malignity of those who live in it), get out of here. As soon as the righteous man heard these words and heard what those who seemed to be men came to do, and who were really angels, ministers of the God of all creatures, Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who had received his daughters (Gen. 19:14) Before, he said to these wicked: I have two daughters who are still virgins. How, then, can the text say here: To his sons-in-law who had received his daughters? Do not think that there is a contradiction here, with what has been said above. It was the habit of the ancients, to make a long time in advance, the betrothal. The engaged couple lived with the girl's parents; custom that still exists today in many places. The betrothal having already been made, the text names the sons-in-law of Lot, and says: Who had received his daughters, which means that there were planned marriages of mutual consent. And he said, Come out of this place, because the Lord destroys this city. But they imagined he was delusional. See the bad ferment that also worked these sons of Lot. This is why God, wishing to quickly free the righteous of all covenant with them, did not allow them to share the fate of his daughters; he also lost them with the ungodly, that the righteous, having gone out with his daughters, should escape their kinsmen. So, hearing the terrible threats uttered by the righteous man, they mocked, they thought his words came from delirium. Yet the righteous insisted; as he had promised them his daughters, he wanted to tear them from the torture. But they did not want to; they persisted in resisting it; experience made them understand that it was to their great detriment that they had rejected the counsel of the righteous. At break of day, says the text, the angels urged Loth to go out, saying to him, Rise up and take away your wife and your two daughters, lest you also perish yourself in the ruin of this city. . And they swear troubled. (Gen. 19:15-16) Do not differ, they said, already the destruction is about to begin; (297) save yourself, and your wife with you, and save your daughters; for those who did not wish to obey your warnings will soon be struck by the common destruction. Do not differ, so as not to be hurt yourself by the extermination of these wicked. And they were troubled: that Lot, and his wife, and his daughters, hearing these words. They were troubled, says the text, that is to say, astonished, terrified, filled with anguish at this threat. Also, the angels taking care of the right man seized him, says the text, by the hand.

From this moment divine Scripture no longer speaks of it as if it were men; but because they were about to bring down the terrible blow, she called them angels, and she said, They took him by the hand, and his wife, and his daughters, for the Lord wanted to save him. It was to give them confidence that the angels took their hand, and so strengthened their hearts, so that the seizure of terror did not numb their limbs. [Homilies on Genesis]

19:16-19 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: 19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. ON THE WORDS THAT FEAR INSPIRES IN LOT. — And Lot said unto them, Lord, since thy servant has found favor with thee, and thou hast pointed out thy righteousness toward me, and preserved my life; Consider, I pray you, that I cannot escape on the mountain, that evils will perhaps reach me, and that I shall die. He did not even confide in God, whom he recognized in the angels. It was already under this inspiration that he spoke, when he consented to deliver his daughters. Let us understand by this that his words concerning the dishonor of his children ought not to be authoritative, any more than the lack of confidence in God, who would rely on his example. [Question on Genesis, 44]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. This is why the text adds: For the Lord wanted to save him. Whereas the Lord had judged that he deserved to be saved, the angels, wanting to strengthen them all, seize by the hand. And having thus brought them out of the house, they said, Save your life, look no further behind you, and stop not in the whole country round about; but save yourself on the mountain, so as not to be enveloped with others. (Gen. 19:17) As we deliver you from these wicked, they say, do not look further behind you; do not try to see what will happen to them; but hurry up; Go, far away, in front of you, in order to escape the punishment that will be inflicted upon them. Then the righteous, fearing that they will not be able to reach the place which they designate for him, and reach the mountain: I pray you, Lord, since your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have signaled to him your great mercy. in saving my life, I beg you to consider that I can not save myself on the mountain, being in danger that misfortune may not surprise me before, and that I may die. But here is near a city where I can escape, it is small, I can save myself and I will live because of you. (Gen. 19:18-20) Since, he says, you have decided to save me, but he is above my strength to reach the top of the mountain, grant me greater grace in your mercy; make my fatigue lighter, lest I be seized by the flame that falls on them, that I die with them; here is a city which is near, which is small, preserve it, so that it may be my stay; she may be miserable and small, but I can save myself, live there, having nothing to fear. [Homilies on Genesis]

19:20-30 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. 21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. 22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: 28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt. 30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.

AMBROSIASTER. (Gen. 19:25). IF GOD'S JUDGMENTS ARE RIGHT, WHY WERE THE CHILDREN CONSPIRED WITH THEIR PARENTS IN THE FIRE OF SODOM? — In order to bring out the greatness of the crime of the inhabitants of Sodom, God desired that the punishment should extend to the death of their children, in order to destroy even the last remnants of that guilty race. But did not God act in their interest, lest by prolonging their life they should follow the example of their fathers? For they are exempt from the pains of hell, because they have been the victims of a crime which they had not committed. Parents are charged with the double responsibility of their punishment and that of their children, because to erase the traces of their crimes, it was necessary to destroy all their posterity. Just as children rejoice in the virtues of their parents, because they are a title of glory to them, so they have no right to complain of the death that strikes them to punish the crimes of those who have them given the day. They are associated with benefits, they must be punished. In Egypt, children were also punished for the mistakes of their parents, but to bring them back to more just feelings. The other prodigies could not induce them to believe in the God represented by Moses, and to adore him; this scourge had for the end, by striking them with terror, to make them confess and expiate their hardening, and to spare them a more rigorous punishment. The crime of the parents is therefore the cause of the death of the children. However, the children have paid this debt, they will one day be the accusers of their parents, because the very blood of their children has not been able to triumph over their disloyalty. It is not therefore for the future life, but for the present life, that the children have suffered the punishment due to the crimes of their fathers. And it is not for them a slight favor to escape guilt, though not in glory. We see men, at the end of their lives, demanding the profession of the true faith, in order to obtain, if not the crown, at least their forgiveness; How then can they complain of those who, by the conduct held towards them, have neither to beg forgiveness of their faults, nor to obtain an extraordinary reward, because they have not deserved it by their labors? Compare a moment of suffering with a torture that lasts for centuries. Consider, too, that a great number of them take great pains, and, for lack of perseverance, not only lose the fruit of their labors, but are guilty of punishment. And add that it is difficult for those born of vicious parents, who have been brought up, or who have lived in the society of the wicked, to bend their souls under the yoke of divine law. See here again if God has not acted wisely towards these children. [Questions on the Old and New Testaments, Question 13]

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Verse 29) TO WHAT DO WE ATTRIBUTE THE DELIVERANCE OF LOT? — And God remembered Abraham and brought Lot out of the midst of destruction. The Scripture recalls that Lot was liberated by the merits of Abraham rather than by his own, so that we may understand that Lot is called righteous according to a certain way of speaking, mainly because he worshiped the one true God, and also when his sins are compared with the sins of the Sodomites, since, living among them, he did not lead a life like them. [Question 45]

 (Verse 30) FROM THE MOUNTAIN WHERE LOT FLED. — Lot went up from Segor, and stayed in the mountain. It is, of course, the same mountain that he climbed on his own and he did not want to climb when the Lord sent him. Because there is no other mountain, or does not appear to be. [Question 46]

ON LOT’S LITTLE FAITH. — For he was afraid of staying at Ségor. In the face of Lot’s weakness and fear, the Lord had granted him to live in the place that he had chosen, and had given him assurance that He would forgive the city. But he was also afraid to live there. So his faith was not very strong. [Question on Genesis, Question 47]

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO. (Gen. 19:29) Cura everteret Dominus civitates, in quibus habitabat in eis (When the Lord destroyed the cities where Lot had remained). [Locutions]

CLEMENT OF ROME. (Verses 23-29) On account of his hospitality and godliness, Lot was saved out of Sodom when all the country around was punished by means of fire and brimstone, the Lord thus making it manifest that He does not forsake those that hope in Him, but gives up such as depart from Him to punishment and torture. For Lot’s wife, who went forth with him, being of a different mind from himself, and not continuing in agreement with him [as to the command which had been given them], was made an example of, so as to be a pillar of salt unto this day (1st century, see Joseph., Antiq., i. 11, 4; Irenæus, Adv. Hær., iv. 31). This was done that all might know that those who are of a double mind, and who distrust the power of God, bring down judgment on themselves and become a sign to all succeeding generations. [Letter to the Corinthians 11, ANF v.9]

CYPRIAN OF CARTHAGE. Let us look not to things which are behind, where the devil calls us back, but to things which are before, where Christ calls us. Let us lift up our eyes to heaven, lest the earth with its delights and enticements deceive us. [Ep. 7.7, ANF v. 5]

JEROME OF STRIDON. 19:21 HE SAID TO HIM, HERE I HAVE SEEN YOUR FACE. The Hebrew reads: "Behold, I have received your face," that is, "I accept your prayers." Symmachus translates from the meaning: ορασει εδυσωπηθην το προσωπον σου.

19:28 AND HERE WAS THE FLAME RISING ABOVE THE EARTH LIKE THE STEAM OF A FURNACE. We read in Hebrew: "There was CITOR rising, like αναθυμαις, from the furnace, which we can render by steam, or smoke, or sparks.

19:30 SO LOT WENT UP FROM SEGOR, AND DWELT ON THE MOUNTAIN, AND HIS TWO DAUGHTERS WERE WITH HIM: for he was afraid to dwell in Segor. People ask why, since at first he preferred Segor rather than flight to the mountain and wished it to be spared for his dwelling place, he should now again move from Segor to the mountain? We shall reply that that inference of the Hebrews concerning Segor is true: that it was often undermined by earthquake and was first called Bale, and then Salisa. And Lot was afraid and said: If this city was often overthrown when the other cities were still standing, how much more impossible that it be spared in the present general catastrophe? They also say that this time of faithlessness provided the opportunity for his intercourse with his daughters. For he who had seen the other cities undermined while this one stood, and who himself had been plucked out by God's help, ought not to have been in doubt, especially concerning what he had heard granted to him as a favour. So what is said by way of excuse for his daughters- that they thought that the human race had come to an end and therefore they slept with their father, does not exonerate the father. [Hebrew Quesitons on Genesis]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. And the angel said unto him, I grant this grace to prayer, which ye do unto me, not to destroy the city, of which ye speak unto me. (Gen. 19:21) I welcome your prayers, he says, I will do what you wish; I grant you what you ask of me, and for your sake I will spare the city. So hurry to save yourself in this place. (Gen. 19:22) For I will do nothing until you have arrived: For I can not, says the text, do the work before you have entered: your salvation interests me. wait until you get there, and then I will inflict on others their retribution. The sun was rising on the earth, at the same time that Lot entered Ségor. (Gen. 19:23) It is at sunrise, says the text, that he arrived in the city; and as soon as he was in the city, the others received their punishment. Then the Lord, says the text, sent down a shower of sulfur and fire from heaven from the heavens by the Lord over Sodom and Gomorrah, and he lost these cities, and the whole country round about, and all those who They dwelt in the cities, and in the land, and all that rose up from the earth. (Gen. 19:24-25) Do not be surprised at this language, my beloved, it is proper to the Scripture to repeat so often the same words indifferently. You see here an example: The Lord, says the text, sent down a shower of sulfur and fire, launched by the Lord from above. It is to say that it was the Lord who made the punishment, and not only he upset the cities, and all the surrounding country, and all the inhabitants, but also he destroyed what was rising of the earth. Whereas the men who lived there had produced many fruits of ungodliness, for this reason, says God, I suppress the fruits of the earth; I want, by this destruction, to leave an eternal monument to future generations; the mere barrenness of the earth will teach them how great was the malice of those who lived in it.

Do you see how powerful virtue is how evil is evil, how righteous was saved, how others received the punishment that their malignity deserved. And; just as this righteous man saved his daughters with him, and prevented the destruction of this little town; so the others, by the greatness of their malignity, not only perished themselves, and were destroyed, but, for the future, they rendered their land barren. The wife of Lot, said the text, looked behind her, and she was changed into a statue of salt. (Gen. 19:26) She had heard the angels rightly recommending that no one should turn around, that everyone should retire in haste; she despised these words, took no notice of the order, and bore the pain of her negligence.

And now, taught by this lesson, let us apply to our salvation, with a more diligent zeal; let us not imitate such vices; let us imitate that righteous man, his hospitable virtues, his other virtues still, in order to ward off anger from above. No, it is not possible, it is not possible that he who practices this virtue, with the ardor of a true zeal, does not gain a great treasure. It is by this, in fact, that these ancient righteous have obtained the grace of above; and the patriarch, and Lot, and all who, believing to receive men, have deserved to receive angels, and the Lord of angels. We, too, in our own day, have only to will it, we can receive it at home, for it is Himself who said: He who receives you receives me (Math X, 40. In this thought, let us receive the guests, and do not stop at the appearance of miserable. In truth if we exercise, we too, with the same wisdom, hospitality, we will deserve; we, too, to receive such hosts, who appear men, who operate the work of angels. But no vain curiosity, research, investigations that would make us lose our treasure. Know it well, Paul reveals to us the names of these just and teaches us how they received such hosts: Do not neglect, he says, to exercise hospitality; for it is by practicing it that some, without knowing it, have received as hosts angels (Hebrews XIII, 1); for this is what made them especially worthy of admiration; it is because they displayed the most affectionate hospitality to those they did not know. Well, then! we, too, put ourselves to this work, with a faith, with a whole piety, in order to obtain the treasure. May we all receive it by the grace, and by the goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belongs, as to the Father and to the Holy Spirit, the honor, the glory, now and always, and for ever and ever! Amen.

And Abraham, having risen in the morning, came to the place where he had been before with the Lord. (Gen. 19:27-29) Yesterday, the story of the Samaritan woman made us see enough the ineffable patience of the Lord, the excess of his solicitude for her, the recognition of this woman; you saw it, it came to draw the water which falls under our senses, and it is with the spiritual source, it is with the divine fountain which it drew, and it returned to her home, fulfilling the word of the Lord: The water that I will give him, will become in his soul a fountain of water that will flow back into eternal life. (John, IV, 14.) She filled herself with this divine and spiritual water. She could not restrain the currents, which overflowed, so to speak, over the city, and flooded the inhabitants with the grace granted her; she suddenly became the herald of the Lord, this Samaritan, this stranger. What treasure, do you see, that gratitude! You see how the goodness of God does not disdain anyone; how, on the contrary, if, even in a woman, even in an absolutely poor being, in whomsoever, if the Lord finds vigilance and fervor, he immediately communicates the largesse of his grace. Let us imitate, I conjure you, imitate, too, this woman, and receive with great attention the teachings of the Spirit; for the words we utter are not our words. It is not, in fact, our language that speaks when we speak; but, led by the goodness of the Lord, we tell you what it inspires us for our salvation and the edification of the Church of God. Do not look down on me, my beloved ones; do not consider my infirmity; but because I bring you what the Lord gives me, keep your thoughts fixed on the one who sends me. Be careful ; be careful ; listen. See what is happening on the earth; when the one whose forehead is girded with the diadem, the emperor sends a message, the one who brings it has no value by itself; he is a common man, who often can not say what his family is; an obscure man and obscure parents; but those who are destined for the imperial writing, do not stop to consider what this man is; while he brings a writ of the Emperor, he is given a great honor, too, and as for the message, he is listened to with a respect full of fear; we listen to it in silence. Well ! if this man who brings only the writing of another man, who brings only a paper, is received with honor by all, for all the more reason must you welcome, with the extreme attention that the respect command, what the Spirit sends you, through us, so that you may receive a great reward from your wisdom. For if the Lord of all creatures sees a generous, ardent warming of your souls, he will make us (300) ourselves, for your edification, richer presents, and he will increase in you the intelligence, to understand the speech; for the grace of the Spirit is magnificent; it spreads over all; it does not decrease by sharing; on the contrary, at the same time that it is distributed, it grows larger, and the greater the number of those who participate in it, the greater the benefit communicated to all. Well ! therefore, if you wish, let us resume our conversation; let's see where we left off, where we should start today. Where did we dock our boat yesterday? Where did we stop the course of instruction? We spoke to you of Lot, of the burning of Gomorrah, and we ended our speech just as the righteous man was saved in Segor. The sun was rising on the earth at the same time that Lot entered Ségor. And then the anger sent from God seized the inhabitants of Sodom, worked the destruction of this earth, and we saw that the wife of the righteous man, forgetting the words that the angels had spoken, looked behind her, and was changed in a statue of salt, leaving to future generations an eternal monument of his guilty negligence. It is necessary today, resuming the following of these events, to show you, in a few words, my beloved ones, to show you still the charity, the compassion which animated the patriarch, and the benevolence of God for him. Indeed, at sunrise, the right Lot was saved in Segor; those of Sodom, on the contrary, suffered atonement. At the same time the patriarch was seized with pity, at the thought of that destruction which their sin had attracted to them, and he was disturbed with anxiety for the fate of the just man; and in the morning he came and he was watching what had happened. And when Abraham rose up in the morning, and came to the place where he had been before the Lord, and looking upon Sodom and Gomorrah, and all the land round about, he saw ashes burning, which rose from the earth as the smoke of a furnace. (Gen. 19:27-28) The text marks the place where he had spoken with the Lord, where he had implored him for those of Sodom; it was there that he saw the traces of this terrible chastisement. And he wanted to know news of the right man. This is the character of the saints; they feel keen affection, they know how to sympathize. Scripture, to teach us that the grace of the Spirit immediately made known to the patriarch what he so much wanted to know, and relieved him of the anxiety that Lot caused him: When God, says the text, destroyed the cities from that land he remembered Abraham, and saved Luah from the midst of this destruction. (Gen. 19:29) What do these words mean: God remembered Abraham? that is to say, of the prayer that Abraham had made to him, saying to him: Will you lose the righteous with the ungodly? (Gen. xviii. 22.) But why, objectively, will the righteous have been saved because of the patriarch's prayer, and not because of his righteousness? Surely he was saved for his righteousness; and, moreover, for the patriarch's prayer. Indeed, when we bring what depends on us, the intercession of the saints, adding to our works, is still for us the source of the greatest goods. If we neglect ourselves, if we put in them alone all our hopes of salvation, we derive no use from them. It is not that the righteous are without power, but that by our own negligence we are betraying ourselves.

And do you want to have the proof that when we neglect ourselves, it is in vain that the just, however just they are, it is in vain that the prophets, inspired as they are pray for us that it does not help us? (They show their virtue by their prayers, the virtue that is in them, but this virtue is of no profit to us, because of the mores that we make appear.) Listen to the words that the God of all creatures addresses to his Prophet, sanctified from the belly of his mother, to Jeremiah: Do not pray for this people, because I will not answer you. (Jeremiah XVI, 7.) See the goodness of the Lord; he warns his prophet, because he does not wish, the prayer not to be answered, that the saint attributes the rigor of God to his own faults. This is why he denounces to him, in advance, the corruption of the people, and forbids him to pray. He wants to let them know, at the same time, how great is the perversity of the Jews; to them, that the prayers of the prophet are of no use to them, if they are not the first to do all that depends on them.

It is in such thoughts, my beloved ones, that we must resort to the prayers of the saints, to ask them to intercede for us. Let us not put all our trust in their prayers, let us do, on our side, the (301) works that depend on us; do them properly; let us always strive to take the best way, to allow the prayer that pours out for us. This is what another prophet says to the Lord of all creatures: Do you not see what they do? they burn fat, to make cakes of an army of the sky. (Jeremiah VII, 17, 18.) Which amounts to saying: You pray for those who do not give up their sins, who do not feel the evil they are worked with, who no longer feel. Do not you see their perfect disdain? Do not you see the excess of their delirium? As, insatiable with impiety, they resemble the sow in the mire, wallowing in their iniquities. If they wanted to convert, would they not listen to the exhortations? Is it not I, through the voice of the prophets, who cries to them, And after she had done all her crimes, I said to her, After all your crimes return to me, and she has not returned? (Jeremiah III, 7.) Did I ask them anything other than to stop, not to sin, not to push their crimes further? would I ask them to consider the past if I only saw them manifesting the intention to correct themselves? I did not cry to them every day: Do I want the sinner's death, as I want him to convert and live? (Ezek. Xviii. 23.) Do I not do all things, to tear them from death, when I see them astray? When I see them converted, do I make myself wait? Am I not the one who says: You speak again, here am I? (Isale, LVIII, 9.) Do they hold to their own salvation, as much as I desire to see all the saved men, to see them all come to the knowledge of the truth? (I Tim II, 4.) Did I pull you out of nothing to lose you? Have I, without any purpose, prepared the kingdom to come, and innumerable goods? If I have threatened embarrassment, is it not because this fear serves me to bring men into the kingdom of heaven? Beware, O blessed prophet, to abandon them to bring me your prayer; take only one concern, that of healing them, of making them feel their infirmity, of bringing them back to health, and all my goods will come of their own accord. And I do not wait and I'm never late, when I see a well-disposed soul; I only ask them one thing: the confession of sins, and, it is done, I do not punish sins. Is it very heavy to wear, very embarrassing, what I propose? If I did not know that they were getting worse, when they did not confess their first faults, I would not even ask them for that confession; but because I know that man sinks more and more into sin, that is why I want them to confess their first faults, so that this confession prevents them from falling back into it.

So, in these thoughts, my beloved ones, reflecting on the goodness of the Lord, let us shake our numbness; be very attentive to ourselves; let us wash away the stains of our sins, and then hurry to ask for the intercession of the saints. If we want to be wise and vigilant, we can even by the mere virtue of our own prayers serve ourselves in the most effective way; for our God, who is a God of mercy, gives less to others, praying for us, than he gives us to ourselves, when it is we who pray to him. See the excess of kindness; if he realizes that we, who have it. Offended, who are made despicable, who have no longer any right to hope in him, we wake up a little, we have in us the thought of resorting to his inexhaustible clemency; he immediately agrees with our prayers, he extends his hand to us. We were lying and lying, he lifts us up, he shouts to us: Will not the one who has fallen, get up again? (Jeremiah VIII, 4.) But the very reality of things shows you how many men, praying for themselves, have obtained better what they desired than by the prayers of others. It is worthwhile for us to show you the persons who have had this happiness, so that we may imitate them, so that we may be animated by a good zeal. Let us learn, then, how this Chananean woman, with her soul so cruelly tormented, how this woman, this stranger, at the sight of the physician of souls, of the sun of righteousness, lifted up for those who dwell in the darkness, approached him, full of fervor, animated by a generous zeal; and this zeal does not slow down, although it was only a woman; though it was a stranger. Pushing away all obstacles, she came near and said, "Lord, have mercy on me! my daughter is miserably tormented by the demon. (Matthew XV, 22.) He (302) who knows the secrets of hearts, keeps silence, does not answer him, does not deign to talk to her, he has no pity for this woman, that he sees so miserable, whose cries of pain he hears. He differs, because he wants to make manifest, in the eyes of all, the treasure hidden in this woman. He knew that there was a pearl there that he could not see, that he wanted to show to our eyes. This is why he differed, not deigning to answer him; it was for the zeal of this woman to be a great lesson for all generations to come. And see the ineffable goodness of God; he himself, said the text, did not answer him; as for the disciples, full of compassion and kindness, they dare not say yesterday! give her what she asks, have mercy on her, be merciful to her; but what do they say? Grant her what she asks for because she is shouting behind us (Ibid 23.) As if they say, deliver us from this importunity; deliver us from his cries. What is the Lord doing? Do you think, he tells them, that it is for no reason that I have kept silence, that I have not deigned to reply to him? Listen: I have been sent only to the sheep of the house of Israel, who have lost themselves (Ibid., 24.) Do you not know, he tells them, that it is a foreign woman? Do you not know that I forbid you any trade with strangers? Why then, without examination, show your compassion for her? Consider the industrious wisdom of God; see how, in appearing to reply to this woman, he overwhelmed her more than by her silence; as he struck her, so to speak, with a mortal blow, wishing then to revive her little by little, so that the disciples, who knew nothing, understood the greatness of the faith which she concealed in her soul. Well ! she did not slow down, she was not discouraged when she saw. that the disciples advanced to nothing; she does not say to herself: if they could not bend the Lord, begging him for me, why will I continue a useless attempt, why insist? On the contrary, burning with burning fire, devouring her womb, she approaches, she adores, she says: Lord, help me! (Ibid, 25.) But he still refuses his help to this woman, he makes an answer more severe than the other: It is not right, he says, to take the children's bread, and to give it to the dogs. (Ibid.26.) Consider, my beloved, admire here the vivacity of desire in this woman and the rare distinction of her faith. When she heard the name of dogs, she was not indignant, she did not retire, but with a deep and pious affection she said: It is true. Lord, but the little dogs eat at least some crumbs that fall from the table of their master (Matt XV, 27.) Well she said, I confess that I deserve to be treated, as the dogs are treated; give me, like dogs, crumbs from your table. Do you understand the faith, the virtue of this woman? She supported the word, and immediately she got what she was asking for, and she got it, attracting more, a high praise. Indeed, what does Christ tell him? O woman, your faith is great, let it be done to you as you wish! (Ibid 28.) O woman! it is a cry of admiration and praise. You have shown, says the Lord, great faith; also, you will get everything you want. See how far generosity extends; admire the wisdom of the Lord. Did not we think at first, when he repulsed her thus, that he was without mercy? At first he did not deign to answer him. Then he gave her a first, a second answer, as if to drive her away from him; he repulsed this woman, who had come to him with a desire so strong and so burning. But, may the end show you the goodness of God. It was because he wanted to make the virtue of this woman more brilliant, that he begged so much to grant him his request. In fact, if he had granted it immediately, we would not have known what was in this woman of constancy and faith; but thanks to this little delay, we have been able to recognize the ineffable goodness the Lord has for us, and the faith so rare, which distinguishes this woman to the highest degree.

The whole story that we have tried to expose to you is to teach everyone that the prayers of others for us are less effective than our own prayers, if we pray with ardor, with a good spirit awake. You see it: this woman had the disciples praying for her; she gained nothing; it was she, by her own efforts, by her perseverance, who conciliated the clemency of the Lord. And this is what this parable of the friend who comes when we do not wait for him, during the night, asks for three loaves of bread: If, nevertheless, the other persevered in striking, I will assures us that when he does not rise to give him because he is his friend, he will rise, at least, because of his importunity, and he will give it to him. (Luke, XI, 8.) Well! since we see the ineffable clemency of Our Lord, let us go to him, let us declare, put him, so to speak, under the eyes, one by one, separately all our sins; let us ask him for forgiveness of our past faults, so that we may live with greater exactitude and obtain from him greater kindness. But back, please, following our reading. Lot, says the text, being in Segor, went up and went down on the mountain, as well as his two daughters with him, because they were afraid to dwell in Segor, and Lot dwelt in a cave, and his two daughters with him. (Gen. 19:30) The righteous, under the influence of the fear inspired by the disaster of Sodom, goes away, and, says the text, he lived on a mountain with his daughters. He lived in solitude, in a place quite devastated, with his daughters, staying on the mountain. [Homilies on Genesis]

19:31-38 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our Father. 35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father. 37 And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day. 38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.

daughter went in and lay with her father. Theodoret of Cyrus (Q. 71 on Gen.) sympathizes with Lot and his two daughters, because for Lot, he was totally unaware of having intercourse with his daughters, yet he was partially to blame and pardoned at the same time for the intoxication. The daughters, according to Theodoret, were beyond blame because they did not have intercourse with their father for the sake of lust, but rather they thought that everybody on earth had been wiped out and felt that having offspring from their father was the only way to carry on the human race.   St. Chrysostom (Hom. 44 on Gen.) felt that they were blameless as well.

Ambrose believed the daughters were to blame. He also makes a good point about the dangers of drinking, saying, “That which causes sin has often deceived even the just. In this way the people of God after they sat down to eat and drink denied God. (Ex. 32:5) In this way, too, Lot knew not, and so endured his daughters’ wickedness.” [On virginity, 1.9.53 NFNP s.2 v. 10]

Jerome blames Lot and his daughters for sinning, saying, “Although they may have acted as they did more from a desire of offspring than from love of sinful pleasure— for the human race seemed in danger of extinction— yet they were well aware that the righteous man would not aid their plan unless intoxicated. In fact he did not know what he was doing, and his sin was not willful. Still his error was a grave one, for it made him the father of Moab and Ammon, Israel’s enemies, of whom it is said: “Even to the fourteenth generation they shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord forever.” (Deut. 23:3) [Ep. 22.8, NFNP s.2 v.6]

JEROME OF STRODON. 19:30 LOT WENT UP OUT OF SEGOR, AND SAT ON THE MOUNTAIN; HIS TWO GIRLS WERE WITH HIM. He had been afraid to stop in Segor. One wonders why, having first preferred to flee to Segor than to the mountain, and wanted to settle there, he now migrates from Segor to the mountain. The truth is, we will answer, that according to the tradition of the Hebrews, Segor was originally called dirty and later Salisa, because it was frequently upset by earthquakes; so Lot said to himself in his fear: Since this city has often been overthrown, while the others remain intact, for all the more reason can it not now escape common ruin? His illegitimate union with his daughters was undoubtedly the origin of this change of resolution. He had seen the other cities destroyed, and although the latter was standing, he recognized himself as unworthy of the help of God; could not he have doubted what had been promised him? It is said, to excuse the girls, that their conviction was that the human race was absolutely destroyed, when they had agreed to share their bed; but that does not excuse the father. Finally, the words that follow: "And he did not know that he had slept with them, nor when he had awakened from that sleep," 19:35 the Hebrew text points them over, in that it is an incredible thing and above our intelligence, that a man can cohabit with a woman without knowing it.

19:36-38 THE TWO DAUGHTERS OF LOT CONCEIVED OF THEIR FATHER, AND THE ELDEST GAVE BIRTH TO A SON, TO WHOM SHE GAVE THE NAME OF MOAB. HE IS THE FATHER OF THE MOABITES WHO STILL EXIST. THE YOUNGEST ALSO GAVE BIRTH TO A SON, TO WHOM SHE GAVE THE NAME OF AMMON, THAT IS, THE SON OF MY PEOPLE. HE IS THE FATHER OF THE AMMONITES.  Moab translates as father, and the whole name comes out in etymology: Ammon, whose name it is, who goes by my race, and better, according to the Hebrew, the son of my people, is thus derived, that part of the word recalls the meaning and the other the etymology, Ammi, who gave his name to the Ammonites, means my people. [Hebrew Questions on Genesis]

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM OF CONSTANTINOPLE. Then, according to the text, the eldest said to the younger sister: Our father is old, and there is no one on earth who will come to us, according to the custom of all countries. Come, let's give wine to our father and sleep with him so that we can keep our father's race. (Gen. 19:31-32) It is with a religious respect, mixed with trembling and fear, my beloved, that we must listen to these words of divine Scripture. Nothing has been lightly and unintentionally recorded in our holy books; everything in it has been put for our use, and for our sake, even things we do not understand. Indeed, we can not know everything absolutely, with perfect accuracy; but if we try to explain, according to the scope of our mind, the difficult places, it is because they contain, even so, a hidden treasure, deeply hidden, and difficult to discover. Consider, then, as the Scripture, tell everything, in a very clear manner, and show us the purpose that the daughters of the just man propose, in a way sufficient to prevent anyone from considering you do not condemn either the righteous or the daughters of the just, as if this trade were the effect of incontinence. How, then, does Scripture excuse fair-skinned girls? The eldest, according to the text, says to the youngest: Our father is old and there is no one on earth who will come to us according to the custom of all countries. Carefully consider the purpose, and you will see that they are above all accusation. Indeed, they thought that they had witnessed a general destruction of the whole world; that there was not one survivor; they then saw the old age of their father. So, says the eldest, so that our race subsists, so that our name does not die (this was indeed the greatest concern of the old men, to extend their race by the succession of their children); so, she says, so that our race is not entirely destroyed, and that especially when our father. is already overwhelmed with old age, when there is not a man who can unite with us, so that it is possible for us to extend and leave, after us, our race: Come, she says to prevent this misfortune, let us give wine to our father. It is as if she were saying: our father would not bear our words, let us deceive him with wine. So they gave their father that night wine, and the eldest slept with him without feeling, when she lay down, or when she got up. (Gen. 19:33) Do you see how divine Scripture excuses the righteous, not only once, but twice. First, by showing that her daughters deceived her with wine, she declared that they had no other means of deciding their father; and now, I believe that it is an arrangement from above that has allowed it to be sufficiently heavy with wine to ignore everything absolutely, so as to remain innocent. Indeed, the sins that condemn us are those that we do knowingly and voluntarily. See the care taken by the Scripture to render for the just witness that he, personally, ignored all that had happened. But here another question arises, about drunkenness. It is advisable, in fact, to examine everything, in order not to leave to the impudent perversity any pretense of slander. What shall we say about this intoxication? it did not result in him as much intemperance as sadness and despondency.

Let no man allow himself to be condemned, either the righteous man or the daughters of the righteous man. What would not be our madness, our delirium, when we see the divine Scripture absolve them fully, more, justify them with a care so jealous, to go to condemn them, we who are charged with sins without number? Let's hear the voice of Paul: It is God who justifies, who will dare to condemn? (Romans VIII, 33, 34.) And which proves that this action was not the unthinking effect of an ordinary passion; that the excess of sadness and the wine left him no sentiment, listen to the Scripture: The next day, the eldest said to the youngest daughter: You know that I slept yesterday with my father; give him wine to drink tonight, and you will also sleep with him, that we may keep our father's seed.  (Gen. 19:34)  See what safety of conscience she was doing this action. Since I was able, said the elder, to do what I wanted, it is necessary that you too do the same thing; perhaps we will obtain what we desire, and our race will not perish forever. So, that night, they gave wine to their father, and his second daughter slept with him, without feeling either, when she went to bed, or when she got up. (Gen. 19:35) Consider, my beloved, that all that happened there is the work of a divine disposition, as it happened for the first man. He slept, took a rib, and felt nothing; whoever made this rib pulled out Adam's wife. The fact of today is of the same nature. If the coast was removed in a moment when thought, by the order of God, did not notice it, in the absence of all feeling for man, much more so was it, for the fact that concerns us. The Divine Scripture says: The Lord God sent a deep sleep to Adam, and he slept. (Gen. II, 21.) She expresses a fact of the same kind by these words: Without feeling, neither when she lay down, nor when she rose. Thus, says the text, they conceived. their father; the eldest bore a son, and she called him Moab, that is, of my father; he is the father of the Moabites; the second also bore a son, and she called him Ammon, that is, the son of my race; he is the father of the Ammonites. (Gen. 19:36-38) You see that this is not a work of incontinence, since, at once, they give their sons names which express the fact; they inscribe in the names of their sons, as on columns, the fact that they have accomplished; they mark in advance the nations that must leave their children; they indicate the propagation of their race which will form peoples. One, indeed, will be the father of the Moabites, the other that of the Ammonites.

6. Let us now consider that at that time, in these early times, when things began, we wished to preserve our memory by the succession of our race; hence the strong concern of the just-man's daughters. Today, on the contrary, by the grace of God, religion has grown, and, as Blessed Paul says, The figure of this world passes. (I Corinthians 7:31) It is through our good works that we must ensure our love. so that, after our departure from here below, the attentive and minute examination of our life, be an example, a teaching, for all those who turn their eyes upon us. It is because the virtuous men, the chaste and pure men, can be useful not only in this life, but after their departure from this life, to those who contemplate them, See the proof, I tell you conjure, in the great number of years that have passed from Joseph to the present day; in what happens whenever we want to bring men to continence. It is Joseph whom we propose, that handsome and graceful young man, who, in the flower of his age, shows such virile wisdom, so much chastity, so much modesty. This is the means by which we endeavor to provoke, in those who listen to us, the imitation of the virtues that this righteous person has shown in him. Who would not admire this blessed indeed? he is a slave; he is in the flower of youth; at the age when concupiscence is a furnace more than ever brilliant; he sees the wife of his master, who throws himself upon him in the delirium of passion, and he shows a heroic courage, and he has exercised so well in temperance struggles, that he escapes out of the embraces from this woman to unbridled desires. He runs away from her, stripped of her clothes, but dressed in her chastity that he keeps. And at this hour, we could see, strange, incredible wonder, the lamb in the power of the wolf, let's say better. under the nail of the lioness, and yet the lamb was saved. And, as the dove avoids the greenhouse of, the eagle, so this just escapes the hands of this woman. No, I do not admire so much the victory of the three young men, triumphing over the flame in the midst of the furnace of Babylon; I do not admire their intact flesh, as much as I admire, that I am astonished and stupefied at seeing this righteous in this furnace, much more formidable than the furnace of Babylon, exposed to incontinence, I say the incontinence of an Egyptian, and remaining intact to the end, and preserving her cloak of chastity uncut. But do not be too surprised, my beloved ones; it was because he contributed to the resources that were in him that he obtained as an auxiliary grace from above, to extinguish this fire, to rain in the middle of the furnace the dew of the Holy Spirit.  Have you understood well how men endowed with virtue are for us, and for all the time they remain on earth in our midst, and after their departure from this life of the greatest utility? And that is why we have made this righteous among you; it is so that we all follow his example. So, let us imitate him all, and triumph over our concupiscence, instructed by these words: We have to fight not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, and powers, against the princes of the world of this dark age (Ephes VI, 12); and in the thought that we, clothed in our body, are forced to struggle against incorporeal powers, fortify ourselves with the weapons of the Spirit. That is why the Lord, because he is kind to man, and because we are clothed with flesh, and because we have to support a fight against invisible powers, has prepared for us also weapons invisible. He wishes that by this help we triumph over all our enemies. Well, then! assured of the virtue of our arms, let us contribute to the resources which are in us, and it will be given to us, thanks to these spiritual weapons, to strike the demon in the face, because it will not be able to support the brightness of our armor; whatever efforts he makes to keep up with us, he will soon be blinded. Where continence, honesty, and the concurrence of all other virtues are shown, there is also promptly the magnificent grace of the Holy Spirit. From there, what Blessed Paul said: Try to have peace with everyone, and holiness. (Hebrews xii, 14.) Purify, then, I beseech you, our conscience; let us give to our souls purity, so that, freed from all defilement, we force the Spirit to communicate to us his precious gifts, in order to overcome the perfidies of the devil, and to deserve the enjoyment of ineffable goods by grace and by the goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belongs, as to the Father and to the Holy Spirit, glory, now and forever, and for ever and ever. Amen. [Homilies on Genesis]