Genesis 19:37

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same [is] the father of the Moabites unto this day.

Complete Jewish Bible:

The older one gave birth to a son and called him Mo'av; he is the ancestor of Mo'av to this day.

Berean Standard Bible:

The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the father of the Moabites of today.

American Standard Version:

And the first-born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And the firstborn{H1067} bare{H3205} a son{H1121}, and called{H7121} his name{H8034} Moab{H4124}: the same{H1931} is the father{H1} of the Moabites{H4124} unto this day{H3117}.

Cross-References (KJV):

Deuteronomy 2:9

  • And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land [for] a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot [for] a possession.

Ruth 4:10

  • Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate of his place: ye [are] witnesses this day.

2 Kings 3:1

  • ¶ Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.

2 Kings 3:27

  • Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him [for] a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to [their own] land.

Deuteronomy 2:19

  • And [when] thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon [any] possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot [for] a possession.

Deuteronomy 23:3

  • An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:

2 Samuel 8:1

  • ¶ And after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

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Commentary for Genesis 19:37

Genesis 19:37 is part of the narrative concerning Lot, his daughters, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The verse specifically references the birth of Moab, the ancestor of the Moabite people. The broader historical context is rooted in the patriarchal narratives of the Bible, which describe the origins and early history of the Israelite people.

**Themes:**

1. **Consequences of Sin:** The birth of Moab is a direct result of the incestuous acts of Lot's daughters, who, believing themselves to be the last people on earth after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, decide to bear children by their father. This act is portrayed as a desperate measure born out of a sinful environment, highlighting the moral decay that can lead to dire consequences.

2. **Divine Judgment and Mercy:** The story of Lot and his family is set against the backdrop of divine judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot's escape and the subsequent survival of his lineage through his daughters' actions illustrate God's mercy, even in the midst of judgment.

3. **Nations and Their Origins:** The verse contributes to the biblical theme of the origins of various nations, linking them to the patriarchs. Moab becomes an important nation in the region, with significant interactions with the Israelites throughout their history.

4. **Genealogy and Identity:** The naming of Moab and the establishment of his lineage are important for understanding the ancestral connections and identity markers within the biblical narrative. Genealogy often serves to establish legitimacy and historical connections between peoples and events in the biblical texts.

**Historical Context:**

The Moabites were an ancient people who lived east of the Dead Sea in what is now modern-day Jordan. They had a complex relationship with the Israelites, ranging from hostility to kinship, as the Moabites were related to the Israelites through Abraham's nephew Lot. The Moabites feature prominently in other parts of the Bible, such as in the book of Ruth, where Ruth, a Moabite woman, becomes an ancestor of King David, and in the prophetic books, where they are often the subject of prophecies concerning their fate and relationship with Israel.

In summary, Genesis 19:37 is a verse that encapsulates the themes of sin and its consequences, divine judgment and mercy, and the origins of nations, specifically the Moabites. It is set within the broader context of the early history of the Israelite people and their interactions with neighboring tribes and nations.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

  1. Strong's Number: H1067
    There are 6 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בְּכִירָה
    Transliteration: bᵉkîyrâh
    Pronunciation: bek-ee-raw'
    Description: xlit bekîyrâh corrected to bᵉkîyrâh; feminine from בָּכַר; the eldest daughter; firstborn.
  2. Strong's Number: H3205
    There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יָלַד
    Transliteration: yâlad
    Pronunciation: yaw-lad'
    Description: a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage; bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).
  3. Strong's Number: H1121
    There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: בֵּן
    Transliteration: bên
    Pronunciation: bane
    Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
  4. Strong's Number: H7121
    There are 689 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: קָרָא
    Transliteration: qârâʼ
    Pronunciation: kaw-raw'
    Description: a primitive root (rather identical with קָרָא through the idea of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications); bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.
  5. Strong's Number: H8034
    There are 771 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: שֵׁם
    Transliteration: shêm
    Pronunciation: shame
    Description: a primitive word (perhaps rather from through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; compare שָׁמַיִם); an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character; [phrase] base, (in-) fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.
  6. Strong's Number: H4124
    There are 158 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: מוֹאָב
    Transliteration: Môwʼâb
    Pronunciation: mo-awb
    Description: from a prolonged form of the prepositional prefix m-and אָב; from (her (the mother's)) father; Moab, an incestuous son of Lot; also his territory and descendants; Moab.
  7. Strong's Number: H1931
    There are 39 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: הוּא
    Transliteration: hûwʼ
    Pronunciation: hoo
    Description: of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is הִיא; a primitive word, the third person pronoun singular; he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are; he, as for her, him(-self), it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they, this, those, which (is), who.
  8. Strong's Number: H1
    There are 15773 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אָב
    Transliteration: ʼâb
    Pronunciation: awb
    Description: a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.
  9. Strong's Number: H3117
    There are 1931 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: יוֹם
    Transliteration: yôwm
    Pronunciation: yome
    Description: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger.