Catholic Dictionary
Find accurate definitions of over 5,000 Catholic terms and phrases (including abbreviations). Based on Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life. Used with permission.
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LOT
Son of Haran and nephew of Abraham. The most significant part of Lot's life was spent with his uncle. He accompanied Abraham from Ur to Haran and later to Canaan (Genesis 11:31). Both of them prospered. Eventually they parted, Lot settling in Sodom on the fertile Jordan plain (Genesis 13). He faced disaster when he was captured by hostile kings and his wealth confiscated, but Abraham gathered his forces, rescued his nephew, and recovered Lot's property (Genesis 14). A new crisis developed when Yahweh decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the sinful lives of the people. Out of consideration for Abraham, Yahweh sent two angels to Lot to urge him to leave Sodom with his wife and daughters before the rain of brimstone and fire descended on the doomed cities. Lot's wife ignored the angels' warning not to look back and was turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:15-29). Centuries later Jesus referred to these events when he warned his listeners that "the days of the Son of Man" would come when the good would be saved and sinners destroyed (Luke 17:26-37). Lot and his daughters were responsible for the birth of sons who were eponymous ancestors of the Moabites and the Ammonites. Occasionally they are referred to as the "Sons of Lot" (Genesis 19:31-38).
