So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry[a] his daughters. He said, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.
Genesis 19:14 (NIV)
[a] Or were married to
The rabbis debate over the size of Lot’s family. When his two daughters are first introduced, Lot says that they haven’t “known a man,” which sounds like unwed women.
But when the text introduces Lot’s sons-in-law, we are presented with interpretational challenges.
On the one hand, scholars point out that this word חָתָן (hatan) “son-in-law” most often means just that. They are married. The first twelve times (starting here in v14) this word appears in Scripture, it means “husband of the daughter.” They are married.
So the rabbis wonder: maybe these sons-in-law are married to other daughters who live elsewhere in the city and aren’t connected to the two at home. When the angels ask about family in the city, there are others out there: sons-in-law, other sons, and other daughters.
The two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here — sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here.”
Genesis 19:12 (NIV)
Another view is that these “sons in law” are actually betrothed to the first two daughters, and that Lot was being a little tricky when he offered them to the mob. He was technically correct, but was being deceptive.
It is unclear. But what can we learn from the different interpretations?
If there is more family, perhaps it points forward to the Exodus, when some Israelites failed to obey the instruction to cover their doorposts with blood. Their firstborn sons were not spared, so it should be understood that just because you are family doesn’t mean that you are safe. You have to actually obey and exit the city, whether Sodom or Egypt.
But suppose these the men who are betrothed to the two daughteres first mentioned in the story. They are future husbands.
This word hatan is also translated “bridegroom,” and it points to God’s heart towards his people.
As a young man marries a young woman,
so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,
so will your God rejoice over you.
Isaiah 62:5 (NIV)
In this interpretation, we are shown an opposite. These wicked men of Sodom are anti-bridegrooms. Rather than rejoicing over and protecting their future brides, they don’t take Lot seriously. Their commitments to Lot’s daughters are meaningless, as they don’t stand with the daughters to protect them or be with them.
In this interpretation, these sons-in-law represent a corruption of hatan. Everything about Sodom is broken.