Bible Trivia - 9/10/2008

Question: What common ancestor do Ammonites and Moabites have?

Answer: Lot. (Genesis 19:37-38)

Comments: The Ammonites and Moabites were national enemies to Israel. Genesis 19 records their origins as being from a drunken, incestuous union between Lot and his two daughters. Moab, patriarch of the Moabites, was the son of Lot's firstborn daughter while Ben-ammi, the ancestor of the Ammonites, was the offspring of the younger daughter.

The firstborn bore a son, and called his name Moab; he is the father of the Moabites to this day. As for the younger, she also bore a son, and called his name Ben-ammi; he is the father of the sons of Ammon to this day. (Genesis 19:37-38, NASB)

Both Moab and Ben-ammi are both allusions to the accounts of their parentage. Ben-ammi means "son of my kinsman". Moab's meaning is less obvious, but the intent is the same. Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaki (1040-1105) explains the word Mo'ab to mean "from the father", since ab in Hebrew and Arabic and the rest of the semitic languages means father.

Note: This oil on canvas is Orazio Gentileschi (1563-1639)'s "Lot and his Daughters" (Lot e le figlie)").