What caught my eye in these passage were two things. First, the obligation to show hospitality is demonstrated twice, once by Abraham and once by Lot. They are both very insistent that these visitors (the Lord and two angels?) accept their offering of a great meal, and a place to lodge. The offering of the meal, the first refusal, and then the insistence depict a ritual custom of these peoples.
The second thing I notice is the cultural morality taking place. For example, Lot offers up his daughters to the townspeople of Sodom to prevent an assault on the two men (angels?) who visit him. This seems all wrong … from the lust of the Sodomites, to the seeming lack of worth ascribed to the daughters. And then the daughters have sex with the dad to ensure the continuation of the line of descent.
One conclusion we can draw is that the extending of hospitality holds a higher value than protection of one’s daughters, and in turn, the protection of the family line holds a higher value than how that line is maintained.
Psalm note: Verse 17 — I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness
and sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
