A character from the Bible around whom there are several amusing and sickening stories.

Lot was the nephew of Abraham (not, not Linlcoln, who doesn't show up in most Bibles). Lot seperated from his uncle and his uncle's nomadic lifestyle, and settled in the city of Sodom, where he was pretty unhappy, since the people of that city were crazy, pagan, and decadent. They were so evil and decadent, in fact, that God decided to take the city (along with its sister city, Gomorrah) out. Abaraham, hearing of this, feared for his newphew's life, and therefore begged God to spare the city. He convinced God to not destroy it if there were 50 righteous people in it. He then negotiated some more, and got the number down to 45. Then he convinced God to leave it alone if there were 40. Then 30. Then 20. Then 10.

Well, God couldn't find 10 righteous people in the entire city of Sodom, so he sent some angels to warn Lot to leave, since he was going to wreck the place. When the angels got there, they were dressed like ordinary people, and the people of Sodom wanted to rape them. Lot offered the people his two virgin daughters with which he said the people could do "whatever is good in your eyes." So, at any rate, Lot and his family wound up leaving the city, with the proviso from the angels that if any one of them should look back, that person would turn to a pillar of salt. Lot's wife looked back, and that's how she became a big chunk of NaCl (this, of course, bears and interesting resemblance to the story of Orpheus and Eurydice).

So Lot and his two daughters left the city, and it was razed by God.

They took refuge in this cave, and his daughters were dreadfully frightened that the whole of the Jewish world had been destroyed along with Sodom and Gomorrah. Thinking they would never find husbands or might have to repopulate their race or something, they got Lot drunk and had sex with him.

From their incest, the children Moab, whose line of children would ultimately become the Moabites, and Ammon, whose line would become the Ammonites, were begat. The Moabites and the Ammonites were two Canaanite tribes who were archenemies with the Jews, and therefore this story provided a sort of justification for the Jews fighting with them and taking their land, since they arose from an unholy and wicked act.

Also, it allowed the Jews to make jokes about how they were inbred hillbillies and so on.

Lot (?), n. [AS. hlot; akin to hleotan to cast lots, OS. hlt lot, D. lot, G. loos, OHG. lz, Icel. hlutr, Sw. lott, Dan. lod, Goth. hlauts. Cf. Allot, Lotto, Lottery.]

1.

That which happens without human design or forethought; chance; accident; hazard; fortune; fate.

But save my life, which lot before your foot doth lay. Spenser.

2.

Anything (as a die, pebble, ball, or slip of paper) used in determining a question by chance, or without man's choice or will; as, to cast or draw lots.

The lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Prov. xvi. 33.

If we draw lots, he speeds. Shak.

3.

The part, or fate, which falls to one, as it were, by chance, or without his planning.

O visions ill foreseen! Each day's lot's Enough to bear. Milton.

He was but born to try The lot of man -- to suffer and to die. Pope.

4.

A separate portion; a number of things taken collectively; as, a lot of stationery; -- colloquially, sometimes of people; as, a sorry lot; a bad lot.

I, this winter, met with a very large lot of English heads, chiefly of the reign of James I. Walpole.

5.

A distinct portion or plot of land, usually smaller than a field; as, a building lot in a city.

The defendants leased a house and lot in the city of New York. Kent.

6.

A large quantity or number; a great deal; as, to spend a lot of money; lots of people think so.

[Colloq.]

He wrote to her . . . he might be detained in London by a lot of business. W. Black.

7.

A prize in a lottery.

[Obs.]

Evelyn.

To cast in one's lot with, to share the fortunes of. -- To cast lots, to use or throw a die, or some other instrument, by the unforeseen turn or position of which, an event is by previous agreement determined. -- To draw lots, to determine an event, or make a decision, by drawing one thing from a number whose marks are concealed from the drawer. -- To pay scot and lot, to pay taxes according to one's ability. See Scot.

 

© Webster 1913.


Lot (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lotted (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Lotting (?).]

To allot; to sort; to portion.

[R.]

To lot onupon, to count or reckon upon; to expect with pleasure. [Colloq. U. S.]

 

© Webster 1913.

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