Who was Lot in the bible?

Lot (Λώτ) is a biblical figure mentioned in the New Testament as someone whose “days” were marked by ordinary life in a corrupt setting and whose departure from Sodom preceded a sudden, devastating judgment. He is also explicitly called “righteous Lot,” described as deeply troubled by the wickedness around him.

Lot in Scripture

Jesus refers to “the days of Lot” while describing a future time of revelation and judgment, placing Lot’s era alongside “the days of Noah.” In this setting, the emphasis falls on how normal life continued right up to the moment of calamity.

“Likewise, even as it was in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;” (Luke 17:28)

Jesus then singles out a decisive turning point: Lot’s exit from Sodom, which is immediately followed by destruction from the sky. The narrative detail given is brief but sharp—Lot “went out,” and judgment fell.

“but in the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from the sky and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:29)

This reference to Lot is embedded in a wider warning about the suddenness of judgment and the need not to turn back. The broader context begins by comparing a coming day to Noah’s time and then parallels it with Lot’s time, stressing the continuation of normal routines until the decisive day arrived.

“As it was in the days of Noah, even so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man.” (Luke 17:26)

“They ate, they drank, they married, and they were given in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ship, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” (Luke 17:27)

After invoking Lot’s departure and the destruction that followed, Jesus applies the pattern to “the day that the Son of Man is revealed,” adding specific instructions that reinforce urgency and the danger of hesitation. In this frame, Lot’s story functions as an example of a critical moment when leaving (and not turning back) matters.

“It will be the same way in the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” (Luke 17:30)

“In that day, he who will be on the housetop and his goods in the house, let him not go down to take them away. Let him who is in the field likewise not turn back.” (Luke 17:31)

At the center of this warning is a brief but pointed mention of Lot’s wife, used as a memorable admonition within the surrounding call not to turn back.

“Remember Lot’s wife!” (Luke 17:32)

The immediate context continues with sayings about losing and preserving life, and about separation—one taken and another left—building a picture of a dividing moment that arrives while people are in the middle of ordinary activities.

“Whoever seeks to save his life loses it, but whoever loses his life preserves it.” (Luke 17:33)

“I tell you, in that night there will be two people in one bed. One will be taken and the other will be left.” (Luke 17:34)

“There will be two grinding grain together. One will be taken and the other will be left.” (Luke 17:35)

In 2 Peter, Lot appears in a different kind of argument: an assurance that the Lord can rescue the godly and also judge the ungodly. Here Lot is portrayed not simply as a point in a historical comparison, but as a morally characterized individual—explicitly “righteous,” emotionally and spiritually burdened by the environment in which he lived.

“and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked” (2 Peter 2:7)

The surrounding context in 2 Peter places Lot alongside the example of Noah and then discusses the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, describing those cities’ fate as an “example” for the ungodly. In that flow of thought, Lot’s deliverance stands out as the rescue of a righteous person amid wider judgment.

“and didn’t spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly;” (2 Peter 2:5)

“and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example to those who would live in an ungodly way;” (2 Peter 2:6)

Peter expands on Lot’s inner experience in a parenthetical explanation, emphasizing that his distress was not momentary but ongoing—“from day to day”—as he encountered “lawless deeds.” The language repeats the description “righteous man” and connects his torment to what he “seeing and hearing” while dwelling among the wicked.

“(for that righteous man dwelling among them was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds):” (2 Peter 2:8)

The conclusion drawn from these examples is framed generally: the Lord knows how to deliver the godly and how to keep the unrighteous under punishment toward judgment. Lot’s rescue is one of the concrete illustrations supporting this claim.

“the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,” (2 Peter 2:9)

Across these passages, the scriptural portrait is consistent in two main lines: (1) Lot is associated with Sodom and a departure from it before catastrophic destruction (“in the day that Lot went out from Sodom”), and (2) Lot is described as “righteous” and deeply troubled by the wickedness surrounding him (“very distressed,” “tormented in his righteous soul”).

Name and Meaning

In Greek the name is written Λώτ, transliterated Lot and pronounced “lote.” The lexicon notes that the Greek form is of Hebrew origin (H03876), identifying the biblical figure by the same name.

Observation

Luke highlights the sudden shift from routine life to irreversible judgment—“they ate, they drank… they built,” yet “in the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from the sky”—while 2 Peter emphasizes that this deliverance involved “righteous Lot,” whose daily experience among the wicked was one of deep moral distress.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Lot mean?

Lot means “Lot.”

How many times does Lot appear in the Bible?

Lot appears 4 times.

Who was Lot?

Lot is a biblical figure mentioned in the New Testament. He is described as “righteous Lot” who was “very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked” (2 Peter 2:7).

What happened on the day Lot went out from Sodom?

“In the day that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from the sky and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:29).

Explore Further

If you found this page about Lot interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.

Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).