Abraham and Sarah’s Adoption of Lot
I have been studying Genesis recently and came across a portion of Scripture that made me think of adoption. I’ve mentioned Sarah in a previous essay about Infertility. In Genesis 11, I was reading through a genealogy of Abraham. Generally, I find these to be rather boring, but yesterday, it certainly was not! It mentions in verse 27-30 that Haran fathered Lot. Haran died in the presence of his father.In the next section of verses it mentions Nahor and his wife Milcah and Abram and Sarai. It makes special note that Sarai was barren.
The chapter closes with Terah (the grandfather), Abram, Lot and Sarai leaving Ur of the Chaldeas for Canaan and settling in Haran.
In this description of the line of Abraham, we see a few specifics mentioned that are not typical for genealogies. One that Lot’s father dies before Terah, and that Sarah was barren.
Is this the first recorded instance of adoption in the Bible? I think it could be. Certainly there could have been adoptions before, but this is the first time one is mentioned. Sarai, a woman who had no children of her own, becomes the mother to Lot.
Now, I don’t know why I thought this, but I always pictured Lot as adult who just went with Abraham. It never occurred to me that he was fatherless and that Abram and Sarai had taken him with them as their own.
Scripture does not use the term “adopt” here, but think of their relationship throughout Genesis. Abram does everything for Lot, he truly loves him. He gives him the good land, and he petitions God to save his life when he is in Sodom and Gomorrah. Does that not seem like a parent child relationship?
While infertility brings pain to many mothers, I believe it can be used for God’s glory. There are so many children who need loving parents, maybe this seeming trial is God’s good plan for you and the child you are called to adopt. It seems to me that Abraham and Sarah’s infertility was used in the life of Lot.
Martin LaBar
1216 days ago
Hmmm. Interesting. You may be on to something.
Keri
1215 days ago
I’m glad you think so. The Bible does not mention details that are not important. I’ve never heard a Biblical scholar mention this, but I think it is possible.