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Ramban on Genesis 19:12/רמב"ן על בראשית י״ט:י״ב

אחָתָן וּבָנֶיךָ וּבְנוֹתֶיךָ לְשׁוֹן רַשִׁ"י (רש"י על בראשית י"ט:י"ב) מִי מִשֶּׁלְּךָ עוֹד בָּעִיר חוּץ מֵאִשְׁתְּךָ וּבְנוֹתֶיךָ שֶׁבַּבַּיִת, אִם יֵשׁ לְךָ חָתָן אוֹ בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת הוֹצֵא מִן הַמָּקוֹם. וְאִם כֵּן יִהְיֶה דִּבּוּרָם כְּדֶרֶךְ בְּנֵי אָדָם, שֶׁהוּא לֹא הָיָה לוֹ בָּנִים כִּי אִם בָּנוֹת. וְרַבִּי אַבְרָהָם אָמַר (אבן עזרא על בראשית י"ט:י"ב) "חָתָן וּבָנֶיךָ", חֲתָנִים שֶׁהֵם כְּבָנֶיךָ. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים גְּדוֹלִים נְשׂוּאֵי נָשִׁים וְדִבֵּר עִם חֲתָנָיו תְּחִלָּה, כִּי הָיָה סָבוּר שֶׁבָּנָיו יִשְׁמְעוּ לוֹ, וְכַאֲשֶׁר צָחֲקוּ עָלָיו חֲתָנָיו וְאָרְכוּ הַדְּבָרִים בֵּינֵיהֶם, הַשַּׁחַר עָלָה וְהַמַּלְאָכִים לֹא הִנִּיחוּהוּ לָקַחַת רַק הַנִּמְצָאִים אִתּוֹ בַּבַּיִת. וְהִנֵּה זְכוּתוֹ שֶׁל לוֹט הָיָה מַצִּיל בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת וַחֲתָנִים, לֹא כַּאֲשֶׁר חָשַׁב אַבְרָהָם שֶׁיָּמִית צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע. וּבָרוּר הוּא שֶׁהָיוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים יוֹדְעִים דַּעַת עֶלְיוֹן בָּזֶה, כִּי גַּם צוֹעַר בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ נִמְלְטָה. וְיִתָּכֵן שֶׁהָיָה זֶה לִכְבוֹד הָאַכְסַנְיָא, כִּי דֶּרֶךְ מוּסָר לַשְּׁלוּחִים לְהַצִּיל בַּעַל בֵּיתָם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ, כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ שְׁלוּחֵי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (יהושע ו כג) שֶׁהִצִּילוּ גַּם כָּל מִשְׁפַּחַת בַּעֲלַת בֵּיתָם (בראשית רבה נ':י"א), לוֹט עַל יְדֵי שֶׁכִּבֵּד אֶת הַמַּלְאָךְ נָשָׂא לוֹ פָּנִים:

1SON-IN-LAW, AND THY SONS, AND THY DAUGHTERS. Rashi comments: “Whom else of your family have you in the city besides your wife and daughters who are at home with you? If you have additionally a son-in-law, or sons and daughters, take them out from this place.” Now if so, they [the angels] spoke in the manner of ordinary people for Lot had no sons, only daughters.Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra explained: “Son-in-law, and thy sons — sons-in-law who are [as dear to you] as your sons.”It is possible that Lot had grown sons who were married, and he spoke with his sons-in-law first as he thought that his own sons would listen to him [and leave the place]. But as his sons-in-law laughed at him and their conversation continued, dawn appeared, and the angels only permitted him to take those who were at hand. Thus the merit of Lot could have saved his sons and daughters and sons-in-law, not as Abraham had thought that He would make the righteous perish with the wicked.²³² It is clear that the angels were acquainted with the knowledge of the Most High on this matter since the city of Zoar was also saved by his prayer.²³³It is possible that [the salvation of Lot’s family was not on account of his merit but] was in honor of his hospitality for it is the ethical way of messengers to save their host and all that belong to him, just as the messengers of Joshua also saved all the families of their hostess.²³⁴ And in Bereshith Rabbah²³⁵ it is said, “Because Lot honored the angel by offering him hospitality, he in turn befriended Lot.”²³⁶