Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Genesis 19:29/רמב"ן על בראשית י״ט:כ״ט

אוַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת אַבְרָהָם וַיְשַׁלַּח אֶת לוֹט עִנְיַן הַכָּתוּב הַזֶּה כִּי לוֹט נִתְחַסֵּד עִם הַצַּדִּיק לָלֶכֶת עִמּוֹ לָשׁוּט בָּאָרֶץ בַּאֲשֶׁר יֵלֵךְ, וְהוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית י"ב:ד') "וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתּוֹ לוֹט", כִּי לְצֶוֶת שֶׁלּוֹ הָלַךְ, וְלָכֵן הָיָה לוֹ זְכוּת לְהַצִּילוֹ בִּזְכוּת אַבְרָהָם, כִּי בַּעֲבוּרוֹ הוּא גָּר בִּסְדוֹם, וְלוּלֵי אַבְרָהָם עוֹדֶנּוּ הָיָה בְּחָרָן עִם מוֹלַדְתּוֹ, וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן שֶׁתָּבֹא אֵלָיו רָעָה בַּעֲבוּר אַבְרָהָם שֶׁיָּצָא בְּמִצְוֹת קוֹנוֹ. וְגַם זֶה הָיָה הָעִנְיָן שֶׁשָּׂם אַבְרָהָם נַפְשׁוֹ בְּכַפּוֹ לִרְדֹּף הַמְּלָכִים בַּעֲבוּרוֹ:

1AND G-D REMEMBERED ABRAHAM, AND SENT LOT OUT FROM THE CATASTROPHE. The purport of this verse is that Lot had shown kindness towards the righteous one²⁵⁹ by going with him and roaming here and there, following him wherever he went. This is the intent of the verse, And Lot went with him,²⁶⁰ meaning that he went at Abraham’s command. Therefore he had the merit to be saved on account of Abraham’s meritoriousness as it was on account of him that he lived in Sodom, and were it not for Abraham he would have still been in Haran with his family. Now it is inconceivable that some evil should overtake him [Lot] because of Abraham who had left his country at his Creator’s command. This was also the reason why Abraham endangered himself by pursuing the kings on account of him.²⁶¹, 14:14.