What is the interpretation of Genesis 19, 5-8?

Question

5 They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”

6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him 7 and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. 8 Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”

What are the facts that happened before this event that led people to ask to Lot this? (If there are) Why he give such a strong answer? Obviously because a messenger of G-d cannot be touched and he must protect him, but he does not even try to bargain or to persuade people not to touch the angels and he immediately offers them his daughters. Why? Maybe this facts are not strange since we are talking about Sodoma, but maybe further explanation will help me to understand better this passage. Thanks.

Answer 1

(Presumably, Lot doesn't yet know that these men he's housing are special, he just thinks it's nice to have guests -- something he picked up from his uncle Abraham.)

There's an angry mob surrounding the house, in a town known for its wickedness -- and that wickedness, according to classical Jewish thought, was a system that enforced "no freeloaders and no charity to encourage freeloaders!"

Answer 2

As Shalom said, it appears that Lot does not yet know who these people are; he is following the traditions of Abraham and in most cities outside of Sodom where any guest is subject to protection. I believe that the Sodomites knew that their traditions of sodomizing visitors was contrary to accepted practices outside. According to Rashi, they rejected Lot's proposal to substitute his own daughters for his guests and understand it to be a criticism of them. "How dare you criticize us" they tell Lot (as understood by Rashi); they tell Lot that he, himself, is not one of them, he is just a sojourner, and therefore has no right to be critical of their behavior.

Answer 3

It seems the idea of Lot's suggestion is two-fold (both intended to portray Sodomites in not as bad a light as Divine Justice perceives the scene):

1. Substitute sodomy, prohibited for Noachides, with sleeping with an unmarried girl, which is allowed for them.
2. Diverting punishment of the people toward his guests and subsituting it for uncontrolled sexual urge.

Particularly in light of the 2nd consideration, they protest that they did not come to fulfill a sexual urge, but rather to exercise the law of the town. This is what brings down the Divine punishment - not monstrous behavior by itself, but institutionalizing it as law...

In addition, the concept of offering his own daughters for such a proposition was disapproved of by Hashem (Lot's good intentions notwithstanding) -- the medrash learns

A man usually allows himself to be killed in order to save his wife and children, while Lot was willing to allow the townspeople to abuse his daughters. In response to this, the Holy One, blessed be He, says to Lot: By your life, the improper act that you intended to be done to your daughters will indeed be committed, but to you. (Tanchuma Vayera 12)