Why didn't Hashem tell Avraham what would happen to Lot?

Question

We see that Avraham cares for Lot, as is shown in Bereishis perek 14, where Avraham goes after 4 kings in order to save Lot. Why then, when Hashem tells Avraham that He's going to destroy Sodom, doesn't He say that He'll save Lot? Also, why doesn't Avraham ask Hashem what Lot's fate will be?

Answer 1

I think the answer is that Avraham knew that Hashem would save Lot. Either because Hashem told him and it is just not in the text (because it is not relevant for future generations) or because he saw two angels left for Sodom and if Lot was not being saved, only one angel would have been necessary. See Rashi to Genesis 19:1.

That's why when Avraham prays for Sodom et al to be spared, he does not pray specifically for Lot (who would be saved based on Avraham's merit) but for the cities as a whole.

I am editing my answer to add an additional peshat. Perhaps the reason Avraham does not daven for Lot is because he has given up on him. Lot first camped near Sodom because he was attracted by its wealth (Bereishis 13:10), despite knowing that Sodom was evil. Then Lot was taken captive because he chose to live in or near evil Sodom. (Bereishis 14:12, Rashi ad loc.) Despite Lot bringing this tragedy upon himself, Avraham risked his life (and his zechusim) to save Lot.

Then what does Lot do as soon as Avraham rescues him? He moves back to Sodom! He even becomes a member of the government. Lot should have moved as far from Sodom as he could. Instead, he ignored the cause of his suffering and went right back to the evil that enticed him the first time.

So why should Avraham daven for him? Why should Avraham ask Hashem for special favors to save Lot? Lot had his chance and chose Sodom.

Indeed, when the Torah (Bereishis 19:29) appears to say that Lot was saved from the zechus of Avraham or for the benefit of Avraham, Rashi explains that this is not pshat. Rather, Lot was saved on his own merit for protecting Avraham's secret when they were in Egypt. Why does Rashi feel the need to read the posuk differently than the poshut reading? Because Avraham was no longer willing to use his zechusim to save his nephew. He was no longer going to bat or defending Lot.

From this point forward Avraham has no connection to Lot in the pesukim.

Answer 2

There can be several answers. According to Rabbi Saadia Gaon on Bereshis 18:32 the 10 righteous people in Sodom were

ד. כסבור היה, שיש בסדום עשרה [צדיקים]: לוט ואשתו, ארבע בנותיו וארבעת חתניו. וראיה לכך, שארבע בנות היו ללוט ממה שנאמר: וידבר אל חתניו לוקחי בנותיו הנשואות, וכשלא יצאו אלה, אמרו לו המלאכים: קח את שתי בנותיך הנמצאות, וחשב אברהם שארבעתן נשואות.

He believed that Sodom had ten [righteous]: Lot and his wife, his four daughters, and four sons-in-law. The proof that Lot had four daughters is from what is said (Gen 19:14) “and he spoke to his sons-in-law, who had married his daughters,” they were married. And when they would not come with him, the angels said to him (Gen 19:15), “take the two daughters who are with you.” But Abraham thought all four of them were married.

This answer means that Hashem told Avraham about Lot. The opinion is contested by Radak on Bereshis 18:32:

לא זכר לו לוט שיצילנו כי חשב שיכלה בכלל הרשעים כיון שנשתקע וישב אצלם ולא היה לו דרך להנצל אם לא יצא מן העיר, גם לא ידע אם היה צדיק או למד ממעשיהם.

And he (Avraham) didn’t mention Lot, to ask for him to be saved, since he thought that he would be destroyed among the wicked, since he assimilated into them and dwelt with them, and he had no way to be saved unless he left the city. [Abraham] didn’t even know whether he (Lot) was still righteous or if he learned from their ways.

We also have Rashi on Bereshis 19:29 (Thanks @Lo ani)

ויזכר אלהים את אברהם GOD REMEMBERED ABRAHAM — What bearing has God’s remembering Abraham upon the rescue of Lot? He remembered that Lot knew that Sarah was Avraham’s wife and that when he heard that Avraham said in Egypt regarding Sarah, “She is my sister”, he did not betray him because he had sympathy with him. For this reason God had mercy upon him (Lot) (Genesis Rabbah 51:6).

The point of this midrash is that treating guests well and making sacrifices for them Lot learned from Avraham. However, keeping silence to save his uncle was a chidush that Lot chose to do on his own. While according to Radak, Avraham did not mention Lot, Avraham certainly gratefully knew about Lot's merit. That could be sufficient for Lot to be saved without having Hashem directly telling Avraham about the Lot's fate.