Why was Lot "let off the hook" for offering his daughters to be raped? Genesis 19:1-20 tells the famous story of Soddom and Gomorrah.  In the story, the men of Sodom come to Lot's house, and demand that Lot release his visitors to be raped by the men of the town.  Lot refuses, and instead offers his virgin daughters (verse 8) to appease the crowd.

Nothing else is ever mentioned about Lot offering his daughters to be gang-raped by a crowd of men.

In light of this, why is Lot considered "righteous?" (See 2 Peter 2:7)

Can we draw any other conclusions from Lot's actions here?

I guess I don't really know what question to ask... I'm just kind of dumb-struck by the situation... What in the world?
I've heard a variety of theories on this topic:


He "knew" (or hoped) the crowd wouldn't accept them (they were asking for men, after all)
Females were considered a sub-class of society, and therefore were his "possession" wherewith to do as he pleased
It was the offer of a desperate man trying to save the guests whom he suspected of being more than just "visitors" (but did not know were messengers of God)


Lastly, the "righteousness of Lot" does not indicate he was perfect, or even the best representation of a God-truster of the day - Abraham was "righteous", and yet on two occasions tried to save his own skin by telling his wife to say she was his sister.

Lot elected to go towards the greener pastures near the cities when Abraham offered him the choice of land on which to graze his flocks - and he continually migrated closer and closer to sin until he was living in Sodom: a phenomenal shift from being with Abraham and away from such obviously-evil influences.