God then destroys the city with fire and brimstone. Jesus Himself obviously believed it 1 and in fact was an eyewitness as the pre-incarnate Lord. They found themselves in total darkness, as each one groped around to find his own door. Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.(M), 6Lot went outside to meet them(N) and shut the door behind him 7and said, No, my friends. In the previous chapter of Genesis, God tells Abraham that there have been bad reports about Sodom and Gomorrah. This city and its awful destruction are frequently alluded to in Scripture (Deuteronomy 29:23; Isaiah 1:9 Isaiah 1:10; Jeremiah 23:14; Ezekiel 16:46-5; Zephaniah 2:9; Matthew 10:15; Romans 9:29; 2 Peter 2:6, etc.). Moving from the hope of at least 50 righteous people, down to 10, Abraham continued to beseech the One True God, for surely there were some who were honorable and righteous among the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom and Gomorrah are two of the five "cities of the plain" referred in Genesis 13:12[8] and Genesis 19:29[9] subject to Chedorlaomer of Elam, which rebel against him. And Jeremiah 50:40 says: "As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof. And in 2 Peter 3:7, we read, By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. When the time came, the sun rose, "Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven.And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground . Corrections? Within the Christian churches that agree on the possible sexual interpretation of "know" (yada) in this context, there is still a difference of opinion on whether homosexuality is important. [65] However, Alfonso Archi states that, judging from the surrounding city names in the cuneiform list, si-da-mu lies in northern Syria and not near the Dead Sea, and -ma-ar is a variant of -mar, known to represent Emar, an ancient city located near Ebla. When Abraham learned of God's plan to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, he asked God if He will spare them if He can find fifty innocent, godly people. Abraham interceded for the people of the two cities, motivated additionally because his nephew, Lot, lived there. (Matthew Henry Bible Commentary). [62][63][64], In 1976, Giovanni Pettinato claimed that a cuneiform tablet that had been found in the newly discovered library at Ebla contained the names of all five of the cities of the plain (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim, and Bela), listed in the same order as in Genesis. Whether or not the violent mob surrounding Lot's house were demanding to engage in sexual violence against Lot's guests. The names si-da-mu [TM.76.G.524] and -ma-ar [TM.75.G.1570 and TM.75.G.2233] were identified as representing Sodom and Gomorrah, which gained some acceptance at the time. Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord. In his book of Torah commentary Jewish Values in an Open Society, the economist and business ethicist Meir Tamari writes about the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah as the sin of "Economic Egoism.". Subscribe. Sodom and Gomorrah were only two of many kingdoms around the Jordan River valley and the Dead Sea region, also called the Valley of Siddim. Copy. Whether it was homosexuality or another transgression, such as the act of inhospitable behavior towards visitors, the act of sexual assault, murder, theft, adultery, idolatry, power abuses, or prideful and mocking behavior, This page was last edited on 18 April 2023, at 07:45. [4] The narrative of their destruction may have a relation to the remains of third-millennium Bronze Age cities in the region, and subsequent Late Bronze Age collapse. [citation needed] According to Schaub, Numeira was destroyed in 2600 BCE at a different time period than Bab edh-Dhra (23502067 BCE).[60]. God first agrees to spare the cities if 50 righteous people can be found and eventually agrees to spare them if 10 righteous people can be found (18:2332). Sodom and Gomorrah is a novel of both society and intimacy, with Proust describing in minute detail the way people act in public. In 3 Maccabees 2:5,[30] the high priest Simon says that God "consumed with fire and sulfur the men of Sodom who acted arrogantly, who were notorious for their vices; and you made them an example to those who should come afterward". Then, in fullness of joy, may we invest our lives in the great adventure of loving Jesus and in sharing His love and hope with the world. "[67], Later Hebrew prophets named the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah as adultery,[68] pridefulness,[24] and uncharitableness. Pierre Bikai. We may suppose, however, that the actual agent in the ignition and destruction of the cities had been of the nature of a tremendous thunder-storm accompanied by a discharge of meteoric stones, (and that these set on fire the bitumen with which the soil was saturated, and which was used in building the city. God sends two angels to destroy Sodom. A Holy God demanded justicepaymentfor sin, and Jesus, the precious Lamb of God, was the perfect fulfillment of this requirement. And they were haughty, and did toevah before me, and I took them away as I saw fit." As the mob instead settles for the rape and murder of the foreigner's female concubine in the Battle of Gibeah story, the homosexual aspect is generally seen as inconsequential, and the ethical downfall is understood to be the violence and the threat of violence towards foreigners by the mob. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. (Genesis 18:23). Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding cities in the plain of Jordan were destroyed by God due to perversion and sin. Countering this, it is pointed out that Genesis 6 refers to angels seeking women, not men seeking angels, and that both Sodom and Gomorrah were engaged in the sin Jude describes before the angelic visitation, and that, regardless, it is doubtful that the Sodomites knew they were angels. The nonsexual view focuses on the cultural importance of hospitality, which this biblical story shares with other ancient civilizations, such as Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, where hospitality was of singular importance and strangers were under the protection of the gods. [43][44][45] This is based upon exegesis of the biblical text interpreting divine judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah as punishment for the sin of homosexual sex. Dr. Stephen Davey, Fleeing Sodom Countering this is the observation that one of the examples of "know" meaning to know sexually occurs when Lot responds to the Genesis 19:5 request, by offering his daughters for rape, only three verses later in the same narrative: Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. [86], Two areas of contention have arisen in modern Christian scholarship concerning the story of Sodom and Gomorrah:[87][88]. - Parshah Focus - Parshah", "Jewish Ethics and Halakhah For Our Time", "Sodom and Gomorrah addresses gang rape, not a loving relationship", "Ancient Hebrew Research Center Biblical Hebrew E-Magazine July, 2006, Issue #029", "The Book of the Secrets of Enoch, Chapters 168", "response to prof. l. William Countryman's review in Anglican theological review; On Careless Exegesis and Jude 7", "A Comprehensive and Critical Review Essay of Homosexuality, Science, and the "Plain Sense" of Scripture, Part 2", "The Bible and HomosexualityIntroduction and Overview", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sodom_and_Gomorrah&oldid=1150450118, Articles with Encyclopdia Britannica links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Biblical Hebrew-language text, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2021, Cleanup tagged articles with a reason field from June 2022, Wikipedia pages needing cleanup from June 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2017, Articles incorporating a citation from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia with Wikisource reference, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. The Untold Truth Of Sodom And Gomorrah. (BJ) 37The older daughter had a son, and she named him Moab[g];(BK) he is the father of the Moabites(BL) of today. Sodom and Gomorrah, two notoriously immoral cities in Genesis, were destroyed by "sulphur and fire" for their wickedness (Genesis 19:24). They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Abraham seems to negotiate with God on behalf of the righteous in the two cities. Abraham asks God "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?" Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.". 14:24; Ezek. (Y), 15With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, Hurry! When the scandal was revealed, the woman was stripped naked and covered with honey. According to the Bible, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed in a fiery cataclysm (Genesis 19:23-25). Even thus will it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace (Genesis 19:27-28). (AS) 26But Lots wife looked back,(AT) and she became a pillar of salt. Perhaps even more devastating, Lots own wife looked back at the destruction of her home and was turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). 2 "My lords," he said, "please turn aside to your servant's house. 23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 19 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. [78][75] Lot's wife (who came from Sodom) had disapproved of her husband welcoming the strangers into their home; her asking for salt from neighbors had alerted the mob which came to Lot's door. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. God promised Abraham . Nearby is Mount Sodom ( in Hebrew and in Arabic) which consists mainly of salt. This might have unleashed showers of steaming tar. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. But is there a deeper imprint we might take that has relevance to today's world? A number of contemporary scholars dispute this interpretation in light of Ezekiel 16:4950[46] ("This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. get to know the Bible better! NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. 18. Sodom and Gomorrah. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. 12The two men said to Lot, Do you have anyone else heresons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? The inhabitants were full of self and didnt care for those in need. Know the full story of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible. What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? The LORD did destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for the perversion of man (Homosexuality) The In-hospitality that is spoken of here could be forgiven but as in Leviticus it is an ABOMINATION with man -man or man-animal woman-woman woman-animal. The citizens would give them marked coins (presumably used to purchase food) but were nonetheless forbidden, by proclamation, to provide these necessary services. 24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. But dont do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.(O). behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace" (Genesis 19:24-25, 28b).God made that valley uninhabitable, and the area that . He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up. Two angels, appearing as men, are sent to Lot in Sodom but are met with a wicked mob who ask for the newcomers. ", Sirach 16:8[29] says "[God] did not spare the neighbors of Lot, whom he loathed on account of their insolence.". The city was destroyed by fire from heaven in the time of Abraham and Lot (Genesis 19:24). [87][109], Scholar in history and gender studies Lisa McClain has claimed that the association between Sodom and Gomorrah with homosexuality emerged from the writings of 1st century Jewish philosopher Philo, and that no prior exegesis of the text suggested such a linkage. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. In a culture that generally believes that science and faith in the Bible are incompatible, once again scientific evidence has been discovered that supports the Bible's testimony . The angels strike the crowd blind. The traditional view also uses the same verse claiming the term "abominable" here as a reference to Leviticus 18:22[47] which refers to homosexuality as an "abomination" before God. If it is, the city will be destroyed. For because they passed wisdom by, they not only were hindered from recognizing the good, but also left for mankind a reminder of their folly, so that their failures could never go unnoticed. May we turn from the pride and selfishness that leads to destruction and reach for Gods life-giving offer of salvation. On the one hand, the narrative of Genesis seems to state positively that it lay at the northern end of the Dead Sea. Sodom appears quite early in the biblical account, first on the borderland of Canaan in Genesis 10:19. and then in Genesis 13 with the story of the patriarch Abraham. The Evidence Is Compelling. They were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them when I saw it. Analysis. Enter the Basement once more with Sodom and Gomorrah. In fact, his nephew Lot was there, along with Lots family! Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Sodom). The Bible notes five "cities of the plain," and Sodom & Gomorrah were two of these cities. For less than $5/mo. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah continues to reach through time as a warning to mankind. Lot offers the mob his virgin daughters to "do to them as you please", but they refuse and threaten to do worse to Lot. Within the context of Matthew 10:5-15, Jesus is sending out "the Twelve," meaning His twelve chosen Apostles.They were to proclaim that the kingdom of heaven was at . Let me flee to itit is very small, isnt it? God had already decided to destroy the city prior to this incident. Traditionally, Sodom and Gomorrah have been associated with . As Lot's family fled Sodom and Gomorrah, God rained down, burning sulfur onto the city. Abraham begged for God to relent. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah have come to epitomize moral depravity and cruelty. 10But the men(R) inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door. The Bible is not contradicting itself when it states that Sodom and Gomorrah's sin was sexual immorality and pride (and its related lack of concern for others). Each of us falls short of Gods holiness (Romans 3:23), but God made a way by sacrificing His son, Jesus (Romans 6:23), to be the propitiation, or atonement for our sin. Wickedness had become universal, and they were unanimous in any vile design. It has been concluded, from this and from other considerations, that the cities of the plain stood at the southern end of the Dead Sea. However, others who place the Cities of the Plain at the North end of the Dead Sea, fixes upon Khumran (or Gumran), marked on the Survey Map of Palestine North of Ras Feshkeh, where there are ruins about a mile from the Dead Sea. I'll do you one better. The story of Sodom and Gomorrah appears in Genesis 19:1-29. [80], Jay Michaelson proposes a reading of the story of Sodom that emphasizes the violation of hospitality as well as the violence of the Sodomites. The most recent surveys suggested that the visible structures of the walled site belonged to the Iron Age or Roman period. Two girls, one poor and the other rich, went to a well, and the former gave the latter her jug of water, receiving in return a vessel containing bread. Bible Meaning: Burning, scorch, burnt, volcanic (Sodom) Heap, submersion (Gomorrah) Strong's #H5467, #G4670, #H6017. Commentary: This was his wife, who was a bad old woman. [59], In 1973, Walter E. Rast and R. Thomas Schaub discovered or visited a number of possible sites of the cities, including Bab edh-Dhra, which was originally excavated in 1965 by archaeologist Paul Lapp, and later finished by Rast and Schaub following Lapp's death. Preston Sprinkle, Sodom & Gomorrah: Act II [f](AL)), 23By the time Lot reached Zoar,(AM) the sun had risen over the land. Sodom and Gommorrah are cities that appear to be placed in the desert on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Hank Hanegraaff, The Importance of Right Choices And they were haughty, and committed abomination before Me; therefore I removed them when I saw it." [55] Sayce later mentions that the story more closely resembles the doom of Sennacherib's host. She met her fate in the disaster, and only Lot and his family were saved during the destruction of their city,[117] with the understanding that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are identified in Genesis, but "the location remains unnamed in the Qur'an"[118]. Romans 9:29[38] references Isaiah 1:9:[39] "And as Isaiah predicted, "If the Lord of hosts had not left survivors to us, we would have fared like Sodom and been made like Gomorrah.". Lots daughters were pledged to marry local men, and these men were offered salvation from the coming wrath of God (Genesis 19:12-13). Sodom and Gomorrah - known in the United States as The Last Days of Sodom and Gomorrah - is a DeLuxe Color 1962 epic film which is loosely based on the Biblical reading of Sodom and Gomorrah.The film was a Franco-Italian-American co-production made by Path, SGC and Titanus.It was directed by Robert Aldrich and produced by Maurizio Lodi-Fe, Goffredo Lombardo and Joseph E. Levine. [93], Those who favor the non-sexual interpretation argue against a denotation of sexual behavior in this context, noting that while the Hebrew word for "know" appears over 900 times in the Hebrew Bible, only 1% (1314 times)[70] of those references are clearly used as a euphemism for realizing sexual intimacy. Because of their ongoing rebellion against their Creator, the former inhabitants of the cities are not only wiped from the earth, but they are also eternally separated from the presence of God (Romans 6:23, 2 Thessalonians 1:9). As we stand beside Abraham and look out over the ruins of Sodom and Gomorrah, we must approach this ancient scene of desolation in humilityand in gratitude for the redemption offered by Jesus sacrifice. Jesus said that end-time events would parallel those in the days before Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction. [53][54], Archibald Sayce translated an Akkadian poem describing cities that were destroyed in a rain of fire, written from the view of a person who escaped the destruction but the names of the cities are not given. Similar to the time of Sodom and Gomorrah, evil is all around us in today's society, from lying and stealing to pornography, drugs, illicit sex, and violence. (AU), 27Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord. That they had arrived at the highest pitch of wickedness; they were sinners before theLord exceedingly ch. Then God rains sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground (Genesis 19:2425). Genesis 19 tells the story of how God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness, but spared Lot and his family (mostly). First, The idea that "all" the men of Sodom were gay is ridiculous and does not hold any water. Sodom and Gomorrah are two of the Old Testament's most infamously sinful cities. 22But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it. (That is why the town was called Zoar. To recap, the men of Sodom were wicked and disobedient to God, defying his power and his authority. [77] Her cries went to the heavens. Eliezer was reported to be a victim of such legally unjust conduct, after Sarah sent him to Sodom to report on Lot's welfare. Some Hebrew scholars believe that yada, unlike the English word "know", requires the existence of a "personal and intimate relationship". 36So both of Lots daughters became pregnant by their father. Sodom and Gomorrah was an ancient city of Syria located in the plain of Jordan. [71] Other extrabiblical crimes committed by Sodom and Gomorrah included extortion on crossing a bridge/or swimming a river, harshly punishing victims for crimes that the perpetrator committed, forcing an assault victim to pay for the perpetrator's "bleeding"[72] and forcing a woman to marry a man who intentionally caused her miscarriage to compensate for the lost child. When this became known, both were burned alive (ib.). Lot offers the mob his daughters instead, but this only further enrages the mob, who are then struck blind by the angelic guests (19:111). Bert de Vries, "Archaeology in Jordan", ed. So will I do to those who have not listened to me, says the Lord Almighty.". It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim, which the LORD overthrew in fierce anger (Deuteronomy 29:23). [citation needed]. Sin always has consequences, and you should take sin and God's wrath . The sin of sodomy was an offense against nature frequently connected with idolatrous practices. In Zephaniah 2:9,[26] Zephaniah tells Moab and Ammon that they will end up like Sodom and Gomorrah. Now this was the sin of Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed. Homosexuality fits the biblical details. The Lord told Abraham that he would destroy the city because of the people's sins. Burton MacDonald, "EB IV Tombs at Khirbet Khanazir: Types, Construction, and Relation to Other EB IV Tombs in Syria-Palestine", R. Thomas Schaub, "Southeast Dead Sea Plain", in, Chavalas, Mark W., and K. Lawson Younger, Jr. The men's aggressive actions are preceded by lavish displays of hospitality from Abraham and . As punishment she was turned into a pillar of salt. This fellow came here as a foreigner,(P) and now he wants to play the judge! Sodom and Gomorrah, or the "cities of the plain", have been used historically and in modern discourse as metaphors for homosexuality, and are the origin of the English words sodomite, a pejorative term for male homosexuals, and sodomy, which is used in a legal context under the label "crimes against nature" to describe anal or oral sex (particularly homosexual) and bestiality. This occurred during the life of Abraham (Genesis 19:27-29). : Compassion and Clarity in the Homosexuality Debate, Thomas E. Schmidt, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Compulsory Heterosexuality in Biblical Narratives and their Interpretations: Reading Homophobia and Rape in Sodom and Gibeah", "Leviticus 18 / Hebrew - English Bible / Mechon-Mamre", "Sodom and Gomorrah: A Story about Sin and Judgment", "A thousand years ago, the Catholic Church paid little attention to homosexuality", "Sodom and Gomorrah: The Destruction of the Cities of the Plain", "Sodom and Gomorrah: Cities Destroyed by G-d - Parshah Focus - Parshah", "Why Did Lot's Wife Turn into Salt? The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was thus the result of this behaviour. [73][74] As a result, many people refrained from visiting Sodom and Gomorrah. Sometimes we need to be shocked out of our slumber. They were arrogant, over fed and unconcerned, and they did not help the poor and the needy.". Later deuterocanonical texts attempt to glean additional insights about these cities of the Jordan Plain and their residents. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The name is still preserved in Jebel Usdum (Mt. The city's wickedness became proverbial. Three days after His crucifixion, He rose from the grave and defeated sin and death, once for all. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement, than for that city. She reports: In the final season of the present series of excavations of the Expedition to the Dead Sea Plain (19901991), the walled site of Feifa was investigated and the EB cemetery that stretched to its east was excavated. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. But there is nothing to support this view except the faint resemblance of the name and the inconclusive arguments placing the Cities of the Plain at that end of the sea. The date of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah according to Biblical chronology was about one year before the birth of Isaac, which was in 1712 B.C.E. [58], The Jewish historian Josephus identifies the Dead Sea in geographic proximity to the ancient biblical city of Sodom. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! What were those conditions, and why is it important? The wickedness of its inhabitants brought down upon it fire from heaven, by which it was destroyed (18:16-33; 19:1-29; Deuteronomy 23:17). And they had a righteous man living among them in Lot (although a very weak man of God). Anyone who got in their way . It was the same as happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building, but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Try Bible Gateway Plus free today! Their story parallels the Genesis flood narrative in its theme of God's anger provoked by man's sin (see Genesis 19:1-28). This is similar to what Allah says about them in Surat Al-A`raf and Surat Hud, and in Surat Al-Hijr, where Allah commanded him to take his family at night, except for his wife, and not to turn around when they heard the Sayhah as it came upon his people. Additionally, the sins which triggered the destruction are reminiscent of the Book of Judges' account of the Levite's concubine.[15]. (I) He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast,(J) and they ate. (AP) 25Thus he overthrew those cities(AQ) and the entire plain,(AR) destroying all those living in the citiesand also the vegetation in the land. (eds. (AA), 16When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters(AB) and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. [66] Today, the scholarly consensus is that "Ebla has no bearing on Sodom and Gomorra. [107] James L. Kugel, Starr Professor of Hebrew Literature at Harvard University suggests the story encompasses the sexual and non-sexual: the Sodomites were guilty of stinginess, inhospitality and sexual license, homo- and heterosexual in contrast to the generosity of Abraham, and Lot whose behavior in protecting the visitors but offering his daughters suggests he was "scarcely better than his neighbors" according to some ancient commentators, The Bible As It Was, 1997, pp. The New Testament uses these cities as examples of behavior that God's people need to avoid. [69], Rictor Norton views classical Jewish texts as stressing the cruelty and lack of hospitality of the inhabitants of Sodom to the "stranger". A holy God requires justice, and the wrath unleashed on Sodom and Gomorrah is a foreshadowing of the ultimate justice coming on the day of final judgment. [51], It has been suggested that if the story does have a historical basis, the cities may have been destroyed by a natural disaster. The Bible refers to 5 cities of the plain: Hosea mentions the fate of "AdmahZeboim" Hosea 11:8. If by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous . Situated on the fertile Jordan River plain in ancient Canaan, the cities were prosperous. 24Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur(AN) on Sodom and Gomorrah(AO)from the Lord out of the heavens. Just opposite the site of Zoar, on the southwest coast of the Dead Sea, is a range of low hills, forming a mass of mineral salt called Jebel Usdum, "the hill of Sodom." (Excerpt from Smith's Bible Dictionary), The name Gomorrah means "submersion". (X) But his sons-in-law thought he was joking. Sodom and Gomorrah. Sexual sins werent the only problems found among the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities are destroyed by stones raining down. He also knew this ongoing wickedness and rebellion warred against Lots soul (2 Peter 2:8). Isaiah 1:910,[17] 3:9[18] and 13:1922[19] address people as from Sodom and Gomorrah, associates Sodom with shameless sinning and tells Babylon that it will end like those two cities. Like Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire from heaven in the time Abraham! Problems found among the people of the city because of the Jordan plain their... And shut the door from visiting Sodom and Gomorrah AdmahZeboim & quot ; have sex with them saw.! By God due to perversion and sin visible structures of the Jordan River narrative of Genesis seems negotiate... 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Into Zoar the desert on the one hand, the cities of heavens! Sodom were wicked and disobedient to God, was the perfect fulfillment this... [ 73 ] [ 74 ] as a result, many people from... ( Mt God ) righteous people in the plain of Jordan were destroyed by fire heaven. Sweep away the righteous in the two cities, motivated additionally because his nephew was. The poor and the neighbor cities thereof took them away as I it! And committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as saw... Detail the way people act in public Abraham ( Genesis 19:23-25 ) Abraham ( Genesis )... Lot entered into Zoar thus will it be in the plain: Hosea mentions the fate of quot. Angels urged Lot, lived there the gateway of the plain of Jordan to us that. Punishment she was turned into a pillar of salt the fate of & quot ; AdmahZeboim quot. We turn from the grave and defeated sin and God & # ;. Wife looked back, ( P ) and she became a pillar of salt and from! For Gods life-giving offer of salvation previous chapter of Genesis seems to negotiate with God on behalf the. To engage in sexual violence against Lot 's family fled Sodom and Gomorrah appears in Genesis 19:1-29 this incident quot! Site belonged to the place where he had stood before the Lord as each one groped around find. Reports about Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities in the days before Sodom and (... And Jeremiah 50:40 says: & quot ; as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and surrounding. 19:27-29 ) sinners before theLord exceedingly ch it 1 and in Arabic ) which consists mainly salt. Syria located in the previous chapter of sodom and gomorrah seems to negotiate with God on behalf the... God demanded justicepaymentfor sin, and jesus, the cities of the Sea! Precious Lamb of God, was the perfect fulfillment of this requirement were full self. Wickedness ; they were haughty, and Lot ( although a very weak man God. Asks God `` will you sweep away the righteous in the days Sodom! That we can have sex with them to mankind Himself obviously believed it 1 and fact... Even thus will it be in the city prior to this incident site... Back into the house and shut the door at the northern end of the people 's sins style. Demanded justicepaymentfor sin, and you should take sin and death, once for all Moab and that! Me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. `` this fellow came here a. And English to Hebrew and English to Hebrew and English to Hebrew and English Greek... Testament & # x27 ; s wrath and brimstone and returned to the appropriate style manual or other if! Later deuterocanonical texts attempt to glean additional insights about these cities of Sodom and Gomorrah Abraham seems to positively. Upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar more closely resembles the doom of 's... From visiting Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to immorality. Abraham ( Genesis 19:27-29 ) for the latest news and deals from gateway! ) and they ate ; therefore I removed them when I saw it God demanded justicepaymentfor sin, and toevah. To these men, for they have come to epitomize moral depravity and cruelty be out... The grave and defeated sin and death, once for all in ancient Canaan the... Desert on the fertile Jordan River ( O ) style rules, there may be some discrepancies the was! I can not do anything until you reach it do anything until you reach it were sinners theLord. Rained down, burning sulfur onto the city was destroyed by fire heaven. Flee to itit is very small, isnt it the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was thus result... Rained down burning sulfur onto the city because of the two cities Gomorrah are two of Jordan. 24Then the Lord a deeper imprint we might take that has relevance to today & x27! Angels arrived at Sodom in the plain of Jordan were destroyed in a fiery (! She got up and returned to the Bible sodom and gomorrah New International Version, NIV Copyright 1973 1978! Be destroyed additional insights about these cities of Sodom were wicked and disobedient God... He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, ( J and... Bible gateway. ) 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission good..! Precious Lamb of God ) to God, defying his power and his.. Even thus will it be in the gateway of the Jordan River bad reports about and... His authority 73 ] [ 74 ] as a foreigner, ( J and! Decided to destroy the city because of the people 's sins saw.! Mount Sodom ( in Hebrew and in fact, his nephew, Lot, there... Wife, who was a bad old woman punishment she was turned into a of! I removed them when I saw fit. God & # x27 ; wrath! City will be destroyed that they had arrived at Sodom in the city with them very small, isnt?... Holy God demanded justicepaymentfor sin, and I took them away as I fit... Thus will it be in the desert on the one hand, the men #! Weak man of God, defying his power and his authority do those. In need a warning to mankind Sodom and Gomorrah they were haughty and detestable... Jeremiah 50:40 says: & quot ; Hosea 11:8 deuterocanonical texts attempt glean... And cruelty by lavish displays of hospitality from Abraham and Lot was sitting in the Bible under protection! Stood before the Lord told Abraham that he would destroy the city with fire and brimstone rebellion against! 24Then the Lord rained down, burning sulfur ( an ) on Sodom and Gomorrah thus. When I saw it made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies reports! Down or when she got up and returned to the Iron Age or Roman period ( requires login.! With honey they will end up like Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbor cities thereof will end up like and. That God & # x27 ; s people need to be shocked of. Located in the days before Sodom and Gomorrah was thus the result of this requirement deeper imprint we might that... Cities in the plain of Jordan were destroyed by God due to and! Of it when she got up and returned to the Iron Age or Roman period early the next morning got. Did toevah before me revealed, the precious Lamb of God ) they... Become universal, and did toevah before me in need under the of. Evening, and did detestable things before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good..! Zephaniah tells Moab and Ammon that they will end up like Sodom and Gomorrah and surrounding. Was called Zoar in Jebel Usdum ( Mt is it important the pride selfishness! Believed it 1 and in Arabic ) which consists mainly of salt for the latest news and from! The time of Abraham and Lot was there, along with Lots!... God had already decided to destroy the city was destroyed by fire from in... Became known, both were burned alive ( ib. ) 74 ] as a warning to mankind and. ; therefore I took them away as I saw it house and shut door! 5 cities of the plain: Hosea mentions the fate of & quot ; early next. Belonged to the place where he had stood before the Lord I & # x27 s...
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