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Sodom

Plain of Jordan

City in Plain of Jordan · today Southern Dead Sea region (debated)

The wicked city of the plain destroyed by fire from heaven — and a lasting byword for judgment.

Location

Overview

Sodom was the chief of the cities of the plain near the Jordan, "well watered every where... even as the garden of the LORD" (Genesis 13:10). Its name became, forever after, a watchword for sin and judgment.

Lot's choice

When Abram and Lot parted, Lot chose the fertile plain and pitched his tent toward Sodom, though "the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly" (Genesis 13:12–13). He was later captured when invading kings sacked the city, and rescued by Abram (Genesis 14).

The intercession of Abraham

When the LORD revealed his purpose to destroy Sodom, Abraham pleaded for it — "Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?" — bargaining down to ten righteous men (Genesis 18:23–32).

Fire from heaven

Two angels drew Lot's family out, and "the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire" (Genesis 19:24). Lot's wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. The destruction is invoked across Scripture as the pattern of divine judgment.

Events Here

2067 BC

God destroys Sodom with fire and brimstone

Genesis 19:24

Scripture References

47 verses
Genesis20 verses

Genesis 10:19

And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. Gaza: Heb. Azzah

Genesis 13:10

And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

Genesis 13:12

Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

Genesis 13:13

But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Genesis 14:2

That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

Genesis 14:8

And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;

Genesis 14:10

And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.

Genesis 14:11

And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.

Genesis 14:12

And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

Genesis 14:17

And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.

Genesis 14:21

And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. persons: Heb. souls

Genesis 14:22

And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

Genesis 18:16

And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

Genesis 18:20

And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

Genesis 18:22

And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

Genesis 18:26

And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

Genesis 19:1

And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

Genesis 19:4

But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

Genesis 19:24

Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;

Genesis 19:28

And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

Deuteronomy2 verses

Deuteronomy 29:23

And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

Deuteronomy 32:32

For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: of the vine: or, worse than the vine

Isaiah4 verses

Isaiah 1:9

Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

Isaiah 1:10

Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

Isaiah 3:9

The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

Isaiah 13:19

And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. as: Heb. as the overthrowing

Jeremiah3 verses

Jeremiah 23:14

I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. an: or, filthiness

Jeremiah 49:18

As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it.

Jeremiah 50:40

As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.

Lamentations1 verse

Lamentations 4:6

For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. punishment of the iniquity: or, iniquity

Ezekiel6 verses

Ezekiel 16:46

And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters. thy younger: Heb. lesser than thou

Ezekiel 16:48

As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.

Ezekiel 16:49

Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

Ezekiel 16:53

When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:

Ezekiel 16:55

When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.

Ezekiel 16:56

For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day of thy pride, mentioned: Heb. for a report, or, hearing pride: Heb. prides, or, excellencies

Amos1 verse

Amos 4:11

I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

Zephaniah1 verse

Zephaniah 2:9

Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.

Matthew3 verses

Matthew 10:15

Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

Matthew 11:23

And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Matthew 11:24

But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

Mark1 verse

Mark 6:11

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. and: Gr. or

Luke2 verses

Luke 10:12

But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

Luke 17:29

But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

2 Peter1 verse

2 Peter 2:6

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

Jude1 verse

Jude 1:7

Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. strange: Gr. other

Revelation1 verse

Revelation 11:8

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Archaeology & History

The location of Sodom is debated. The traditional view places the cities of the plain beneath or around the shallow southern basin of the Dead Sea, a region of bitumen pits (Genesis 14:10) and sulphur; some scholars argue instead for sites north-east of the Dead Sea. No identification is certain.

People who appear here

Abraham6×
Lot5×
Bera1×
Birsha1×
Chedorlaomer1×

Frequently asked about Sodom

Where is Sodom today?

Today, Sodom corresponds to Southern Dead Sea region (debated).

What happened at Sodom in the Bible?

Key biblical events at Sodom include god destroys sodom with fire and brimstone.

Where is Sodom first mentioned in the Bible?

Sodom is first mentioned in Genesis 10:19.

How often is Sodom mentioned in the Bible?

Sodom is mentioned in 47 verses across 14 books: Genesis, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Amos, Zephaniah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, 2 Peter, Jude, Revelation.

Why was Sodom destroyed?

For its grave wickedness. After Abraham’s intercession and the rescue of Lot’s family, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone from heaven.

Where was Sodom located?

Among the "cities of the plain" near the Jordan and the Dead Sea. The exact site is debated — traditionally the southern Dead Sea basin, though some propose a location to its north-east.