Interesting Facts

• Paltith was a daughter of Lot.
• She was born after God delivered Lot and his household from the kings of Elam.
• Paltith married a man of Sodom.
• She secretly fed a starving poor man in Sodom with bread for many days, defying the customs of the city.
• Paltith was burned to ashes by the people of Sodom for transgressing their law against feeding the poor.

Genealogy

• Paltith was the daughter of Lot and Ado. The sources also mention that Lot had two daughters who remained with him after the destruction of Sodom. She did marry a man of Sodom.

Historical Context

Paltith lived in the city of Sodom during a time when the wickedness and sinfulness of its inhabitants were described as exceedingly great before the Lord. The sources detail specific customs of Sodom that reveal a cruel and inhospitable society, particularly towards the poor and strangers. There was an established “proclamation” against giving a morsel of bread to the poor, leading to their starvation. The judicial system in Sodom is depicted as corrupt, upholding these inhumane laws. The war with the kings of Elam, from which Lot and his household were delivered, preceded Paltith’s birth. Therefore, she was born into a city already characterized by extreme moral decay and a lack of compassion, which directly led to her tragic end. The cultural dynamics of Sodom prioritized the self-interest of its citizens to an extreme degree, punishing any act of kindness towards outsiders or the needy within their city.

Narrative

Paltith’s personal story within the provided texts is a stark illustration of the conflict between basic human compassion and the depraved societal norms of Sodom. Upon witnessing a poor man starving to death in the streets due to the city’s cruel customs, Paltith was moved by pity. Driven by this compassion, she secretly provided him with bread for many days, sustaining his life. Her actions directly defied the established law and the will of the people of Sodom, who wondered how the man could survive for so long without sustenance. Eventually, her secret act of kindness was discovered by three men who had concealed themselves to observe the poor man. When confronted, Paltith did not deny her actions. Consequently, she was seized, brought before the judges of Sodom, and accused of transgressing their law. The assembled people of Sodom and Gomorrah then kindled a fire in the street and burned Paltith to ashes as punishment for her compassionate deed. Her story serves as a poignant example of the extreme wickedness attributed to Sodom, where an act of charity was considered a capital offense, and highlights the tragic fate of individuals who dared to act against the city’s inhumane principles. Her naming, “Paltith,” because God had delivered her father, stands in stark contrast to the lack of divine mercy shown to her by her own community.