Interesting Facts

• The men of Sodom had an exceedingly wicked and sinful reputation before the Lord.
• The people of Sodom, along with Gomorrah and the other cities of the plain, went to a valley with water and herbage four times a year to rejoice with timbrels and dances, during which they would engage in abominable acts with each other’s wives and daughters.
• Sodom had ruling judges in its cities who enforced perverse laws, such as stretching or shrinking travelers to fit beds erected in the streets.
• It was the custom and law in Sodom to demand payment even for unintentionally causing another’s blood to flow.
• The people of Sodom lacked compassion for the poor and punished those who offered them aid by burning them alive.

Genealogy

• Four men from the family of Ham went to the land of the plain: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboyim.
• These men built themselves four cities in the land of the plain and called the names of their cities after their own names.
• They and their children and all belonging to them dwelt in those cities and were fruitful and multiplied greatly.
• The Sodomites, therefore, are descendants of Ham.

Historical Context

The narrative of Sodom and the Sodomites unfolds in a period when the descendants of Noah had spread across the earth and established their own settlements. Following the division of lands among Noah’s sons and their descendants, certain families, including the lineage of Ham, settled in various regions. Sodom was established as one of four cities in a fertile plain by descendants of Ham. The wickedness of the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah became so extreme that their cry reached the Lord. This period is marked by the establishment of cities and distinct cultures, but also by the emergence of profound moral corruption in places like Sodom. The stark contrast between the behavior of the Sodomites and the righteous conduct expected by the Lord, as communicated by Noah to his descendants, sets the stage for the judgment that would befall them.

Narrative

The personal story of Sodom and the Sodomites is characterized by escalating wickedness and defiance of moral norms. Their actions included extreme sinfulness before the Lord, perverse social customs such as the treatment of travelers and the enjoyment of each other’s wives and daughters during festivals, and a profound lack of mercy towards the needy. When strangers, such as Eliezer, Abraham’s servant, visited Sodom, they were subjected to the city’s corrupt laws and hostile treatment. The Sodomites attempted to commit vile acts against angelic visitors who came to Lot’s house. Their wickedness reached such a level that the Lord resolved to investigate the extent of their sins. Despite Abraham’s plea for the sake of any righteous individuals within the city, the pervasive corruption led to its destruction by divine judgment. Lot and his family were spared due to their relative righteousness, though Lot’s wife perished for looking back at the destruction. The destruction of Sodom became a paradigm of divine judgment against extreme wickedness and fornication. Even the memory of the Sodomites served as a warning against similar immoral behavior. The narrative of Sodom and its inhabitants stands as a testament to the consequences of societal depravity and the importance of adhering to righteous conduct as instructed by God.