What Happened to Sodom and Gomorrah — In Biblical Context
God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone because of their extreme wickedness, sparing only Lot and his two daughters.
God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone because of their extreme wickedness, sparing only Lot and his two daughters.
"Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain." — Genesis 19:24-25 (KJV)
The Biblical Context
Sodom and Gomorrah were cities in the Jordan plain known for extreme sinfulness. When Abraham's nephew Lot lived there, God sent two angels to investigate. The men of Sodom surrounded Lot's house demanding the visitors, demonstrating the city's depravity. God rained fire and brimstone on both cities, completely destroying them (Genesis 19:24-25). Lot and his daughters escaped, but Lot's wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. Throughout Scripture, Sodom serves as the ultimate example of divine judgment against unrepentant sin (Jude 1:7). Abraham had earlier interceded for the city, but not even ten righteous people could be found there.
Where It Sits in Scripture
The core passage for this question, Genesis 19:24-25, sits inside Genesis 19. To grasp the full meaning, read the surrounding paragraph — the verses before set up the thought, the verses after carry it forward.
"Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain."
Supporting Passages
"Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire."
"And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake."
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