Sodom and Gomorrah

Sodom and Gomorrah, according to the Old Testament (notably Genesis 18, 19), two ancient cities near the Dead Sea. The Bible almost invariably speaks of them together. With Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar, they formed the five “cities of the plain,” all but the last-named of which are said to have been destroyed by a rain of brimstone, perhaps accompanied by an earthquake, because of the wickedness of their inhabitants. Some evidence indicates that they did exist, were destroyed, and that their sites now lie under the Dead Sea. The biblical story of the destruction of the cities is considered by many critics similar to tales found among the Arabs (and other ancient peoples) regarding the sudden disappearance of places; indeed, Lot, who in the biblical story survives the destruction, figures prominently in the Qur'an (Koran). Those who deny the literal accuracy of the narrative contend that the desolate character of the land around the Dead Sea, which is fatal to plant and animal life, would naturally suggest the thought of some catastrophe. Jesus Christ said that on the day of judgment God would be more severe with cities rejecting the gospel than he had been with Sodom and Gomorrah (see Matthew 10:15, 11:20-24).