![]() ![]() The Hebrew words translated “well watered” are ḵullāh, meaning “all of it,” and mašqeh, a noun derived from the causative form of the verb meaning “to drink,” giving the meaning “completely irrigated.” Thus the allusion is to the irrigated land of Goshen in the northeast delta of Egypt where the Israelites lived during their sojourn in Egypt. The Hebrew words used, however, do not support this interpretation. Collins interprets this as referring to the annual flooding of the Jordan River, similar to the Nile River (2007: 71). “Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of Jordan was well watered.like the land of Egypt” (Gn 13:10). Petroleum and sulfur are also present south of the Dead Sea (Clapp 1936a: 906 1936b: 40 Harris and Beardow 1995: 360 Neev and Emery 1995: 33, 140–42). The material that fell on the plain causing the destruction of everything save Zoar was goprît, sulfurous oil (black sulfur) (Wood 1999: 74–75). It was used extensively in antiquity for mortar, sealing and as a binding agent, and is commonly found in the area south of the Dead Sea (Bilkadi 1984 1994 Clapp 1936a: 901–902 1936b: 341–42 Neev and Emery 1995: 141–43). ![]() Genesis 14:10 states, “now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar (ḥēmār) pits.” Ḥēmār is bitumen, a naturally occurring petroleum substance similar to asphalt. The geology of the plain south of the Dead Sea also points to this area as being the location of the Cities of the Plain. It was built around a natural cave which early Christians believed was the cave Lot and his daughters took refuge in after the destruction of the Cities of the Plain (Gn 19:30). Lot, actually a monastery and church complex, has been located south of the Dead Sea and excavated (Politis 1999). Lot south of the Dead Sea (Donner 1992: 42). Both Josephus (The Wars of the Jews 4.8.4 first century) and Eusebius (2003: 58 early fourth century) state that Zoar was south of the Dead Sea, and the famous Madaba Map (sixth century) places Zoar and the Sanctuary of St. It is further mentioned in various ancient references from the Roman period to the Middle Ages (Astour 1992 Howard 1988 Schaub 1997: 63). Both Isaiah (15:5) and Jeremiah (48:34) mention it in their prophecies against Moab (Iron Age). From biblical and extrabiblical references we know that Zoar was occupied from the time of Abraham to the Middle Ages. Tall el-Hammam, however, is 26 mi (42 km) east-northeast of Jerusalem.īecause Lot fled to Zoar to escape the catastrophe which befell the Cities of the Plain (Gn 19:21–23), the town was spared God’s judgment. Samaria is 34 mi (55 km) north of Jerusalem and Bab edh-Dhra, the likely site of Sodom (Wood 1999: 68–69), is 40 mi (64 km) southeast of Jerusalem. Your older sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom (Ez 16: 46). When Ezekiel chastised Jerusalem for her wickedness, he said, When the four kings of Mesopotamia fought against the kings of the Cities of the Plain, they “joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (the Salt Sea)” (Gn 14:3), a clear reference to the southern basin of the Dead Sea which had flooded in later times (Frumkin and Elitzur 2001: 49–50). Tel Haror lies west of the southern end of the Dead Sea as it existed in Abraham's time.2 Tall el-Hammam, on the other hand, lies northeast of the Dead Sea. The southern border of Canaan is described in Genesis 10:19 as passing from Gaza, on the Mediterranean coast, to Gerar, identified as Tel Haror 12.4 mi (20 km) southeast of Gaza (Klenck 2002: 29), to the Cities of the Plain. In reviewing eight Bible atlases published since 1997 that cover the period of the Patriarchs, seven locate the Cities of the Plain south of the Dead Sea.1 The eighth (Team Media 1998) offers no suggestion as to their location.Īn analysis of geographical indicators in Scripture places Sodom and the Cities of the Plain south of the Dead Sea. 78-84.Ĭollins begins by stating, “Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim almost never appear on Bible maps” (2007: 70), and “even conservative Bible maps don’t include them ” (2007: 73). This article was first published in the Summer 2007 issue of Bible and Spade,pp. ![]() We will examine his arguments in each of those four areas. ![]() 8 mi (13 km) northeast of the Dead Sea, should be identified as Sodom based on four criteria: geography, chronology, stratigraphy and architecture (2007). Steven Collins maintains that Tall el-Hammam, ca. Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical Chronologies.People, Places, and Things in the New Testament.People, Places, and Things in the Hebrew Bible.Inspiration, Authority, Biblical Criticism and the Documentary Hypothesis.Ancient Manuscripts, Translations, and Texts.Amazing Discoveries in Biblical Archaeology.Life & Ministry of Jesus & the Apostles. ![]()
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