SODOM, the capital City of PentapolisGen. xiii. 12, 13., which for some time was the Dwelling-place of Lot the Nephew of Abraham. The Crimes of this City were come to such an Height, that God destroy’d it by Fire from Heaven, with three other neighbouring Cities, Gomorrah, Zeboim, and Admah, which were as wicked as it self1. The Plain wherein they stood, which before was pleasant and fruitful like an earthly Paradise, was first inflamed by Lightning, which put Fire to the Bitumen, with which it was replete, and was afterwards overflow’d by the Waters of the Jordan, which diffused themselves there, and form’d the Dead-sea, or Lake of Sodom, call’d also2 the Lake Asphaltites, because of the Asphaltus or Bitumen with which it abounded. ‘Tis believed Sodom was one of the more Southermost of the five Cities that were destroy’d by the Fire from Heaven, because it was near Zoar, which was known to be beyond the Southermost Point of the Dead-sea.
‘Tis doubted whether it was within the Space of Land that now is possess’d by this Sea, or whether it was only upon its Border. Jer. xlix. 18. & l. 38.The Prophets speak often enough of the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, or make Allusions to it, and every-where insinuate, that these Places shall be desert, dry’d up, and uninhabited ; that they shall be Places cover’d with Briars and Brambles, a Land of Salt and Sulphur, where there can be neither Planting nor Sowing : Sicitas spinarum, & Deut. xxix. 22. Wisd. ii. 9. Amos iv. 11.acervi salis, & desertum usque in æternum. They shall be, says Amos, as a Firebrand pluckt out of the Burning, half burnt up, and unprofitable to any Use. In a Word : Through all the Scripture the Ruin of Sodom and Gomorrah is represented as one of the most signal Effects of God’s Anger. Joseph. de Bello, l. 5. c. 5. p. 892. f.Josephus says, that round about the Lake of Sodom, and about the Cities that were heretofore destroy’d by Fire from Heaven, the Land is all burnt up, and there are still to be seen the dismal Effects of this terrible Burning, and the Remains of those unfortunate Cities3. The Fruits which grow there have a fine outward Appearance, and seem to the Sight to be good to eat ; but they are full of Ashes, and, when open’d, they fly away in Dust.
It should seem then, that in Josephus’s Time, the Ruins of these five Cities were Strab. Geograph. l. 15.still in Being. Strabo also speaks of the Ruins of Sodom, which were sixty Furlongs in Compass, and were to be seen on the Shore of the Dead-sea. The Notitia makes express mention of Sodom as an Episcopal City. There is found one Severus a Bishop of Sodom, among the Bishops of Arabia, who subscribed to the first Council of Nice. M. Reland cannot persuade himself that Sodom was ever rebuilt ; he believes the Word Sodom, which is read among the Subscriptions to the Council of Nice, must be a Fault of the Copiers ; but I cannot be of his Opinion. The Record is very circumstantial ; it puts the Episcopal City of Sodom between Thamar and En-geddi. Stephen the Geographer4 also puts En-geddi near Sodom. So that I cannot see it can be made a Question of, that the City of Sodom was rebuilt, either in the same Place it was before, or over-against this Place ; for tho’ it appears to me very probable, that it was not cover’d by the Waters of the Dead-sea, and that it stood upon the Shore of this Sea, yet I would not too strenuously oppose the common Opinion, that holds the contrary.
Lake of Sodom, or Sea of Sodom. See ASPHALTITES.
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