Genesis 19:26
But his wife looked back from
behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
a. NLT: But Lot’s wife looked back as
she was following behind him, and she turned into a pillar of salt.
b. NIV: But Lot’s wife looked back,
and she became a pillar of salt.
c. YLT: And his wife looketh
expectingly from behind him, and she is -- a pillar of salt!
d. Amplified Bible: But [Lot’s] wife
looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
1). Note in Amplified Bible: Lot’s wife
not only “looked back” to where her heart’s interests were, but she lingered
behind; and probably overtaken by the fire and brimstone, her dead body became
incrusted with salt, which, in that salt-packed area now the Dead Sea, grew
larger with more incrustations—a veritable “pillar of salt.” In fact, at the
southern end of the Dead Sea there is a mountain of table salt called Jebel
Usdum, “Mount of Sodom.” It is about six miles long, three miles wide, and
1,000 feet high. It is covered with a crust of earth several feet thick, but
the rest of the mountain is said to be solid salt (George T. B. Davis, Rebuilding
Palestine According to Prophecy). Somewhere in this area Lot’s wife looked
back to where her treasures and her heart were, and “she became a pillar of
salt.” Jesus said, “Remember Lot’s wife” (Luke 17:32).
e. Septuagint: And his wife looked
back, and she became a pillar of salt.
f. Stone Edition
Torah/Writings/Prophets: His wife peered behind him and she became a pillar of
salt.
1. “But his wife looked back from
behind him…”
a. wife [802 * 'ishshah] Strong: feminine
of 376 or 582; irregular plural, nashiym {naw-sheem'}; a woman (used
in the same wide sense as 582):--(adulter)ess, each, every, female, X
many, + none, one, + together, wife, woman.]
1). Jewish tradition teaches that Lot’s
wife was a native of Sodom, raised there and perhaps even born there. In all of
the references to Lot previous to his going to Sodom there is no mention of a
wife or children. In fact the first mention of Lot’s wife is Genesis 19:16.
There is mention of his daughters, his sons in law earlier in Genesis 19 but
his wife is not mentioned until verse 16. The evidence about her being a native
of Sodom is strong.
b. looked back [5027 * nabat] [Strong:
a primitive root; to scan, i.e. look intently at; by implication, to regard
with pleasure, favor or care:--(cause to) behold, consider, look (down),
regard, have respect, see.]
c. from behind him [310 * ‘achar]
[Strong: from 309; properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or
conjunction, after (in various senses):--after (that, -ward), again, at, away
from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch,
from, hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute, posterity,
pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with.]
1). Although Lot’s family were
expressly warned by the angel in Genesis 19:17 to, “look not behind thee,”
Lot’s wife “looked back from behind him and she became a pillar of salt.” If we
look at the Scripture closely we see that before the destruction began Lot was
already in Zoar Genesis 19:23. It does not say anything about his wife and
daughters but we know his daughters were with him because they also survived.
Lot and his daughters are in Zoar and the destruction begins, is anybody in
Zoar going to look toward Sodom to see what is happening? No doubt the whole
town will, but nobody turns into a pillar of salt. Because they were far enough
away from the destruction that it didn’t consume them. But Lot’s wife wasn’t
far enough away. What I’m saying is that Lot’s wife was not with the rest of
the family. The Hebrew word used for the English “from behind him” above, is
used in a various senses. Some times it is used in the passage of time, and
sometime distance. One such example in found in Deuteronomy.
a). Deuteronomy 25:17, 18 Remember
what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt;
25:18 How he met thee by the way, and
smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee,
when thou wast faint
and weary; and he feared not God.
b). These folks were lagging far
enough behind the main group that the enemy was able to attack them
successfully and escape. In the historical account they kept doing it until
Israel mounted a force and went after Amalek. The point is they were lagging
too far behind. This is the same term used to describe Lot’s wife distance from
her husband and daughters. It is probable that Lot’s wife was not in Zoar when
the destruction began. Personally I believe that it was mostly friend and family
relationships that caused her to lag behind. I believe this is why Jesus used
her as an example of saving our lives in imminent judgment.
2). Notice carefully what Jesus said
concerning her.
a). Luke 17:28-33 Likewise also as it
was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they
planted, they builded;
17:29 But the same day that Lot went
out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day
when the Son of man is revealed.
17:31 In that day, he which shall be
upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it
away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.
17:32 Remember Lot's wife.
17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his
life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
3). Notice carefully that Jesus warning
about remembering Lot’s wife is sandwiched between a verse that warns against
being concerned about material goods and escaping for your life. I don’t think it
is a coincidence that when Jesus was speaking about letting material goods
getting in the way of escaping for our physical life. It is possible that here
is a key to unlocking the tradgedy of Lot’s wife. When the subject is family
relationships is discussed in Matthew’s gospel it is compared with our
relationship with God. I don’t think it is a coincidence that when Jesus was
speaking about not wavering in our commitment to him, he spoke of family
relationships.
a). Matthew 10:34-39 Think not that I
am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
10:35 For I am come to set a man at
variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the
daughter in law against her mother in law.
10:36 And a man's foes shall be they
of his own household.
10:37 He that loveth father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than
me is not worthy of me.
10:38 And he that taketh not his
cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
10:39 He that findeth his life shall
lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
c. Is Jesus against families? Absolutely not! It was God who ordained
the institution of the family, but the main facet of a relationship with God is
He is first place in our lives, above all other relationships including family.
As the passage in Matthew reveals, when that principle is lived out in
obedience, the “sword” of God’s word will divide families. This is not just a
New Testament doctrine.
1). Micah 7:5-7 Trust ye not in a
friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her
that lieth in thy bosom.
7:6 For the son dishonoureth the
father, the daughter in law against her mother in law;
a man’s enemies are the men of his own
house.
7:7 Therefore I will look unto the
LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
d. Jeremiah was warned by God that the
message the Lord gave Jeremiah caused his family to turn on him.
1). Jeremiah 12:6 For even thy brethren,
and the house of thy father, even they have dealt
Treacherously with thee; yea, they have
called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they speak fair words
unto thee.
2). Loving Jesus more than our
father, mother, son, or daughter is not a problem for a Christian, but within a
family where all members are not Christian, giving Jesus first place in your
life will be a cross upon which you will be crucified by non-believing family
members. There is a popular proverb that says, “Blood is thicker than water”,
and every one knows that means preferring family over friends. Well, the
equivalent proverb here in light of this passage in Matthew would be, “Spirit
is thicker than blood.”
2. “…and she became a pillar of salt.”
a. pillar [5333 * ntsiyb] [Strong:
from 5324; something stationary, i.e. a prefect, a military post, a
statue:--garrison, officer, pillar.]
b. salt [4417 * melach] [Strong: from 4414;
properly, powder, i.e. (specifically) salt (as easily pulverized and
dissolved:--salt((-pit)).]
c. On a side note, given the
probability of Lot’s wife being a native of Sodom, it could be that she was
used to homosexuality and saw nothing wrong with it. It is possible that Lot’s
wife was not even a believer. It is possible that contrary to Abraham who was
faithful in instructing his household in the things of God (Genesis 18:19),
that Lot was not, especially in light of his wrong decision making. How many
families in America are fractured over what the Bible says about homosexuality
and other Biblical truths? The truth of God’s word has divided families because
some in those families have put personal experience or family relationship
above the word of God and their relationship with God. The passage of Matthew
10:34-39 says it best.
1). Matthew 10:34-39 Think not that I
am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
10:35 For I am come to set a man at
variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the
daughter in law against her mother in law.
10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of
his own household.
10:37 He that loveth father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than
me is not worthy of me.
10:38 And he that taketh not his cross,
and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
10:39 He that findeth his life shall
lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
2). The believers relationship with God
and His word must have first place in their life. In the tradgedy of Lot’s wife
it was family and friend relationships that hindered her flight to safety. But
the same principles are used when our relationship with God is at stake. I know
of more than one instance where a believer’s stand on homosexuality changed 180
degrees from what the Bible says to what culture says, because of a friend or
family member who declared they were homosexual.
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