Genesis 19:25

Genesis 19:25

 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

a. NLT: He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation.

b. NIV: Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.

c. YLT: and He overthroweth these cities, and all the circuit, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which is shooting up from the ground.

d. Amplified Bible: He overthrew, destroyed, and ended those cities, and all the valley and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.

e. Septuagint: And he overthrew these cities, and all the country round about, and all that dwelt in the cities, and the plants springing out of the ground.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Writings/Prophets: He overturned these cities and the entire plain, with all the inhabitants of the cities and the vegetation of the soil.

1. “And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities…”

a. overthrew [2015 * haphak] [Strong: a primitive root; to turn about or over; by implication, to change, overturn, return, pervert:--X become, change, come, be converted, give, make (a bed), overthrow (-turn), perverse, retire, tumble, turn (again, aside, back, to the contrary, every way).]

b. those [411 * ‘el] [Strong: a demonstrative particle (but only in a plural sense) these or those:--these, those.]

c. cities [5892 * ‘iyr] [Strong: from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.]

d. and all the plain [3603 * kikkar] [Strong:  from 3769; a circle, i.e. (by implication) a circumjacent tract or region, expec. the Ghor or valley of the Jordan; also a (round) loaf; also a talent (or large (round) coin):--loaf, morsel, piece, plain, talent.]

1). As mentioned before, there were not just two cities in the plain, there were actually five cities. Because of Lot escaping to Zoar, the fifth city, Zoar was spared, but four were destroyed.

a). Deuteronomy 29:23 And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass growth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath.

e. and all the inhabitants [3427 * yatsab] [Strong: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle), (down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.]

f. cities [5892 * ‘iyr] [Strong: from 5782 a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post):--Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.]

2. “…and that which grew upon the ground.”

a. and that which grew [6780 * tsemach] [Strong: from 6779; a sprout (usually concrete), literal or figurative:--branch, bud, that which (where) grew (upon), spring(-ing).]

b. ground [127 * ‘adamah] [Strong: from 119; soil (from its general redness):--country, earth, ground, husband(-man) (-ry), land.]

1). The above verse Deuteronomy 29:23 shows the devastation not only to the inhabitants but also to the area’s ability to be productive agriculturally. This is in stark contrast to the description given earlier in Genesis.

a). Genesis 13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.

2). Jesus described the area as prosperous.

a). Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

3). Ezekiel also describes Sodom as a place with an element of prosperity.

a). Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

4). The area now is some of the most barren in all the earth.