Genesis 18:20

Genesis 18:20

And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

a. NLT: So the LORD told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant.

b. NIV: Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous

c. YLT: And Jehovah saith, 'The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah -- because great; and their sin -- because exceeding grievous:

d. Amplified Bible: And the Lord said, Because the shriek [of the sins] of Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is exceedingly grievous,

e. Septuagint: And the Lord said, The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha has been increased towards me, and their sins are very great.

f. Stone Edition Chumash: So HASHEM said, “Because the outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah has become great, and because their sin has been very grave.

1. “And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great…”

a. the LORD [3068 * Yhovah] [Strong: from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

b. said [559 * ‘amar] [Strong: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

c. cry [2201 * za’aq] [Strongs: a shriek or outcry.] [AMG: It refers to the plaintive crying out for those oppressed in Sodom and Gommorah.]

1). Interestingly the Hebrew word for “cry” in Genesis 18:20 is different that that used in Genesis 18:21. The word study regarding it is I believe much more revealing.

d. of Sodom [5467 * Cdom] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to scorch; burnt (i.e. volcanic or bituminous) district; Sedom, a place near the Dead Sea:-- Sodom.]

e. and Gomorrah [6017 * ‘Amorrah] [Strong: from 6014; a (ruined) heap; Amorah, a place in Palestine:--Gomorrah.]

f. great [7227 * rab] [Strongs: abundant in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality.] [AMG: An adjective meaning many, much, great, long, mighty.]

1). In reality it was all the cities of the plain, and there were five of them: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboim, and Bela (renamed Zoar), Genesis 14:2. When they were destroyed, Lot fled to Zoar and the city was spared.

a). Genesis 19:17-22.

2. “…and because their sin is very grievous.”

a. their sin [2403 * chatta’ah] [Strong: from 2398; an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or expiation; also (concretely) an offender:--punishment (of sin), purifying(-fication for sin), sin(-ner, offering).]

b. is very [3966 * m’od] [Strong: from the same as 181; properly, vehemence, i.e. (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or superlative; especially when repeated):--diligently, especially, exceeding(-ly), far, fast, good, great(-ly), X louder and louder, might(-ily, -y), (so) much, quickly, (so) sore, utterly, very (+ much, sore), well.]

c. grievous [3513 * kabed] [Strongs: to be heavy in a bad sense, burdensome, severe. Or in a good sense, numerous, rich, honourable.]