Were Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed by a meteor strike?

Historical and Scriptural Context

Genesis records a dramatic account of Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction, situating it in the broader narrative of Abraham’s life and God’s dealings with humanity in the region of the Jordan Valley (Genesis 13:12–13, 19:1–29). While these cities appear earlier in Genesis 10:19 as part of the Canaanite territory, the primary focus remains on the events leading to their supernatural judgment. According to the text, these cities had become infamous for their grave sins (Genesis 18:20), prompting divine intervention.

Biblical Description of the Destruction

Genesis 19:24–25 states: “Then the LORD rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens. Thus He destroyed these cities and the entire plain, including all the inhabitants of the cities and everything that grew on the ground.” The narrative highlights an intensely hot and sudden calamity involving sulfur (often rendered “brimstone”), consistent with a catastrophic event of great magnitude. From a strictly textual viewpoint, the account emphasizes divine judgment rather than a purely natural cause. Yet the biblical text does not exclude that God could have used a natural medium (like a cosmic impact) to accomplish this purpose.

Geological and Archaeological Evidence

1. Sulfur Balls and Burn Layers

Travelers and researchers in the area surrounding the Dead Sea have reported finding high concentrations of sulfur balls within ash-laden strata. Some creationist researchers interpret these sulfur pellets and the layers of scorching as evidence supporting the supernatural fire and sulfur described in Scripture. They point to soil samples that have shown signs of rapid and extreme heating, consistent with a large-scale destructive event.

2. Tall el-Hammam Excavations

Some archaeologists propose that Tall el-Hammam, located in the Jordan Valley northeast of the Dead Sea, could be the site of ancient Sodom. Excavation reports reveal a sudden devastation layer dated to roughly the same broad timeframe that biblical chronology places the patriarchal narratives. Pottery fragments discovered there exhibit signs of “flash melting,” suggestive of exposure to temperatures higher than a typical city-burning fire. Proposed causes include a cosmic airburst or meteor event that generated extreme heat, aligning with the catastrophic destruction described in Genesis.

3. Possible Meteor Impact Hypothesis

Scientists specializing in impact events have considered whether a meteor or comet fragment could have disintegrated over this region. Such an event might produce massive thermal radiation and shockwaves. While not all researchers agree on this identification, the hypothesis asserts that an airburst could cause the kind of sudden devastation consistent with the language of “fire and sulfur” raining down.

Outside Writings and Historical Mentions

1. Josephus’ Account

The first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus wrote that the remains of Sodom were still visible in his day (Antiquities 1.11.4). Josephus spoke of “burnt-up land” and “remains of ashes,” which he linked to divine judgment. While not conclusive proof of a meteor strike, it corroborates the belief in a catastrophic event that left lasting evidence on the landscape.

2. Classical Geographers

Older Greek and Roman authors also mention the “sulfurous” and “burned” nature of the Dead Sea region. Their testimonies often align with Josephus’ remarks about the ground’s abnormal and charred features, lending broader historical support to the biblical claim of a fiery cataclysm.

Consistency with the Biblical Narrative

1. Divine Judgment with Natural Means

Scripture consistently demonstrates that God, as Creator, may use natural phenomena—whether earthquakes, storms, or cosmic events—at times of judgment or specific historical significance (e.g., the flood in Genesis 7, or the plagues in Exodus 7–12). The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah could similarly have involved a rare but real geological or astronomical mechanism, guided by divine purpose.

2. Scriptural Emphasis on Morality

Passages such as Ezekiel 16:49–50 and Jude 1:7 stress that Sodom’s destruction was tied to the moral depravity of its citizens. Although a meteor strike or cosmic airburst could help explain the intense heat and swiftness of the destruction, the ultimate cause, from Scripture’s perspective, remains Abraham’s God, who “rained down sulfur and fire…out of the heavens” (Genesis 19:24).

Theological Considerations

1. Sovereignty and Judgment

Scripture portrays God as the supreme Judge who holds all people accountable. The biblical emphasis is unwavering: moral corruption in Sodom and Gomorrah brought about judgment, whether that judgment was executed through direct supernatural means or a secondary natural instrument.

2. Historical Reliability

The continuity of the Sodom and Gomorrah account with the rest of Genesis supports the Bible’s integrity. Manuscript evidence from sources such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and the consistent ancient translations (e.g., Septuagint) corroborate the stability of the Genesis text over centuries. Furthermore, references to the event in multiple biblical books (Deuteronomy 29:23, Isaiah 13:19, 2 Peter 2:6, Jude 1:7) demonstrate the unified scriptural witness.

3. Archaeological Corroboration

While not all archaeological findings directly reference Sodom and Gomorrah by name, the discovery of intense burn layers in the region and the presence of geological phenomena that could mirror “sulfur and fire” add credibility. Such data support the concept that the biblical account corresponds to real places and a real historical event.

Conclusion: Potential Meteor Strike and Divine Judgment

The question “Were Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed by a meteor strike?” arises from both the dramatic biblical description and modern geological and archaeological findings. From the scriptural vantage point, the event was unquestionably God’s judgment. The mechanism may well have been a calamity involving cosmic impact or a similar cataclysm—some scholars see significant clues pointing in that direction.

Nevertheless, the Bible’s straightforward claim is that the destruction resulted from fire and sulfur raining down from the sky as an act of divine justice. Whether that involved a literal meteor or not is a matter of ongoing research. What remains unwavering in the biblical text is the moral lesson: God alone governs creation, executes just judgment, and reveals Himself as the source of both justice and mercy.