Topical Bible: Sea of Sodom

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Sea of Sodom, more commonly known as the Dead Sea, is a significant geographical and historical location in biblical narratives. It is situated in the Jordan Rift Valley, bordered by modern-day Jordan to the east and Israel and Palestine to the west. The Sea of Sodom is renowned for its high salinity, which prevents aquatic life from thriving, hence the name "Dead Sea."

Biblical Significance:

The Sea of Sodom is intrinsically linked to the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were located in the plain of the Jordan near the Dead Sea. These cities are famously known for their destruction by divine judgment due to their wickedness. Genesis 19:24-25 recounts, "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."

Geographical and Historical Context:

The Dead Sea is one of the earth's saltiest bodies of water, with a salinity of around 30%. It lies at the lowest point on the earth's surface, approximately 430 meters (1,410 feet) below sea level. The harsh environment around the Sea of Sodom is characterized by its barren landscape, which aligns with the biblical description of the aftermath of Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction.

Symbolism and Theological Themes:

The Sea of Sodom serves as a powerful symbol of God's judgment and the consequences of sin. The desolation of the area is often seen as a physical manifestation of divine wrath. The Apostle Peter references the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a warning to the ungodly in 2 Peter 2:6 : "if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction, reducing them to ashes as an example of what is coming on the ungodly."

Cultural and Religious Impact:

Throughout history, the Sea of Sodom has captured the imagination of theologians, historians, and travelers. Its unique properties and the biblical events associated with it have made it a site of religious pilgrimage and scholarly interest. The Dead Sea Scrolls, discovered in the mid-20th century in the nearby Qumran Caves, further underscore the region's historical and religious significance.

Modern Relevance:

Today, the Sea of Sodom continues to be a point of interest for both scientific study and tourism. Its mineral-rich waters and mud are sought after for their purported therapeutic properties. Despite its inhospitable environment, the area around the Dead Sea is a testament to the enduring legacy of biblical history and the profound lessons drawn from the narratives associated with it.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Sea of Sodom

SEA OF SODOM (SODOMITISH sod-om-it'-ish).

See DEAD SEA.

Strong's Hebrew

5467. Sedom -- a Canaanite city near the Dead Sea
... Sodom. From an unused root meaning to scorch; burnt (ie Volcanic or bituminous)
district; Sedom, a place near the Dead Sea -- Sodom. 5466, 5467. Sedom. 5468 ...
/hebrew/5467.htm - 6k

126. Admah -- a city near Sodom and Gomorrah
... as adam Definition a city near Sodom and Gomorrah NASB Word Usage Admah (5). Admah.
Contracted for 'adamah; earthy; Admah, a place near the Dead Sea -- Admah. ...
/hebrew/126.htm - 6k

Library

The Sea of Sodom
... A Chorographical Century. Chapters 1-10 Chapter 5 The Sea of Sodom. The
bounds of Judea, on both sides, are the sea; the western ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 5 the sea of.htm

Lot's Flight from Sodom.
... years before the birth of Jesus Christ, two cities stood upon the plain which the
waters of the Dead Sea now cover. These cities were named Sodom and Gomorrah. ...
/.../anonymous/mother stories from the old testament/lots flight from sodom.htm

The Seven Seas According to the Talmudists, and the Four Rivers ...
... Israel. I. The Great Sea, or the Mediterranean. II. The sea of Tiberias.
III. The sea of Sodom. IV. The lake of Samocho... The three ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 4 the seven seas.htm

A Strain of Sodom.
... Behold another portent notable,. Fruit of that sea's disaster: all things cast. ... Such
Sodom's and Gomorrah's penalties,. For ages sealed as signs before the eyes. ...
/.../fathers of the third century tertullian appendix/2 a strain of sodom.htm

A Sight of Judea
... in a valley are numbered with the valley." To the plain eastwardly joins a valley,
lower than the plain,"namely, the coast of the sea of Sodom, and at length ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 9 a sight of.htm

A Great Part of South Judea Cut Off under the Second Temple. ...
... Hence the sea of Sodom, is said, by Diodorus Siculus, to be "about the middle of
Idumea." And in Josephus, and the Book of the Maccabees, we find very many ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 3 a great part.htm

In Public Spectacles He is Moved by an Empty Compassion. He is ...
... [219] See i. 9, note, above. [220] An allusion, probably, as Watts suggests,
to the sea of Sodom, which, according to Tacitus (Hist. ...
/.../the confessions and letters of st/chapter ii in public spectacles he.htm

Book 1 Footnotes:
... Its remote situation, at the most southern point of the Sea of Sodom, in the wild
and dangerous deserts of Arabia, makes it exceeding difficult for inquisitive ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 1 footnotes .htm

"For if Ye Live after the Flesh, Ye Shall Die, but if Ye through ...
... be aware, into the sea of death and destruction, as the fish that swim and sport
for a while in Jordan, are carried down into the Dead sea of Sodom, where they ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxxiv for if ye.htm

From the Talmud and Hebraica
... Chapter 5 The Sea of Sodom. Chapter 6 The Coast of the Asphaltites, The
Essenes. En-gedi. Chapter 7 Kadesh. Rekam, and that double. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/