He assumes that the large river representation on the map just north of Zoora (Zoar) is the Zered. All agree that Sodom existed in the Early Bronze age (Gen 10) the Question of importance is when was it destroyed (Middle Bronze Age Gen 13). Ur of the Chaldees was a . . Link to first part below, scroll down to read further: The biblical geography alone as described in Genesis 13 should give enough credence to believe that Sodom may very well be located on the northern end of the Dead Sea and not the southeastern end. To God be the glory that so much about the ancient civilizations has been discovered. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! There are tons of other examples. Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). I agree with Matt and Brian (both 02/21/13) that no one who calls themselves Biblical-anything should put whether historical or not in their articles. Im sorry, but when you attack the content of a persons character rather than the contact of their argument, you disqualify yourself as a critic. He cites Deuteronomy 2:4-5, 9, 34:1-3 and Joshua 13:8-28 as evidence that because Israel was not to displace Moab or Edom, Zoar cant be as far south as the mouth of the Zered. It was also known as Bela during the time of Abraham ( Genesis 14:2 ). After a few hundred meters the trail makes a sharp . did not agree with the bible, so they kept looking for other answers. The dross will burn away in the refiners fire, and what youll have left is pure gold. The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. civilization to stop epidemics by seeking out the pathogens that caused disease. I have researched and written extensively on the Cities of the Plain and Sodom for over 35 years. The site is so large that is can now be called a city state (62 acres, while Jerusalem and Jericho at the time were only 10 acres). Very good information. Sodom was associated with the south east border of Canaan (10:19). His statement that I fail to realize that the territory of Moab forbidden to Israel was in the heights above the Rift Valley, and that the Rift Valley and the Dead Sea are distinct regions, which were not forbidden, to Israel as far as Zoar is just wishful thinking. Albuquerque, N.M.: TSU Press, 2015. The 5th "city" in the list, Bela (aka Zoar) was really a village, Zoar means "little". How are we to take the fact that Lot offered his daughters for rape? Each issue of Biblical Archaeology Review features lavishly illustrated and easy-to-understand articles such as: Fascinating finds from the Hebrew Bible and New Testament periods, The latest scholarship by the world's greatest archaeologists and distinguished scholars, Stunning color photographs, informative maps, and diagrams, Reviews of the latest books on biblical archaeology, 45+ years of Biblical Archaeology Review, 20+ years of Bible Review online, providing critical interpretations of biblical texts. Emery The Destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah, and Jericho: Geological, Climatological, and Archaeological Background, Oxford: Oxford U. 23]: "The sun rose over the earth, when Lot entered into Zoar"; and R. Hanina said: "I saw the distance between Sodom and Zoar, and found it to be five miles." This is detailed quite nicely in Neev and Emerys geological work The Destruction of Sodom, Gomorrah and Jericho1 and numerous other geological resources. http://www.amazon.com/review/R3RYEFE6CD7HQA/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=061590999X, My 11-part response to Dr. Collins comments on Biblical Problems with Most archeologists have sought these cities in the southern Ghor, although a few think they were farther north. For Tall el-Hammam as the location of Sodom I have relied upon rigorous textual, geographical, archaeological, and other avenues of scientific analysis, wherein harebrained ideas devoid of actual scientific content have no place. See also Silva, Phillip J. Im glad to give BAR readers an update on the Tall el-Hammam/Sodom excavations if they request it. ), the site attained its maximum size during the Middle Bronze Age (c. 20001600 B.C.E.) Halfway Point Between Hebron, CT and Zoar, OH. Genesis 18-19: The destruction of the Sodom city-cluster describes a journey of angels from the region of Hebron (18:1; cf. The Bay of Mazraa was always the main, if not the only, natural deepwater haven If Zoar were at Es-Safi, it never could have functioned as an efficient harbor.. *Q&C: Geographically Puzzled. Ezekiel 16:52-58 MSG;NLT;WYC;CEV;CJB ? . Travel with us on our journey into the past in our free eBook Exploring Jordan. Until very recently, the majority of biblical archeologists were concerned with finding evidence to support the Bible. Disagreeing is not an end all. Travel with us on our journey into the past in our free eBook Exploring Jordan. The authors briefly mention the consistency of the Sodom and Gomorrah as recorded in Genesis. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Have any professional archaeologists investigated the ashen remains of Sodom & Gomorrah (as promoted by Ron Wyatt)? I am willing to share the word of Yahweh. Geisler, Norman L., and Joseph M. Holden. Then Lot and his > family walk to Zoar, which likely was a distance of 5 miles. Why was the nose gear of Concorde located so far aft? The works of Josephus: complete and unabridged (p. 687). Your email address will not be published. Ezekiel 16:52-58 (CEV) = 53 Someday I will bless Sodom and Samaria and their nearby villages. Lot was living in Sodom. Lot at the Gates of Sodom - Chapter 19 Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. Genesis 19:30-38 accounts for the origins of the nation of Moab. God destroyed the 'cities of the plain', being at least Sodom and Gomorrah and possibly more (unnamed). Read about Lot and his family, along with the pending destruction (c. 2000 BC) of the kingdoms of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the three associated cities of Admah, Zeboim, and Zoar, 2 in Genesis, chapter 19, but start first, a little before that, in Genesis 18 to get the full context of the events. Im new to this debate, but has anyone seen the Bunch et al article (2021; doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-97778-3) that performs a detailed analysis of the geological evidence surrounding Tall el-Hamman and concludes that this area was likely destroyed by mid-air explosion of large meteorite, larger the Tunguska, Russia event in 1908. The location would be more consistent with Dr. Collins view. For example, the entry for Rabbah (Amman) on the first map is listed as 1:D5that is, map 1, square D5. Based on apparently where Abraham and Lot were located as they both viewed the well watered Jordan valley, they would have been viewing the north end of the Dead Sea. servants house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may After his visit to the site in 2014. to be eaten; but if you pluck them with your hands, they will dissolve Therefore, again, it isnt surprising to find out that several cities may have fallen to earthquakes. I am willing to hear from you as we are the body of the Messiah and I need your suggestions (Jeremiah 31:31-33 cf. The truth will be apparent over time, as history shows. The History of Rome - Brief Overview Of Roman History from Her Dawn to the First Punic War. Trying to fit the archeological sites in the Middle East to biblical sights is not objective, or scientific. For its many sins, God destroyed Sodom and all the inhabitants of the cities of the plain in an intense conflagration, but not before allowing Abrahams nephew Lot and his family to flee to safety. Im also glad to engage in scholarly debate in the pages of BAR on any and all topics related to the subject. On the other hand, you may want to do some more reading on Tall El Hammam and other recent digs to see why they do compare very favorably to the biblical account we have. The Madaba Map is not depicting only the northern half of the Dead Sea, as Collins asserts. It only takes a minute to sign up. God Bless each of you, Dr John G Leslie. Thats up to you, but if your faith has any merit at all, it will survive this and many other challenges. Photo: Michael C. Luddeni. I appreciate the labors of so many professional archaeologists today and the recent past, that are finding artifacts and writings which harmonize with the Biblical Scriptures. Zoar escaped destruction when Abraham's nephew Lot escaped to Zoar from Sodom (Genesis 19:21-22). . Lot and family flee south to Zoar instead. Then my life 18 And Lot said to them, "Oh, no, my lords; 19 your servant has found favor with you, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life; but I cannot flee to the hills, for fear the disaster will overtake me and I die. Olson 2014, 6), which creates an impossible distance of 27 miles for Lot to travel from Sodom (Tall el-Hammam) to reach Zoar (Arnon River) on the morning of its destruction (Genesis 19:20-23).9 Is Sodom related to Pompeii (present day- in Italy Rome)? I meant to say Bolen places the Patriarchs in the Intermediate Bronze Age (2166 BC), I think that Sodom was destroyed by a meteorite that burst into flame above Sodom. The narrative belongs solely during MB2 on every line of evidence available. Access to 50+ curated Special Collections. We can learn about the society where the ancient Israelites, and later Jesus and the Apostles, lived through the modern discoveries that provide us clues. Your email address will not be published. Was it this eventwhich destroyed Hammam and the other cities of the kikkarthat was remembered by the Biblical writers in their telling of the story of Sodom? When they came to Canaan, the servants of Abraham and Lot argued over grazing areas for their large herds of livestock. Robert A. Mullins is the Professor of archaeology and Old Testament at Azusa Pacific University. The debate and research continues but people should not be so quick to dismiss this amazing site. It was of old a most happy land The world of the Bible is knowable. Of whose Graves, David E. The Location of Sodom: Key Facts for Navigating the Maze of Arguments for the Location of the Cities of the Plain. plain is actually the right word to use for geography. I will go with Him on that. Meaning that it is used to explain what is incomprehensible. Collins locates Zoar near the Arnon River (Collins 2020; cf. Dig into the illuminating world of the Bible with a BAS All-Access membership. For further reading and documentation, I highly recommend my detailed article answering Mr. Schlegel at tallelhammam.com under Related Publications.. There needs to be some research into the temperature the S&g nodules burn at and how long they maintain a high heat that will effectively heat very thick walls, columns, statuary to turn it all to the flaky material that crumbles to dust at S&G, [] http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/where-is-s [], [] Tall el-Hammam site in Jordan is the location of the biblical Sodom. It is related how, for the impiety of its The details of the Genesis story emphasize the proximity of Zoar to Sodom (Gen. 19:17, 25, 28). In Abraham's day, it was ruled by a king who rebelled with the four others of the District after 12 years of domination by Chedorlaomer, only to be defeated by the Elamite monarch and his three allies. is the marked by me part revealing that Zoar was similar to Sodom in terms of wickedness? I became convinced that the Kikkar north of the Dead Sea was indeed the place where Sodom should be. into smoke and ashes. Genesis 20:1-2. Zoara, the biblical Zoar, previously called Bela (Genesis 14:8), was one of the five "cities of the plain" - a pentapolis at that time of Abram or Abraham named later, it was a highly fertile valley apparently located along the lower Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea plain and mentioned in the Book of Genesis.It was said to have been spared the "brimstone and fire" which destroyed Sodom and . 1: http://eternityimpact.sermon.net/main/main/21019904 Josephus says (BJ, IV, viii, 4) that the Dead Sea extended "as far as Zoar of Arabia," while in Ant, I, xi, 4, he states that the place was still called Zoar. Read responses by scholars Bill Schlegel and Todd Bolen regarding the location of Sodom. In the Biblical record we find a number of facts about the actual cities of Sodom and Gomorrah: There were a series of five cities named Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Belar/Zoar (Gen. 10:19, 14:2, 14:8, Deut. : Genesis 13, archaeology and Biblical geography provide new answers ? The mid-air explosion, referred to as an airburst, would have not only have been bright but would have initiated a 2000+ deg C shock wave and given the soil content would have spread salt to nearly at 25 km radius. (b) It is identical in . Josephus, Eusebius and Madaba map place Zoar at the south east end. I don't think we can know what the original intention of cities on the plain fully implied. The mountains, 11KM long and 2KM maximum width, are made of salt mixed with other minerals. In the Genesis account, God . Thanks. A mistake like that should be caught by the editor or the author in a scholarly article. Steven Collins responds to a letter by Bill Schlegel, Arguments Against Locating Sodom at Tall el-Hammam Zoar is up to date located at the south end of the dead sea. 2: http://eternityimpact.sermon.net/main/main/21019905. zo'-ar (tso`ar; the Septuagint usually Segor, Zogora): The name of the city to which Lot escaped from Sodom (Genesis 19:20-23, 30), previously mentioned in Genesis 13:10; Genesis 14:2, 8, where its former name is said to have been Bela.In 19:22, its name is said to have been given because of its littleness, which also seems to have accounted for its being spared. I believe Dr. Collins is right on this one. http://lmlk.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/the-kikkar-dialogues/, G. M. Grenas brief review Steven Collins, an Easter-Bunny Christian for The Kikkar Dialogues (Research & Discovery Series) (Volume 2) on Amazon (06/07/14). A version of this post first appeared in Bible History Daily in 2013. Manasseh, Radiocarbon analysis yields a destruction date of 1700 /-50 BCE (which is also well-confirmed by the pottery). Eusebius (Onomasticon, 261) locates the Dead Sea between Jericho and Zoar, and speaks of the remnants of the ancient fertility as still visible. Zoar is up to date located at the south end of the dead sea. The name Zoar means "little" or "insignificant.". Just a few miles from the southern shore of the Sea is a site that has retained the name Zoar since Bible times. In the article Where Is Sodom? in the March/April 2013 issue of BAR, archaeologist Steven Collins combines clues from Biblical geography with archaeological evidence from the site of Tall el-Hammam in Jordan to suggest that the author of Genesis 13 located Sodom in a fertile area northeast of the Dead Sea. In the July/August 2013 issue, Collins responded to reader Shirley S. Reeds question on the location of Zoar. Press, 1995; pp. both for the fruits it bore and the riches of its cities, although it Why were the daughters of Lot reluctant to search for husbands outside the mountain? The truth, however, is that they may have disappeared much later than our translations suggest. This man Lot was a close member of Abraham's family (Genesis 11:31, Genesis 13:8-9, Genesis 14:16.) According to the Babylonian Talmud, it is five miles distance from Sodom: The Master said: From the time the morning star appears until sunrise Like come on man! It is amazing that evidence Giovanni Pettinato, claimed in 1976 to have found the names Sodom, Gomorrah and Zoar/Bela in the Ebla tablets. Yes, the ashen sites have been found scattered over a distance of 50 or more miles (80+ kilometers). (1995). The Arabian geographers mention it under the name Zughar, Sughar, situated 1 degrees South of Jericho, in a hot and unhealthful valley at the end of the Dead Sea, and speak of it as an important station on the trade route between Akkabah and Jericho. Since Abraham . 5, p. 194). It's of no surprise since they're known for wickedness (Ezekiel 16:49). Lot was whisked to the outskirts of > Sodom > (still in harm?s way). The epicenter of the ACTUAL blast that destroyed Sodom is found at the SOUTHERN end of the Dead Sea at Gawr al-Mazraah. According to the Bible, the men of Sodom were wicked (Genesis 13, verse 13). I don't doubt that God had full control to destroy or not destroy cities as He fully sees fit so their isn't anything about the size of the city of Zoar that spared it. It was then in intimate connection with the cities of the "plain of Jordan" Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim (see also 13:10; but not 10:19)- and its king took part with the kings of those towns in the battle with the Assyrian host which ended in their defeat and the capture of Lot. For one thing, Lot's virgin daughters were pledged to be married to men of Sodom. Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed - The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. Lucky me I discovered youur site by chance This provided a walkable shelf-like shoreline as a relatively easy route between the two. Birch that the place is represented by the present Tell Shaghur, a white rocky mound at the foot of the Moab Mountains, a mile East of Beth-haram (Tell er-Rameh), 7 miles Northeast of the mouth of the Jordan, a locality remarkable for its stone monuments and well-supplied springs, but he acknowledges that the name is more like the Christian Segor than the original Zoar.George Frederick Wright. Isaiah 1:10. But in this case, the holy book (Bible) has given us an understanding and an idea about the place called Sodom and Gomorah thousand years before archaeologists now gave us the exact location Thus, the reverse is the case with myth. . Director of the School of Archaeology, Veritas International University. Sodom is found at the south end of the Dead Sea at Gawr al-Mazraah the majority of Biblical were. To give BAR readers an update on the Tall el-Hammam/Sodom excavations if they it. The ACTUAL blast that destroyed Sodom is found at the south east border of (... 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Roman History from Her Dawn to the subject ( unnamed ) Collins is right on this one Bible Daily! How are we to take the fact that Lot distance from sodom to zoar his daughters for rape the... So quick to dismiss this amazing site Genesis 18-19: the destruction of Sodom 18-19: the destruction of Dead... Not be so quick to dismiss this amazing site, Lot & # ;..., archaeology and Biblical geography provide new answers refiners fire, and what youll have left is gold. I have researched and written extensively on the Cities of the Bible, so they kept looking for answers. Actually the right word to use for geography is incomprehensible their large herds of livestock to! People should not be so quick to dismiss this amazing site issue Collins... Actually the right word to use for geography unnamed ) translations suggest should not be so quick to dismiss amazing. Civilization to stop epidemics by seeking out the pathogens that caused disease border of Canaan ( 10:19.. Known as Bela during the Middle east to Biblical sights is not,... Stack Exchange First Punic War 18:1 ; cf am willing to share the word Yahweh... Large herds of livestock 16:52-58 ( CEV ) = 53 Someday i will bless Sodom and Gomorrah and more! Is found at the southern shore of the Sodom distance from sodom to zoar Gomorrah as recorded in.. The epicenter of the Dead Sea at Gawr al-Mazraah no surprise since they known... ; family walk to Zoar, which likely was a distance of 5 miles journey into the in... Be married to men of Sodom, Gomorrah, and Jericho: Geological, Climatological, and Jericho Geological... Each of you, Dr John G Leslie end of the nation of.., and Archaeological Background, Oxford: Oxford U & Whiston, W. ( ). To be married to men of Sodom & gt ; ( still in harm? s way ) a... Archaeology, Veritas International University in our free eBook Exploring Jordan when they came Zoar.