Deuteronomy 29:23
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The verse vividly paints a picture of utter desolation, but it's striking how it uses the geographic features around the Dead Sea—brimstone, salt, and burning—as a direct metaphor. This isn't just a generic description of barrenness; it's a specific, almost topographical, warning that the land's future ruin will echo the infamous destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, becoming a stark, visible testament to God's judgment.
the whole land burned out with brimstone and salt, nothing sown and nothing growing, where no plant can sprout, an overthrow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger and wrath—
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses has just concluded a solemn covenant renewal with the people of Israel, reminding them of God's faithfulness and their own responsibility to obey His law. He warns them that if they turn away from God to serve other gods, the curses written in this book will fall upon them, leaving their land desolate and barren as a testament to God's anger.
Imagine a land so utterly destroyed that it becomes a permanent, stark reminder of divine judgment. This verse paints such a picture.
The description of the land as "brimstone, and salt, and burning" isn't just poetic language; it's a vivid prophecy of utter desolation. This imagery is directly drawn from the region around the Dead Sea, famously known for its barrenness after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
A Land Unfit for Life
This profound barrenness serves as a visual testament. Future generations, or even passing strangers, would see this scarred landscape and ask, "Why did the LORD do this?" The answer, as the context reveals, is obedience to the covenant. The land's destruction is a consequence of forsaking God, a tangible sign that speaks volumes about the seriousness of breaking His promises.
The destruction of these infamous cities is a benchmark for divine judgment. Why does Moses bring them up here?
The comparison to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim is a powerful rhetorical tool. These cities were utterly annihilated by God's fiery wrath due to their extreme wickedness (Genesis 19). By invoking their fate, Moses emphasizes the severity of the judgment that awaits Israel if they break the covenant.
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A Deliberate Destruction
This isn't just about punishment; it's about making a profound statement. The complete overthrow serves as an unforgettable lesson, a stark warning against the kind of sin that provokes God's "anger and wrath."
Understand the original words
aph · Hebrew Noun
A term describing deep, intense hostility, indignation, or divine displeasure toward sin. It is the holy reaction of God's righteousness against everything that opposes His character and commands.
chemah · Hebrew Noun
A powerful, burning indignation or fury that accompanies divine judgment. It signifies the intense and irresistible expression of God's holy hatred of evil.
This verse paints a vivid picture of utter desolation, drawing a direct parallel to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It underscores that such a fate could befall the Promised Land itself if Israel broke its covenant, serving as a potent warning delivered just before they were to enter it.
~2000 BC
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
The cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim are destroyed by divine judgment, leaving the land a desolate, salt-encrusted waste. This event serves as a stark, enduring example of God's wrath against sin.
c. 1446 BC
Israel's Exodus from Egypt
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through Moses, establishing a covenant with them at Mount Sinai and leading them toward the Promised Land. This event marks the beginning of their national identity and relationship with God.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites begin their military conquest of the land of Canaan, fulfilling God's promise to their ancestors. This period involves intense warfare and settlement.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Deuteronomy Written
Moses delivers his final addresses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, near the Jordan River, before they enter the Promised Land. This includes the covenant renewal and the warnings found in Deuteronomy 29.
c. 780 BC
Amos Prophesies
The prophet Amos denounces the sins of Israel and surrounding nations, referencing the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a parallel to God's impending judgment.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Exile
The Babylonian army destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling much of the population. This catastrophic event fulfills many of the curses prophesied in Deuteronomy, including the desolation of the land.
This passage directly describes the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone, echoing the imagery used in Deuteronomy to depict the consequence of disobedience.
Jeremiah 22:8-9This passage describes future generations asking why the land was laid waste, and the answer given is the same: forsaking the covenant of the Lord. It shows this theme of desolation as a consequence of unfaithfulness is repeated in Israel's history.
Luke 17:29-30Jesus references the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a sign of His coming judgment, drawing a parallel between that ancient event and the final judgment, underscoring the severity of God's wrath against sin.
Zephaniah 2:9This verse uses similar imagery of desolation and barrenness ('brimstone and salt pits, and a perpetual waste') to describe the fate of Moab and Ammon due to their pride and destruction of God's people, reinforcing the idea of land being cursed for unrighteousness.
Revelation 18:14-18This passage describes the future judgment of a great city ('Babylon'), using imagery of destruction and desolation that parallels the fate of Sodom and the warned-about fate of Israel's land, highlighting the totality of God's judgment on sin.
calvinDeuteronomy 29:10-28: "Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel,"
That he may establish thee today for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
Ut statuat te hodie sibi in populum, et ipse sit tibi in Deum, quemadmodum loquutus est tibi, et quemadmodum juravit patrib…
pulpitDeuteronomy 29:23: "And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:"
Verse 23. - And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, etc.; rather, sulfur and salt, a burning the whole land thereof, it shall not be sown, etc. The words "sulfur," etc., are in apposition to the "…
The verse vividly paints a picture of utter desolation, but it's striking how it uses the geographic features around the Dead Sea—brimstone, salt, and burning—as a direct metaphor. This isn't just a generic description of barrenness; it's a specific, almost topographical, warning that the land's future ruin will echo the infamous destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, becoming a stark, visible testament to God's judgment.
Moses has just concluded a solemn covenant renewal with the people of Israel, reminding them of God's faithfulness and their own responsibility to obey His law. He warns them that if they turn away from God to serve other gods, the curses written in this book will fall upon them, leaving their land desolate and barren as a testament to God's anger.
Moses has just concluded a solemn covenant renewal with the people of Israel, reminding them of God's faithfulness and their own responsibility to obey His law. He warns them that if they turn away from God to serve other gods, the curses written in this book will fall upon them, leaving their land desolate and barren as a testament to God's anger.
"the whole land burned out with brimstone and salt, nothing sown and nothing growing, where no plant can sprout, an overthrow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger and wrath—" — The verse vividly paints a picture of utter desolation, but it's striking how it uses the geographic features around the Dead Sea—brimstone, salt, and burning—as a direct metaphor. This isn't jus…
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Last reviewed October 2026
