Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse emphasizes that the judgment came "from the LORD out of heaven," but it's crucial to notice the repetition: "the LORD rained... from the LORD." This isn't just a poetic flourish; it highlights that the divine action involved both God in heaven and God manifesting on earth, suggesting a profound unity and shared purpose within the Godhead even in judgment.
Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Following Lot's rescue from the wicked city, the Lord unleashes His judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, along with the surrounding plain. This cataclysm involves a downpour of sulfur and fire from the heavens, utterly destroying the cities and their inhabitants. The account emphasizes that this destruction is a direct act of God's wrath against the egregious sins of the people.
What does it mean that 'the LORD rained... from the LORD'?
This verse describes a singular event: a judgment so profound that it involved the direct action of God. The repetition of 'the LORD' (Jehovah) is significant. While some see a clear indication of the Trinity here, with the Son raining fire from the Father, others emphasize that it's a powerful declaration that this judgment was not a random natural disaster. It was an act of God's sovereign will, demonstrating His power and His role as the ultimate judge. Whether using natural elements or acting directly, God's hand was undeniably present in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
What does 'sulfur and fire' reveal about God's judgment?
The description of 'sulfur and fire' (often translated as brimstone) points to the literal, destructive forces unleashed upon Sodom and Gomorrah. Commentators suggest these elements, combined with the region's natural bitumen, created a devastating conflagration. This wasn't just symbolic; it was a cataclysmic event that consumed the cities and the surrounding plain. It illustrates how God can use the very elements of creation, normally neutral or life-sustaining, as instruments of His justice when His purposes demand it.
Why is this event recorded in such stark detail?
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah wasn't just a localized event; it was intended as a profound lesson for all time. The dramatic and terrifying nature of the judgment, involving fire from heaven, serves as a stark warning against sin and rebellion. It's a potent reminder of God's justice and His ultimate intolerance for wickedness. The vivid imagery emphasizes that God's judgment is real and will ultimately fall upon those who persistently defy Him.
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Understand the original words
gophrith · Hebrew Noun
In Scripture, sulfur is frequently associated with divine judgment, particularly the fire and brimstone used to execute justice upon wicked cities. It symbolizes the consuming and terrifying nature of God’s holiness when confronted by unrepentant sin.
esh · Hebrew Noun
Fire is a multifaceted biblical symbol representing God's presence, purification, zeal, and, as seen here, His righteous judgment against sin. It serves as an instrument of destruction for those who reject His covenant or persist in egregious evil.
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the self-existent God of Israel, the covenant-keeping Lord who is merciful yet righteous. He is the active agent in both creation and judgment, revealing Himself as the Holy One who cannot ignore human iniquity.
shamayim · Hebrew Noun
The celestial realm where God dwells, representing His majesty, authority, and the source of His power over the physical creation. When God acts 'out of heaven,' it signifies a sovereign intervention from His divine perspective into human history.
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah wasn't just a localized disaster; it became a foundational event in Israel's memory, cited by prophets and apostles for millennia as a stark, unforgettable illustration of God's judgment against sin and His power to bring destruction.
c. 2000 BC— this verse
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
God destroys the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by raining fire and brimstone upon them, leaving a desolate landscape.
c. 1400 BC
Exodus and Wilderness Wanderings
The Israelites, led by Moses, recount the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a warning against disobedience and sin.
c. 8th Century BC
Assyrian Threat
Prophets like Amos and Zephaniah reference the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to warn the Israelites against following the ways of the nations.
c. 6th Century BC
Babylonian Exile
Jeremiah and Lamentations use the example of Sodom's destruction to illustrate God's judgment on sin and the fate of rebellious nations.
1st Century AD
New Testament Allusions
New Testament writers like Peter and Jude refer to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a clear example of God's judgment on ungodliness.
This passage directly alludes to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, describing the land as ruined by sulfur, salt, and burning, serving as a stark warning against disobedience.
Jeremiah 49:18This prophetic passage likens the desolation of Edom to the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, emphasizing that their destruction was a complete and utter ruin from which no one would return.
Luke 17:29Jesus Himself references the destruction of Sodom as a clear example of God's judgment, equating it to the suddenness and completeness of the end times.
2 Peter 2:6This New Testament passage explicitly mentions Sodom and Gomorrah as examples of those condemned to destruction, highlighting their ungodly behavior and the ensuing divine judgment.
clarkeGenesis 19:24: "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;"
The Lord rained - brimstone and fire from the Lord - As all judgment is committed to the Son of God, many of the primitive fathers and several modern divines have supposed that the words ויהוה vaihovah and מאת יהוה meeth Yehovah imply, Jehovah the Son raining brimstone and fire from Jehovah the Father; and that this place affords no mean proof of the proper Divinity of our blesse…
gillGenesis 19:24: "Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;"
Then the Lord rained upon Sodom, and upon Gomorrah, brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven. And not upon those two cities only, but upon Admah and Zeboiim also, see Deuteronomy 29:23 ; this was not a common storm of thunder and lightning, with which often there is a smell of sulphur or brimstone; but this was a continued shower of sulphurous fire, or of burning flaming brim…
The verse emphasizes that the judgment came "from the LORD out of heaven," but it's crucial to notice the repetition: "the LORD rained... from the LORD." This isn't just a poetic flourish; it highlights that the divine action involved both God in heaven and God manifesting on earth, suggesting a profound unity and shared purpose within the Godhead even in judgment.
Following Lot's rescue from the wicked city, the Lord unleashes His judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, along with the surrounding plain. This cataclysm involves a downpour of sulfur and fire from the heavens, utterly destroying the cities and their inhabitants. The account emphasizes that this destruction is a direct act of God's wrath against the egregious sins of the people.
Following Lot's rescue from the wicked city, the Lord unleashes His judgment upon Sodom and Gomorrah, along with the surrounding plain. This cataclysm involves a downpour of sulfur and fire from the heavens, utterly destroying the cities and their inhabitants. The account emphasizes that this destruction is a direct act of God's wrath against the egregious sins of the people.
"Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven." — The verse emphasizes that the judgment came "from the LORD out of heaven," but it's crucial to notice the repetition: "the LORD rained... from the LORD." This isn't just a poetic flourish; it highlig…
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Last reviewed October 2026