Genesis 19:24-25
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The verse mentions "the LORD rained... from the LORD," which is a subtle but significant repetition. It emphasizes that this wasn't just a natural disaster but a direct, deliberate act of God's judgment, with divine persons (traditionally interpreted as the Son and the Father) both involved in executing the sentence.
Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just before this, angels had arrived in Sodom, and despite Lot's hospitality, the depraved men of the city surrounded his house with violent intentions. After Lot and his family were brought out of the city by the angels, God unleashed His judgment. This verse describes the immediate and complete destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a direct act of divine wrath.
What sounds like a simple storm was a cataclysmic act of divine justice. Discover how God used the very elements to execute judgment.
Genesis 19:24 describes a literal downpour of sulfur and fire from heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah. While this was a direct act of God, commentaries suggest it was likely executed through natural, though extraordinary, means.
A Volcanic Catastrophe?
Many scholars propose that the destruction was akin to a volcanic eruption. The region around the Dead Sea is known for its bitumen and sulfur deposits. An earthquake could have triggered fissures, releasing these flammable substances, which were then ignited. This would create a fiery shower, a 'raining' of brimstone and fire from the sky, consistent with the biblical description.
More Than Just Weather
Regardless of the precise mechanism, the event was undeniably supernatural. The Bible emphasizes that this was not an ordinary storm but a targeted judgment from 'the LORD.' The intensity and specificity of the destruction—consuming the cities and the land—point to divine intervention, demonstrating God's active role in responding to profound wickedness.
Why does the text say 'the LORD rained... from the LORD'? This isn't a slip of the pen; it holds significant theological weight.
The phrase 'the LORD rained... from the LORD' in Genesis 19:24 is a striking repetition that has led to much theological discussion.
Echoes of the Trinity?
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Some interpret this repetition as an early hint of the Trinity – God the Son raining judgment from God the Father. The Son, who had appeared to Abraham and Lot in human form, is seen as the active agent executing the judgment, while the Father is in heaven, from whom this judgment originates. This view highlights the unified action of the Godhead, even in judgment.
Emphasizing Divine Action
Others see the repetition as an emphatic way to declare that this judgment was undeniably and exclusively an act of God. It wasn't a random natural disaster or the work of any lesser power. The LORD himself, the sovereign ruler of all, directly brought this destruction upon the cities, underscoring His authority and the righteousness of His action.
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 catastrophic destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone was not merely a localized event but a foundational example of divine judgment that resonated throughout biblical history, serving as a potent warning against wickedness for both ancient Israel and future generations.
c. 2100 BC— this verse
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
God rains sulfur and fire from heaven upon the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroying them and the surrounding plain as judgment for their extreme wickedness. Lot and his daughters are saved.
c. 1440 BC
Deuteronomy recounts the event
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is recalled in Deuteronomy as a warning and example of divine judgment on sin.
c. 750 BC
Amos references the judgment
The prophet Amos refers to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to illustrate God's judgment against injustice and sin.
c. 580 BC
Ezekiel describes the cities' sin
The prophet Ezekiel details the sins of Sodom, including pride, excess, and neglecting the poor, as reasons for their destruction.
c. AD 30
Jesus warns with the example
Jesus uses the destruction of Sodom as a solemn warning of the judgment that will come upon those who reject God's word.
c. AD 95
Peter and Jude cite the cities
The New Testament writers Peter and Jude refer to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as an example of God's judgment on ungodliness.
This passage explicitly references the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah with sulfur and fire, connecting the event to God's judgment and the spiritual state of a nation.
Ezekiel 16:49-50Ezekiel describes Sodom's sin as pride, excess, and lack of care for the poor, providing a theological understanding of why God's judgment fell upon them.
Luke 17:29Jesus himself refers to the destruction of Sodom as a point of comparison for the suddenness of His return, highlighting the judgment that fell upon the wicked.
2 Peter 2:6Peter directly alludes to Sodom and Gomorrah as examples of divine judgment, showing how God condemned and reduced the cities to ashes, serving as a warning to ungodly people.
Revelation 19:20This passage speaks of a lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are thrown, drawing a direct parallel to the fiery judgment that befell Sodom and Gomorrah.
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 mentions "the LORD rained... from the LORD," which is a subtle but significant repetition. It emphasizes that this wasn't just a natural disaster but a direct, deliberate act of God's judgment, with divine persons (traditionally interpreted as the Son and the Father) both involved in executing the sentence.
Just before this, angels had arrived in Sodom, and despite Lot's hospitality, the depraved men of the city surrounded his house with violent intentions. After Lot and his family were brought out of the city by the angels, God unleashed His judgment. This verse describes the immediate and complete destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a direct act of divine wrath.
Just before this, angels had arrived in Sodom, and despite Lot's hospitality, the depraved men of the city surrounded his house with violent intentions. After Lot and his family were brought out of the city by the angels, God unleashed His judgment. This verse describes the immediate and complete destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as a direct act of divine wrath.
"Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground." — The verse mentions "the LORD rained... from the LORD," which is a subtle but significant repetition. It emphasizes that this wasn't just a natural disaster but a direct, deliberate act of God's judgm…
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Last reviewed October 2026
