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)
The verse meticulously lists "all the inhabitants" and "what grew on the ground" as being overthrown. This isn't just about buildings; it emphasizes the totality of God's judgment, consuming every aspect of that corrupted land and its life.
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)
This verse describes the immediate, catastrophic aftermath of God's judgment on Sodom and the surrounding cities, fulfilling the warnings given earlier in the chapter. Following Lot's escape with his daughters and the divine rain of fire and brimstone, the land itself is utterly devastated. This destruction sets the stage for Abraham's observation of the rising smoke, confirming the completeness of the judgment, and foreshadows the long-term geographical and ecological consequences for the region, which would become the Dead Sea.
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah wasn't just the end of cities; it was a complete obliteration. What does this event reveal about God's judgment?
Genesis 19:25 describes an overwhelming act of divine judgment. The Hebrew word for 'overthrew' (mahpêkah) signifies a total overturning, not just destruction but an inversion of the natural order.
Total Annihilation
This wasn't a natural disaster as we understand it. Commentaries suggest it involved earthquakes, fire from heaven, and possibly volcanic activity, leading to the formation of the Dead Sea. The sheer totality of the destruction—covering cities, the land, the people, and the crops—underscores the severity of God's judgment against profound sin.
The punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah was remarkably specific. What does the nature of their destruction tell us about their sin?
The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah wasn't arbitrary; it was a precise, mirrored response to their sins. The inhabitants were known for their extreme wickedness, particularly their perverse sexual desires and violence.
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The Nature of the Crime
The ancient commentators noted that their sin was against nature, and their punishment involved a 'preternatural burning.' This isn't about God delighting in destruction, but about a just and holy God responding to profound rebellion and perversion with a judgment that reflects the very nature of their offense.
The catastrophic destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, which transformed a fertile plain into the Dead Sea, serves as a stark historical example of divine judgment on widespread wickedness. The event's description emphasizes an utter ruin, not just of the cities but of the entire valley's ecosystem, highlighting the comprehensive nature of God's wrath against sin.
c. 2000 BC— this verse
Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
The cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, located in the fertile Jordan valley, were destroyed by fire and brimstone rained from heaven, along with their inhabitants and all vegetation. This event was a divine judgment on their extreme wickedness.
c. 2000 BC
Formation of the Dead Sea
The destruction of the cities resulted in the transformation of the fertile valley into a large, salty lake, known today as the Dead Sea or the Salt Sea. This geological change is directly linked to the cataclysmic event.
c. 1850 BC
Abraham's Covenant
Following the destruction of the cities, God reaffirmed His covenant with Abraham. This event is notable because the destruction of Sodom was a partial fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham to protect Lot.
This passage describes the utter destruction of another city, 'like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah,' highlighting the complete devastation and desolation that results from God's judgment.
Deuteronomy 29:23This verse directly references the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah, describing it as a 'sulfurous and salty, desolate waste,' which perfectly aligns with the total destruction and the land's barrenness mentioned in Genesis 19:25.
Luke 17:29Jesus himself references the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, comparing it to the end times and warning His followers not to look back, similar to Lot's wife, reinforcing the severity and finality of God's judgment.
Jude 1:7This New Testament passage explicitly links the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah to their 'sexual immorality and unnatural lusts,' directly correlating their utter destruction with the sins that provoked God's judgment.
gillGenesis 19:25: "And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground."
And he overthrew those cities,.... Of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim: very probably at the same time that this fiery tempest was in the heavens, there was an earthquake which overthrew the cities; and so Strabo (h) makes the lake, which is now the place where they stood, to be owing to earthquakes and eruptions of fire, and of hot bituminous and sul…
clarkeGenesis 19:25: "And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground."
And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain - This forms what is called the lake Asphaltites, Dead Sea, or Salt Sea, which, according to the most authentic accounts, is about seventy miles in length, and eighteen in breadth. The most strange and incredible tales are told by many of the ancients, and by many of the moderns, concerning the place where…
The verse meticulously lists "all the inhabitants" and "what grew on the ground" as being overthrown. This isn't just about buildings; it emphasizes the totality of God's judgment, consuming every aspect of that corrupted land and its life.
This verse describes the immediate, catastrophic aftermath of God's judgment on Sodom and the surrounding cities, fulfilling the warnings given earlier in the chapter. Following Lot's escape with his daughters and the divine rain of fire and brimstone, the land itself is utterly devastated. This destruction sets the stage for Abraham's observation of the rising smoke, confirming the completeness of the judgment, and foreshadows the long-term geographical and ecological consequences for the region, which would become the Dead Sea.
This verse describes the immediate, catastrophic aftermath of God's judgment on Sodom and the surrounding cities, fulfilling the warnings given earlier in the chapter. Following Lot's escape with his daughters and the divine rain of fire and brimstone, the land itself is utterly devastated. This destruction sets the stage for Abraham's observation of the rising smoke, confirming the completeness of the judgment, and foreshadows the long-term geographical and ecological consequences for the region, which would become the Dead Sea.
"And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground." — The verse meticulously lists "all the inhabitants" and "what grew on the ground" as being overthrown. This isn't just about buildings; it emphasizes the totality of God's judgment, consuming every as…
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Last reviewed October 2026