And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Abraham's gaze wasn't just a simple glance; it was a deliberate act of "looking toward the face" of the cities. This implies a more attentive, even scrutinizing, observation, as if confirming with his own eyes the terrifying reality and divine judgment unfolding. The intensified imagery of the smoke, "like the smoke of a kiln," suggests not just fire, but a complete, consuming destruction akin to burning minerals, emphasizing the utter devastation.
And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After Lot and his daughters are rescued and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed by fire and brimstone, Abraham, who had prayed for the wicked city, looks on from a distance. He witnesses the devastating aftermath of God's judgment, seeing the smoke rise from the land like a furnace, confirming the totality of the destruction. This scene serves as a stark visual testament to the consequences of persistent sin and God's ultimate justice.
Abraham, who had pleaded for Sodom, now witnesses its final destruction from a distance. What does this scene reveal about God's justice and mercy?
Abraham's early morning vigil isn't about morbid curiosity. Having interceded for the city (Genesis 18:23-33), he now observes the consequence of God's judgment. The 'smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace' is a powerful visual of total annihilation.
Justice Served, Mercy Shown
This wasn't a capricious act. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was a response to their deep-seated wickedness, a 'cry' that reached God. Yet, God's justice is tempered with mercy. He remembered Abraham's plea, ensuring Lot and his family were rescued before the judgment fell. Abraham's gaze is a testament to God's faithfulness to His covenant, even as He executes His righteous judgment.
The imagery of smoke rising like a furnace is stark. What does this specific comparison tell us about the nature of Sodom's end?
The description 'like the smoke of a furnace' or 'kiln' (as some commentators note, referencing a lime kiln or ore furnace) emphasizes the intensity and totality of the destruction.
A Consuming Fire
This wasn't just a fire; it was a complete immolation. A furnace signifies extreme heat and thorough consumption. The smoke rising 'like the smoke of a furnace' paints a picture of Sodom and Gomorrah being utterly consumed, leaving nothing but a desolate, smoldering ruin. It's a powerful, unforgettable image of divine judgment falling on persistent sin.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
ashan · Hebrew Noun
The act of judgment or purification, often associated with the presence of God or the intensity of His wrath against sin, as seen in the destruction of wicked cities. It symbolizes total devastation and finality.
This event is a dramatic display of God's judgment on sin and His faithfulness to His promises to Abraham, even amidst widespread destruction.
c. 2100 BC
Abraham settles in Canaan
Abraham and his nephew Lot settle in Canaan, a period marked by divine promises and occasional divine judgment.
c. 2030 BC— this verse
Divine Judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah
Angels visit Lot in Sodom. Despite Lot's plea and attempted intervention, the city's wickedness leads to its utter destruction by fire and brimstone. Abraham witnesses the smoke from a distance.
c. 2030 BC
Lot's daughters and the founding of Moab and Ammon
Lot and his two daughters survive the destruction. In their isolation, the daughters conceive Moab and Ammon, who become ancestors of significant surrounding nations.
c. 1900 BC
Abraham's Covenant Renewal
God reaffirms His covenant with Abraham, promising descendants and the land of Canaan. This event highlights God's faithfulness to Abraham despite the judgment on the cities.
This passage describes the smoke rising from Babylon's destruction, directly paralleling the imagery of smoke from a furnace as described in Genesis, signifying a complete and fiery judgment.
Deuteronomy 29:23This verse prophesies that the land where Sodom and Gomorrah stood would become brimstone and salt, a description that aligns with the devastating outcome seen in Genesis 19 and the visual evidence of smoke described.
2 Peter 2:6This passage explicitly mentions God turning Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, a direct fulfillment of the judgment witnessed by Abraham, reinforcing the visual of the smoke as evidence of their complete destruction.
Isaiah 34:9-10This prophecy describes the land of Edom being turned into burning pitch and smoke, mirroring the fiery destruction and lasting desolation seen at Sodom and Gomorrah.
gillGenesis 19:28: "And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace."
And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain,.... To see how it fared with them: very probably the Lord had hinted it to him, that the destruction would be that morning, and therefore he rose early, got to the place bearly, and being on an eminence, looked wistly to see if he could observ…
ellicottGenesis 19:28: "And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace."
(28) Lo, the smoke of the country (really, land) went up as the smoke of a furnace. —The substitution of the word country for land is confusing. It was the land of the Ciccar, just mentioned, which was in flames. As Abraham could see the Ciccar, it must have been at the northern end of the Dead Sea (see Note on Genesis 1…
Abraham's gaze wasn't just a simple glance; it was a deliberate act of "looking toward the face" of the cities. This implies a more attentive, even scrutinizing, observation, as if confirming with his own eyes the terrifying reality and divine judgment unfolding. The intensified imagery of the smoke, "like the smoke of a kiln," suggests not just fire, but a complete, consuming destruction akin to burning minerals, emphasizing the utter devastation.
After Lot and his daughters are rescued and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed by fire and brimstone, Abraham, who had prayed for the wicked city, looks on from a distance. He witnesses the devastating aftermath of God's judgment, seeing the smoke rise from the land like a furnace, confirming the totality of the destruction. This scene serves as a stark visual testament to the consequences of persistent sin and God's ultimate justice.
After Lot and his daughters are rescued and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed by fire and brimstone, Abraham, who had prayed for the wicked city, looks on from a distance. He witnesses the devastating aftermath of God's judgment, seeing the smoke rise from the land like a furnace, confirming the totality of the destruction. This scene serves as a stark visual testament to the consequences of persistent sin and God's ultimate justice.
"And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace." — Abraham's gaze wasn't just a simple glance; it was a deliberate act of "looking toward the face" of the cities. This implies a more attentive, even scrutinizing, observation, as if confirming with hi…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026