In the Beginning:
The Book of Genesis

Lesson 11 The Destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah
the book of Genesis 19:1–38

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for the book of Genesis
cross references in the book of Genesis
next lesson: The Birth of Isaac

This material coordinates with Lesson 11 on pages 62–66 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.  And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.”—the book of Genesis 1:31—2:2

welcome to our in-depth study of the book of Genesis
We invite interested groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson from this 28-lesson Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. These online study pages link to free lesson videos, an online glossary, and a list of cross references in the biblical text. Other study aids include maps, charts, illustrations, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis has been granted an imprimatur and can be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons on any online study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the book of Genesis 17:1—18:33
In Lesson 10 God’s Covenant with Abraham, the agreement gets serious. God renames Abram as Abraham, and he requires that Abraham and all the male members of his household be circumcised as a sign of their participation in the covenant. Interestingly, at this time Abraham’s wife Sarai also is renamed Sarah, and God promises that she will bear Abraham a son and heir. The eighteenth chapter in the book of Genesis describes a visit from three mysterious strangers who have come to be known as the Old Testament Trinity. These visitors promise that Sarah will bear a child within a year, but Sarah finds the idea laughable. Abraham questions God about how many righteous people need to be found in Sodom to prevent total destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham receives God’s assurance that Sodom won’t be destroyed if 10 righteous people can be found there, and Abraham quits asking.

map notes—the terrain around the Dead Sea has changed
When the Bible mentions the Salt Sea, it’s referring to what we usually call the Dead Sea. Originally this inland body of water was larger with a somewhat different shoreline. The southern coastline has undergone significant changes since the time of the patriarchs. Scholars think the ancient sites of Sodom and Gomorrah now lie under water. The map shows what the area might have looked like during the time of Abraham, and indicates approximately where the cities of Sodom, Gomorrah, and Zoar were located. It’s interesting that the book of Genesis 19:26 records that after Lot’s wife flees with her husband from Sodom and Gomorrah, she ignored the angels’ instructions not to look back. When she turned to see the devastation, she became a pillar of salt. Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 65 in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

what’s going on with Lot in Sodom? (46:45)
The destruction of Sodom is one of the better-known events recorded in Scripture. While the city’s name is the root of our word for sodomy, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps points out that it’s worth reflecting on other ways that the inhabitants of Sodom also may have angered God. The eighteenth chapter in the book of Genesis indicates that the LORD had made up his mind to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah before the angels’ visit. God clearly had his reasons. In addition to the potential rape of the visitors, what other offenses might be added to the sum total of the wickedness of the people of Sodom? Why might Lot be so reluctant to leave Sodom? What might explain why God seems intent on rescuing Lot and his family before the destruction?


The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study from Turning to God’s Word match the Scripture ranges for the sets of questions in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. You can follow along with the video overview as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 11, “The Destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah,” on pages 62–66 in the study book.

read the Catechism—how well do you know your faith?
In the nineteenth chapter in the book of Genesis, the name Salt Sea is interchangeable with the name Dead Sea—which also suggests a parallel between salt and death. That Lot’s wife is turned into a pillar of salt further suggests that disobeying clear instructions from God is what directly led to her rather bizarre death. Can you answer the following question without looking at the Catechism of the Catholic Church?

WHAT DO YOU THINK about God’s destruction of the wicked?
In the book of Genesis 18:23–32, Abraham sought to determine to what extent God will go to save the righteous. Consider whether God’s treatment of the wicked is any different in the Old Testament than it is in the New Testament.

?  If you concluded that there’s a difference, to what might that be attributed? If you concluded that there’s no difference, cite passages from both Testaments to support your viewpoint.
?  List all of the things you can identify in the nineteenth chapter in the book of Genesis that could be factors in the wickedness that leads God to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.
?  In the book of Genesis 19:17–19, Lot assumes that he’s found favor in the sight of God’s angels. What do you think Lot believes that he’s done to incur such favor?
?  What does the biblical text suggest is the reason that Lot and his family were spared when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah?
?  Consider whether you’ve done anything that might win you favor in God’s sight. What are the dangers inherent in assuming that God’s pleased with you?
?  What do you see as dangers inherent in assuming that God isn’t pleased?
?  Consider why God seeks to protect Abraham’s nephew even when Abraham hasn’t expressly asked God to do so?

prayer as barter—you could look it up in our archives
In the book of Genesis 19:18–22, Lot bargains with the angel of the LORD over where he and his family are to be relocated. Using prayers to ask for favors and trying to cut a deal with God seem to be endemic human behavior. In Lost in Translation, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. You can learn more about how Christianity addresses prayer as barter. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

more about the Moabites & Ammonites
The exact meaning of the Hebrew name Moab is unknown, though some scholars suggest it could mean “of the father” and therefore might refer to Moab’s resemblance to Lot, who was both the boy’s father and his grandfather. Benammi is a Hebrew name meaning “son of my people,” pointing toward the high value placed on preservation of the family line. The births of both boys came about in an incestuous manner, although the biblical text is careful to note that Lot was unaware of his actions. While the ancient Hebrews considered preserving the purity of the family line of extreme importance—and we’ll see more of this moving forward in this study—there appeared to be a strong taboo against incest. The Moabites and Ammonites, descendants of Lot through his daughters, will be considered enemies of the Hebrews and Israelites throughout salvation history.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however.

the book of Genesis 19:1–29—paragraph 2357
the book of Genesis 19:1–38—paragraph 332
the book of Genesis 19:13—paragraph 1867

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons or places mentioned in the biblical text under more than one name or more than one spelling. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun that appears in the biblical text for every lesson in In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. A link to that list can be found at the top of every online study page; the list features links to cross references in the primary biblical text in the study book In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open the link and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the book of Genesis 19:1–38 (NIV)

round black doveclose with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s text from the book of Genesis.

O God, you instill in us the desire to take the path you have chosen for us,
and to do so readily and willingly,
without attempting to let our own wishes interfere.
Grant that we may squelch any impulses
to look back with longing toward past sinful behavior.
We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ,
who embraced without hesitation his path of suffering. Amen.

Lesson 12 The Birth of Isaac—the book of Genesis 20:1—21:34
Lesson 10 God’s Covenant with Abraham—the book of Genesis 17:1—18:33

you also may like our study of the book of Revelation
REVELATION LOOK 022516The Revelation of Jesus Christ: The Faithful Witness, a 23-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, examines ways in which our traditional Christian view of heaven is built on Hebrew apocalyptic visions recorded in the Old Testament. This recently revised study includes maps and additional commentary and takes a close look at the role of the prophets in present-day Christianity. Illustrations by Tami Palladino depict the often-misunderstood images in the book of Revelation. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in our study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions and offer support. Contact us if you’d like to start a Turning to God’s Word study or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.