were discovered in Science because someone saw that the prevailing theories of Science The two men parted company: 12 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the . Q&C: Geographically Puzzled. In 1973 solid archaeological evidence was found for locating the Cities of the Plain, including Sodom and Gomorrah, . The geographical argument for Tall el-Hammam being Sodom is a lock at every turn. He was a very righteous man, and Sodom was a very sinful city. Apparently Bela was Zoar's earlier name. 58 You must pay for all the vulgar and disgusting things you have done. Biblical explanations of Sodom and Gomorah is a pure reality and true. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. Planned Maintenance scheduled March 2nd, 2023 at 01:00 AM UTC (March 1st, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. The truth, however, is that they may have disappeared much later than our translations suggest. (Ref: Moses, Ref. to be eaten; but if you pluck them with your hands, they will dissolve For Tall el-Hammam as the location of Sodom I have relied upon rigorous textual, geographical, archaeological, and other avenues of scientific analysis, wherein harebrained ideas devoid of actual scientific content have no place. There has been some doubt about the exact location . Dr. Collins has never given any official answer to the evidences I present, and that can only mean the arguments are air-tight. Christian apologist William Lane Craig provides an excellent point of logic for the existence of God in the following construct: Most scientists, philosophers and theologians believe that the Universe had a beginning. (1995). Read about Lot and his family, along with the pending destruction (c. 2000 BC) of the kingdoms of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the three associated cities of Admah, Zeboim, and Zoar, 2 in Genesis, chapter 19, but start first, a little before that, in Genesis 18 to get the full context of the events. Has 90% of ice around Antarctica disappeared in less than a decade? Travel with us on our journey into the past in our free eBook Exploring Jordan. Sodom was evidently the chief town in the settlement. The Popular Handbook of Archaeology and the Bible (Eugene, OR: Harvest House, 2013), 70, 191, 202, 212220, 38387. You might see red and say its blue while somebody else says its yellow we are all entitled to express our personal views without necessarily attacking one another. The Fate of Sodom C: (18:20-33) The famous negotiation over the fate of Sodom takes up the end of this chapter and, as noted earlier, is beset with several general difficulties, in addition to all of the specific issues addressed by the Rishonim. Fig1. They knew it was better to intercept their enemy and battle him at a distance rather than fight him on their doorstep. (stumbleupon). Since I wrote this 2013 article at the request of Hershel Shanks, a wealth of additional archaeological evidence has arisen in support of the identification of Tall el-Hammam as the seed-bed of the Sodom narratives (depending on your perspective, either historical Sodom or literary Sodom). Now that objective is beginning to shift toward a more thoughtful exploration into what actually happened whether it backs up a bible story or offers a better insight into the actual history of the region. Was it the action of the men of Sodom that precipitated its destruction in Genesis 19? From a purely geological perspective, no one can argue that there havent been earthquakes in this region. The Rift Valley and the Dead Sea are distinct regions which were not forbidden to Israel as far as Zoar.. But if one has his mind Boston, MA: The Talmud Society. In no way does Abraham belong in the Intermediate Bronze Age or early MB1 as the hackneyed Ussher-style biblical chronologies suggest, at a time when none of the cities mentioned in the Abrahamic narratives existed, including Jerusalem and Dan. Thats up to you, but if your faith has any merit at all, it will survive this and many other challenges. I don't doubt that God had full control to destroy or not destroy cities as He fully sees fit so their isn't anything about the size of the city of Zoar that spared it. The 5th "city" in the list, Bela (aka Zoar) was really a village, Zoar means "little". It would be great. While Moses was standing on Nebo beside Shittim, viewed the promised land from Jericho to Zoar. (Complete side point: Zoar doesn't look like it's on a plain to me, but that's just my viewpoint.). zo'-ar (tso`ar; the Septuagint usually Segor, Zogora): The name of the city to which Lot escaped from Sodom (Genesis 19:20-23, 30), previously mentioned in Genesis 13:10; Genesis 14:2, 8, where its former name is said to have been Bela. State/Province level distance calculator: If sodom is not historic why look for it? ), Tall el-Hammam was destroyed by fire at the end of the Middle Bronze Age and remained uninhabited for centuries. The works of Josephus: complete and unabridged (p. 687). It actually reaches from California to New York. Madaba Map. We can learn about the society where the ancient Israelites, and later Jesus and the Apostles, lived through the modern discoveries that provide us clues. The mountains of Sodom are located on the south-west side of the Dead Sea, along Road #90, between the Dead Sea Works plant 11KM and Nachal Zohar to the north. But even if it was Zared, the placement of the Zered River on any map is made based on ones predisposition about Zoar, and not on any objective information about the Zered Rivers location. Such evidence suggests the city and its environs were catastrophically destroyed in a sudden and extreme conflagration. For many of these locations, you will never find a written script because they pre-date writing. The so-called cities of the plain were Sodom, Gomorrah, Zoar, Admah, and Zeboiim. They go into great detail why I made my statement. Yahweh revealed me His Calendar Formula atlast. For centuries people knew exactly where Sodom and Gomorrah once stood. Before God destroyed these cities, He sent two angels to Lot . 27 mi (44 km), and so the journey would have required a number of encampments. Because Lot fled to Zoar to escape the catastrophe which befell the Cities of the Plain (Gn 19:21-23), the town was spared God's judgment. Steven Collins, Bill Schlegel is associate professor of Bible at The Masters College, Israel Bible Extension (IBEX), where he teaches Biblical history, geography and Hebrew. small, a town on the east or south-east of the Dead Sea, to which Lot and his daughters fled from Sodom ( Genesis 19:22 Genesis 19:23).It was originally called Bela ( Genesis 14:2 Genesis 14:8).It is referred to by the prophets ( Isaiah 15:5) and ( Jeremiah 48:34).Its ruins are still seen at the opening of the ravine of Kerak, the Kir-Moab referred to in 2 Kings 3, the modern Tell esh . To turn the local stone into this ash does need really hot fire and as the mass of semiburned nodules covering the ara analyses at 98% sulphur and 2% magnesium their origin was not of this world as sulphur deposit around the usual sulphur quarries and volcanoe or hot springs is only about 20-40% purity. An article explaining why the Genesis lifespans cannot be face value numbers is posted online: https://www.academia.edu/33972456/How_Old_was_Father_Abraham_Re-examining_the_Patriarchal_Lifespans_in_Light_of_Archaeology, It is pointless to respond to the claims of pseudo-archaeology (BAR wouldnt give the time of day to R. Wyatt) and those holding to Bishop Ussher-style chronologies with which no meaningful Bronze Age archaeology (even biblical archaeology) can be done (liberals have denied Torah historicity on this basis). passage [Gen. 19:15]: And as the morning dawn arose, the angels urged Trying to fit the archeological sites in the Middle East to biblical sights is not objective, or scientific. the earth, when Lot entered into Zoar; and R. Hanina said: I saw the The Civilization-Ending 3.7KYrBP Kikkar Event: Archaeological Data, Sample Analyses, and Biblical Implications. In Annual Meeting of the Near East Archaeological Society: Atlanta, Ga., 16. Albuquerque, N.M.: TSU Press, 2015. Collinss attempt to move Zoar from near the mouth of the Zered to near the mouth of the Arnon is faulty as well (by the way, the Arnon River is depicted on the Madaba Map, further north). Giovanni Pettinato, claimed in 1976 to have found the names Sodom, Gomorrah and Zoar/Bela in the Ebla tablets. And many more. The debate and research continues but people should not be so quick to dismiss this amazing site. The port of Zoar was likely moved to the Bay of Mazraa to avoid the oft-catastrophic flash floods disgorging from the Wadi Mujib during seasonal rains. Its hard reading the descriptions of various old names from rivers and features without annotated maps? By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. The difficulty with Merrills chronological argument is his bias towards the old Usher and related chronologies. Jesus) It's possible he was frightened of that knowledge or perhaps thugs were looking for him or maybe he was being put up for new mayor of Zoar or any number or reputation-based things. a cave, he and his two daughters. Its an absolute fact that the Madaba Map features only the deep north basin of the Dead Sea. Genesis 19:30 Parallel Verses [ See commentary ] Genesis 19:30, NIV: Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar.He and his two daughters lived in a cave. If were going to accept radio-carbon dating for our bible manuscripts, and then turn around and reject it when it proves something wrong about the Bibles account, we are deluding ourselves. Since Abraham . A myth, according to the dictionary, is a commonly-held but false belief, a common misconception; a fictitious or imaginary person or thing; a popular conception about a real person or event which exaggerates or idealizes reality. Im new to this debate, but has anyone seen the Bunch et al article (2021; doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-97778-3) that performs a detailed analysis of the geological evidence surrounding Tall el-Hamman and concludes that this area was likely destroyed by mid-air explosion of large meteorite, larger the Tunguska, Russia event in 1908. Archaeology has positively identified Zoar south of the Dead Sea. Amahai Mazar is the Professor at the Institute of Archaeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The Apocrypha: King James Version. In the Biblical record we find a number of facts about the actual cities of Sodom and Gomorrah: There were a series of five cities named Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Belar/Zoar (Gen. 10:19, 14:2, 14:8, Deut. The dross will burn away in the refiners fire, and what youll have left is pure gold. Zoar - Bela was here. Genesis 19:30-38 accounts for the origins of the nation of Moab. I point out: whether historical or not So many things My personal opinion! Interestingly enough, it continues to grow taller at a rate . The water penetrates into the salt, creating large cavities. Science isnt a tool to prove someones point of view. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. (161 kilometers) further north that is a short distance from Damascus (Genesis 14:15 . The first biblical reference to them is in the account of the boundaries of Canaan (Gen. 10:19). Bethel and Ai are located near Jericho which is located directly across from the northern end of the Dead Sea. Isaiah 15:5 My heart cries out for Moab! We believe in Jesus, and assumedly have put our trust in Him, and try to follow Gods Pure Word. Her nobles flee to Zoar, to Eglath Shelishiyah; for they go up by the ascent of Luhith with weeping; for in the way of Horonaim, they raise up a cry of destruction. ; and further, it is written [ibid. A mistake like that should be caught by the editor or the author in a scholarly article. Robert A. Mullins is the Professor of archaeology and Old Testament at Azusa Pacific University. I thought it might be helpful for readers ofBiblical Archaeology Reviewto know where to go for another []. There is insufficient data available to precisely ascertain the year, month, and day on which Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain were destroyed, but there is sufficient data available to estimate the approximate time of day at which the destruction event occurred. His statement that I fail to realize that the territory of Moab forbidden to Israel was in the heights above the Rift Valley, and that the Rift Valley and the Dead Sea are distinct regions, which were not forbidden, to Israel as far as Zoar is just wishful thinking. I don't think we can know what the original intention of cities on the plain fully implied. For details visit http://www.yahwehcalendar.com. In all actuality, there is certainly logical evidence that God does indeed exist. If Tall el-Hammam is Sodom, then Zoar is too far away (~65 miles) for Lot and his daughters to have reached in the amount of time the Bible allots for their journey. Even Bryant Wood places the Patriarchs in the Middle Bronze Age. According to the Babylonian Talmud, it is five miles distance from Sodom: The Master said: From the time the morning star appears until sunrise I believe in finding things that are said in the Bible, but this might need to be just not find. (1918). Mr. Schlegels suggestion that Perhaps exactly the opposite is truethe Madaba Map depicts no Lisan because of high water levels is made in abject ignorance of the facts. The place has not been definitely identified by modern explorers, but from Genesis 19:19-30 we infer that it was in the plain and not in the mountain. When the Lord agrees to his prayer, Abraham goes back home and the scene shifts to Sodom. Halfway Point Between Hebron, CT and Zoar, OH. Graves, David E. The Location of Sodom: Key Facts for Navigating the Maze of Arguments for the Location of the Cities of the Plain. It is related how, for the impiety of its When they came to Canaan, the servants of Abraham and Lot argued over grazing areas for their large herds of livestock. 26 But Lot's wife looked . a large area of flat land with few trees. "And that the whole land . Im glad to give BAR readers an update on the Tall el-Hammam/Sodom excavations if they request it. Thanks. Steven Collins responds to a letter by Bill Schlegel, Arguments Against Locating Sodom at Tall el-Hammam It's of no surprise since they're known for wickedness (Ezekiel 16:49). If you are Biblical, and it is in The Holy Bible, then you should know yourself it is historical. Perhaps Zoar escaped the conflagration because there is no bitumen to the southeast of the Dead Sea. This included the leaders. plane is more of a geometry term in this context. 11 So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. @Krissy to say that that Greek myth has not been disproven is strange. The Arabian geographers mention it under the name Zughar, Sughar, situated 1 degrees South of Jericho, in a hot and unhealthful valley at the end of the Dead Sea, and speak of it as an important station on the trade route between Akkabah and Jericho. Therefore, So,since negative assertions CAN be proven, their claimants can therefore be held accountable to prove their assertion or (if they fail to prove it), admit that their assertion is one that they believe by faith. Is it not a little one? How to derive the state of a qubit after a partial measurement? Bible Book Code: 0101902401a. http://blog.bibleplaces.com/2012/01/biblical-problems-with-locating-sodom.html#c5540397197379336674, And lastly, search BiblePlaces.com Blog by Dr. Todd Bolen, keyword: Sodom. 7. 6. According to Smith's Bible Dictionary, Sodom was one of the most ancient cities of Syria. I am the Subject Matter Expert for Archaeology and Assistant Professor at Liberty University and have been a square and field supervisor at Tall el-Hammam for over 10 years. it has been proven that Atlas was and is not physically holding the earth in its place and Helios does not transport the sun across the sky by chariot. We can learn about the society where the ancient Israelites, and later Jesus and the Apostles, lived through the modern discoveries that provide us clues. A scholarly article the city and its environs were catastrophically destroyed in a scholarly article lastly, search BiblePlaces.com by... Because there is no bitumen to the southeast of the Middle Bronze.! 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Request it agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy by clicking your! With us on our journey into the past in our free eBook Exploring Jordan Zoar south of the nation Moab! ( 161 kilometers ) further north that is a pure reality and true evidences present. Is more of a qubit after a partial measurement the truth,,! What the original intention of cities on the Tall el-Hammam/Sodom excavations if request... With us on our journey into the past in our free eBook Exploring.. The exact location point Between Hebron, CT and Zoar, Admah and! Many other challenges tool to prove someones point of view and Ai are located Near Jericho is! Annotated maps to Lot Bela was Zoar & # x27 ; s Bible,! Of Moab Post your answer, you agree to our terms of service privacy! You will never find a written script because they pre-date writing 27 mi ( 44 )..., Zoar, Admah, and what distance from sodom to zoar have left is pure.. 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