Sodom & Gomorrah Were Not Destroyed Because of “Homosexuality.”
Genesis 18 Expounded & Interpretation Debunked
In Genesis 18, we have the setup to the infamous, erroneous interpretation of Genesis 19 where Sodom is destroyed. Let’s set the story “straight” right now!
This chapter tells us in no uncertain terms that God promised Abraham He would not destroy the city if there were at least 10 righteous people living within its city limits. You will see below the ultimately condemned are an implied unrighteous people or implied unrighteous ones. It only specifies the number of “righteous” (without a noun) who, if present, would prevent disaster. It says neither righteous “men” nor righteous “women.” Gender is not specified in Abraham’s discourse with God!
In each case, Abraham asked God if He would relent in destroying the city if an incrementally decreasing number of “righteous” could be found. We will see that “homosexuality” was not why Sodom & Gomorrah were destroyed.
Genesis 18:23-33 (NKJV)
23 And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it?
25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
26 So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.”
27 Then Abraham answered and said, “Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord:
28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You destroy all of the city for lack of five?” So He said, “If I find there forty-five, I will not destroy it.”
29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose there should be forty found there?” So He said, “I will not do it for the sake of forty.”
30 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose thirty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”
31 And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?” So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”
32 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”
And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.”
33 So the LORD went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
There Were No Righteous Women in Sodom Either
Abraham repeatedly refers to the “righteous.” In Scripture, persons referred to only by an adjective without a corresponding noun (“the righteous”) refers to any righteous person, without regard to gender. Even less descriptive, Abraham eventually drops the use of “righteous” altogether. He refers only to the number of (righteous) people with no other descriptor.
Abraham pleaded: “Suppose fifty…forty-five…forty…thirty…twenty…ten should be found there?” The LORD replied, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” Genesis 18:32 (NKJV)
God destroyed the city. This proves that not even 10 righteous persons, whether male or female, resided in Sodom!
Sodom obviously had married couples in male-female relationships who raised families. To presume that every single one of its inhabitants were “homosexuals”* without even 10 righteous “heterosexuals” is absurd.
It is true that when the perpetrators approached Lot’s house to abuse the heavenly beings (angels), they are all called “men” (Hebrew: ’îyš), which refers to a man or a husband. Chapter 19, verses 4 and 5, state:
Genesis 19:4-5 (NKJV)
“Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. (Italics added for emphasis.)
5 And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.” (The NKJV inserts with italics the word “carnally” for clarification. It is not in the original text.)
For those who prefer versions other than the New King James Version (NKJV):
The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translates verse 4 this way: “But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house;” (Italics added.)
The New American Standard Bible (NASB) translates verse 4: “the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter;“
An Example of a Modern Bible Translation Problem
The New International Version (NIV) translates verse 4: “Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom —both young and old—surrounded the house.”
Take note! The NIV paraphrases the original text WRONGLY! This is because it is not a truly accurate word-for-word translation. It is a hybrid. It combines translation with paraphrase. And in many cases it paraphrases verses INACCURATELY. This causes the reader to miss out on some very important details!
Did you notice that a very important word was omitted in the NIV? The Hebrew word ‘am, translated “people” in literally translated versions is MISSING! This leaves one with the impression that these men were the only ones who resided in Sodom.
The NKJV accurately includes “all the people” in addition to “the men of the city.” So do the NRSV and the NASB quoted above. The NIV omits this important detail in the original Hebrew. (Guess which version is preferred by most contemporary fundamentalists and evangelicals. That’s right! The NIV.)
To be fair, the translators of the NKJV and NASB also get it wrong with regard to the term “homosexuals.” We discuss that problematic issue HERE.
Here’s a Deal Breaker!
In over 40 references to Sodom in the Scripture, not one of these makes specific reference to “homosexuality!” If “homosexuality” was the “sin of Sodom,” you would think that there would be at least one! God told us the real reason Sodom was destroyed:
Ezekiel 16:49, 50 (NKJV)
49 Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
50 And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me; therefore I took them away as I saw fit.
Dear judging and condemning friend, what part of the Prophet Ezekiel’s explanation don’t you understand?
Here was the prophet Ezekiel’s perfect opportunity to blame “homosexuality.” He blew it!
The “men of Sodom” referred to in Genesis chapters 18 and 19 had stooped down to the lowest level of debauchery. They molested Angels who took on human flesh. (For an expounding on this phenomenon, click HERE.)
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is not about “same-sex couples.” The Biblical narrative about Sodom and Gomorrah in no way refers to people with same-sex attraction who live in loving, caring, and committed relationships with their same-sex spouses. In no way does it refer to the male who sits at his male partner’s bedside in the hospital as he lay dying, or the female who does the same at the bedside of her female spouse of 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 years.
Homosexuality Was Not Why Sodom & Gomorrah Were Destroyed
The story of Sodom and Gomorrah is a story that describes a city in such spiritual ruin that its destruction was irreversible when not even 10 righteous citizens could be found within it. It was populated by spiritually reprobate people who would not even above committing the gang rape of angels!
A Word to the Unwise
For those who just finished reading this page with intent to sit as judge, I exhort you in the name of Jesus to STOP forcing the meaning of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah to refer to what it absolutely does not! You now have the truth. God will hold you responsible for the next person who resorts to drugs, excessive alcohol use, or God forbid, taking his or her own life, as a result of your condemnation – even if you “mean well.” If you still can’t resist being a judge of souls, at least go back and read the site dedication. Hopefully, after reading it, the Lord will give you one more chance to repent of the sin of playing God, who is the only judge of eternal souls.
Go to the next “clobber passage.“
About the asterisk *
In this website, I will always (unless I miss one) put the words “homosexual,” “homosexuals,” and “homosexuality” in quotation marks. This is because I prefer to refer to say “persons with same-sex attraction.” God wonderfully created some people who have been born with same-sex attraction. They didn’t choose it. (For a discussion about whether people with same-sex attraction have “chosen this lifestyle,” click HERE.)
I also oppose the ever-increasing “alphabet soup” of identity letters and labels ad nauseam. They’ve only served to point out our differences and have ultimately created more and more division.