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But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. (Genesis 19:4, 5)

But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. (Genesis 19:4, 5)

The entire population of the city - male and female1 - surrounded Lot's house. That mob had one thing in its collective mind. They wanted to rape the visitors, exactly as the men of Gilbeah would want to rape the Levite in Judges.

The entire population of the city - male and female - surrounded Lot's house. That mob had one thing in its collective mind. They wanted to rape the visitors, exactly as the men of Gilbeah would want to rape the Levite in Judges. To protect the angels, Lot offered his own two virgin daughters to take their place in the mass-rape.<ref>Genesis 19:8</ref>

Abraham had done everything he could to make the visitors welcome, even though he had never met them before. The people of Sodom wanted to take the visitors out of the comfort of Lot's care and they wanted to physically abuse them in the worst possible way.

Abraham had done everything he could to make the visitors welcome, even though he had never met them before. The people of Sodom wanted to take the visitors out of the comfort of Lot's care and they wanted to physically abuse them in the worst possible way.

Sometimes this incident is portrayed as sinful because of the gross inhospitality. Other times the attempted gang rape is seen as the core sin. Both points of view contain some truth. The Sodomites were inhospitable, but that inhospitality was not just a casual neglect of the visitors. It was an active attempt to harm them. The Sodomites were attempting gang rape, but they were not going to rape just anybody. They were going after two men who were on their own. Two men traveling without armed companions. Two men who, as far as they could see, had no means of defense.

The sinful nature of the city was already well established when the angels arrived. Abraham knew what the angels would find, and he knew it would lead to the destruction of the city, and that is why he pleaded that the city should be spared if there were even ten righteous people. The people of Sodom were already being described as wicked at the time of Genesis 13.

 

There can be no doubt. The sin the men of Sodom were attempting to commit was very grievous.

The sinful nature of the city was already well established when the angels arrived. Abraham knew what the angels would find, and he knew it would lead to the destruction of the city, and that is why he pleaded that the city should be spared if there were even ten righteous people. The people of Sodom were already being described as wicked at the time of Genesis 13.

Although on a surface reading the sin appears to be that of rape, the lack of punishment for Lot's offering of his daughters for rape and later references to the story suggest the true sin may have been that of inhospitality, of materialism, of inappropriate worship and ceremony or of cruelty towards visitors.

What was the sin of Sodom? What was it about Sodom that made Lot's wife look back? To answer this question we need to look at some of the later references to Sodom.

What was the sin of Sodom? What was it about Sodom that made Lot's wife look back? To answer this question we need to look at some of the later references to Sodom.

===Sodom in Isaiah and Jeremiah===

===Sodom in Isaiah and Jeremiah (False religion)===

We get an indication of the nature of Sodom in Isaiah and Jeremiah.

We get an indication of the nature of Sodom in Isaiah and Jeremiah.

The prophets of Jerusalem are said to commit adultery, walk in lies, and strengthen the hand of evildoers. This support of evildoers also features in the most important Old Testament reference to Sodom, outside of Genesis.

The prophets of Jerusalem are said to commit adultery, walk in lies, and strengthen the hand of evildoers. This support of evildoers also features in the most important Old Testament reference to Sodom, outside of Genesis.

''See References below.  The "high places" mentioned throughout the Old Testament refer to the "poles of Astereth", phallic shrines used by worshipers of the Sodomite religion ([[Homosexuals | Homosexuality]]).''

''See References below.  The "high places" mentioned throughout the Old Testament refer to the "poles of Astereth", phallic shrines used by worshipers of the Sodomite religion.''

 

Ezekiel tells us exactly what the sin of Sodom was.

===Sodom in Ezekiel (Idleness, or affulence without charity)===

:''Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed [[Homosexuality | abomination]] before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.'' (Ezekiel 16:49, 50)

Ezekiel offers another explanation of what the sin of Sodom was.

Pride, fullness of bread, abundance of idleness, neglect of the poor and needy, haughty, and committed [[Homosexuality | abomination.]]

:''Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.'' (Ezekiel 16:49, 50)

This is why the sin of Sodom is a warning to us all. The sin of Sodom something unspeakable that only some people are prone to commit. The sin of Sodom was pride, materialism, haughtiness, and neglect of the poor and needy.

Pride, fullness of bread, abundance of idleness, neglect of the poor and needy, haughty, and committed abomination.

Consider the two angels from the point of view of the Sodomites. Here were two travelers with no means of defense. They had nowhere to sleep. The people of Sodom neglected these poor and needy travelers. Later on, the whole city works together in the attempted gang rape. There is no record of anybody apart from Lot trying to stop it. Some of the people, those at the back of the crowd, would merely have been failing to strengthen the hand of the poor and needy through their inaction. Those towards the front were actively adding their support, strengthening the hand of those at the front, those evil people who lead the lynch mob.

Consider the two angels from the point of view of the Sodomites. Here were two travelers with no means of defense. They had nowhere to sleep. The people of Sodom neglected these poor and needy travelers. Later on, the whole city works together in the attempted gang rape. There is no record of anybody apart from Lot trying to stop it. Some of the people, those at the back of the crowd, would merely have been failing to strengthen the hand of the poor and needy through their inaction. Those towards the front were actively adding their support, strengthening the hand of those at the front, those evil people who lead the lynch mob.

There are three groups here: "the people out of the land of Egypt", "the angels which kept not their first estate", and "Sodom and Gomorrah". The first two groups rebelled against God and were punished, so Jude supports my conclusion that Sodom and Gomorrah were not godless cities destroyed for their godlessness, but were rebellious cities destroyed for their rebellion, just as "the people out of the land of Egypt", "the angels which kept not their first estate" were punished for their rebellion.

There are three groups here: "the people out of the land of Egypt", "the angels which kept not their first estate", and "Sodom and Gomorrah". The first two groups rebelled against God and were punished, so Jude supports my conclusion that Sodom and Gomorrah were not godless cities destroyed for their godlessness, but were rebellious cities destroyed for their rebellion, just as "the people out of the land of Egypt", "the angels which kept not their first estate" were punished for their rebellion.

The puzzling part of this passage is "going after strange flesh". It is possible that this is an obscure reference to the attempted rape of the angels. This would be another parallel between the days of Lot and the days of Noah (Genesis 6:1-4). Indeed, the "angels which kept not their first estate" may also be the "sons of God" described  in Genesis 62.  

The puzzling part of this passage is "going after strange flesh". One common interpretation is as a reference to homosexual acts. It is also possible that this is an obscure reference to the attempted rape of the angels. This would be another parallel between the days of Lot and the days of Noah (Genesis 6:1-4). Indeed, the "angels which kept not their first estate" may also be the "sons of God" described  in Genesis 62.  

The fate of Lot's wife is probably the most chilling aspect of the story of Sodom.

The fate of Lot's wife is probably the most chilling aspect of the story of Sodom.