Instead its kind of presupposing something that cannot possibly be verified unless there is some kind of written script being discovered at the site that indicates the definite provenance of the dig. God Bless! Required fields are marked *, COPYRIGHT 2023 BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY 5614 Connecticut Ave NW #343, Washington DC 20015-2604. Check it out. Dig into the illuminating world of the Bible with a BAS All-Access membership. Be sure to also read the comment sections. There needs to be some research into the temperature the S&g nodules burn at and how long they maintain a high heat that will effectively heat very thick walls, columns, statuary to turn it all to the flaky material that crumbles to dust at S&G, [] http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/biblical-archaeology-sites/where-is-s [], [] Tall el-Hammam site in Jordan is the location of the biblical Sodom. http://lmlk.wordpress.com/2014/05/26/the-kikkar-dialogues/, G. M. Grenas brief review Steven Collins, an Easter-Bunny Christian for The Kikkar Dialogues (Research & Discovery Series) (Volume 2) on Amazon (06/07/14). Both statements are asinine & not logical. I have no doubt that two cities once existed by the names of Sodom and Gomorrah. Therefore, again, it isnt surprising to find out that several cities may have fallen to earthquakes. 23]: The sun rose over (Ref: Moses, Ref. Then Lot and his > family walk to Zoar, which likely was a distance of 5 miles. Jesus thought it was historic. How does the NLT translate in Romans 8:2? But unlike other Canaanite cities that continued to flourish in the Late Bronze Age (1550-1200 B.C.E. We often talk of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, but actually four cities were destroyed that day by God: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim (Deuteronomy 29:23, Hosea 11:8). follow it for a total of 1.4 Km, The initial climb is steep but then the trail makes a sharp left and levels. Ok so if God wiped this out for a reason dont you think he doesnt want you to find it?? 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. Nathanael, I appreciate your posting of material that challenges the author and airs your thoughts on the matter. Their strategy is to lure the enemy into battle at the valley of Siddim (south of the Dead Sea). Like come on man! God promises to spare Zoar when Lot pleads for it, because it is a small city: '"Behold, this city is near enough to flee there, and it is a little SODOM (modern Sedom) AND GOMORRAH (Heb. Shalom! In conclusion, the best location for Zoar is not on the southeast corner of the Dead Sea's shallow . 1. 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. Until very recently, the majority of biblical archeologists were concerned with finding evidence to support the Bible. Now Lot went up from Zoar with his two daughters and stayed in the What is the significance of Gen 46:10 "Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman"? They wanted to gang-rape the two male angels. Giovanni Pettinato, claimed in 1976 to have found the names Sodom, Gomorrah and Zoar/Bela in the Ebla tablets. 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. Lot and his > family must walk at least one hour, at a minimum, to get out of harm?s way. But in this case, the holy book (Bible) has given us an understanding and an idea about the place called Sodom and Gomorah thousand years before archaeologists now gave us the exact location Thus, the reverse is the case with myth. The stories of Sodom and its destruction,.. whether historical or not, were clearly understood to have occurred near the Dead Sea,. Access to 50+ curated Special Collections. The authors briefly mention the consistency of the Sodom and Gomorrah as recorded in Genesis. There has been some doubt about the exact location . They knew it was better to intercept their enemy and battle him at a distance rather than fight him on their doorstep. Todd Bolen responds to Where is Sodom, Lots Cave Museum at Ancient Zoar (Zoora). So where is Sodom, according to the Biblical geography of Genesis 13? I believe the Bible and none whatsoever even if it is evident to my eyes I blindly believe the Holy Bible only. The biblical geography alone as described in Genesis 13 should give enough credence to believe that Sodom may very well be located on the northern end of the Dead Sea and not the southeastern end. were discovered in Science because someone saw that the prevailing theories of Science Bethel and Ai are located near Jericho which is located directly across from the northern end of the Dead Sea. He cites Deuteronomy 2:4-5, 9, 34:1-3 and Joshua 13:8-28 as evidence that because Israel was not to displace Moab or Edom, Zoar cant be as far south as the mouth of the Zered. . But by tradition Zoar was destroyed along with the other four cities, supposedly because Lot, after begging God to spare it, didn't trust God's promise to do so and fled into the caves. Add an answer. Zoar was close to Sodom (Genesis 19:20) - as are these ruins. Note the parallel with Abraham pleading for Sodom. Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven. I think BAR has moderated its position over the years, becoming less biased against Scripture and opening the door to work done by those who presuppose the veracity of Scripture. --with Bela or Zoar. . 8 years of Archaeology Odyssey online, exploring the ancient roots of the Western world in a scholarly and entertaining way, The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land. The Bay of Mazraa was always the main, if not the only, natural deepwater haven If Zoar were at Es-Safi, it never could have functioned as an efficient harbor.. Ive studied this map in detail for many years. Zoar was one of the five Cities of the Plain, along with Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim. The event would have easily been visible from the location where Abraham was recorded to be. Then, in Genesis 19:30. servants house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may Your email address will not be published. . You can locate specific squares on each map by referring to the coordinates on the top and side of that map. Is Sodom related to Pompeii (present day- in Italy Rome)? Link here: In Abraham's day, it was ruled by a king who rebelled with the four others of the District after 12 years of domination by Chedorlaomer, only to be defeated by the Elamite monarch and his three allies. The location of Zoar has much to do with that of the cities of the Plain or Valley of Siddim, with which it is always connected. The site is so large that is can now be called a city state (62 acres, while Jerusalem and Jericho at the time were only 10 acres). 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. How did Dominion legally obtain text messages from Fox News hosts? Did Abraham and Lot recognize their visitors as supernatural beings when they first saw them? The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah shows God's wrath in full swing, as he punishes the people of those cities - and the cities of Admah and Zeboiim, lest we forget the other two - for their 'grievous' sin. mountains, because he was afraid to stay in Zoar; and he stayed in Press, 1995; pp. Has 90% of ice around Antarctica disappeared in less than a decade? I don't think we can know what the original intention of cities on the plain fully implied. It is also the place where the Biblical writers set their dramatic tale of Sodoms wickedness and destruction (Genesis 19). It is related how, for the impiety of its It's of no surprise since they're known for wickedness (Ezekiel 16:49). 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. Below, read Bill Schlegels commentary on the location of Zoar along with Steven Collinss response. Travel with us on our journey into the past in our free eBook Exploring Jordan. Zoar is located south of the mouth of the Zered River. Please, let me flee there. Locating Sodom at Tall el-Hammam by Dr. Todd Bolen on his blog (08/23/14). Lot was whisked to the outskirts of > Sodom > (still in harm?s way). Cell: 9704424254 Steven Collins responds to a letter by Bill Schlegel, Arguments Against Locating Sodom at Tall el-Hammam To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. Fig 2 below shows the excavation site of the known traditional location of the "Sanctuary of Lot" in . Not a BAS Library member yet? to Lot, "Escape for thy life; look not behind thee . *Q&C: Geographically Puzzled. It would be great. 1 Answer. Surely weve heard of tells. a man can traverse five miles. Whence does he adduce this? How to derive the state of a qubit after a partial measurement? Israelis didnt keep 70 Land Sabbaths strictly from 1099 BCE to 609 BCE (5th year of the king, Solomon to the 10th year of the king, Zedekiah = 490 Luni Solar Years) according to Yahwehs Luni Solar Calendar Formula (Lev. The so-called cities of the plain were Sodom, Gomorrah, Zoar, Admah, and Zeboiim. Genesis 19:23-26 By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. refuge in a little city, named Zoar , not very far . Genesis 13, archaeology and Biblical geography provide clues. Lot's Flight from Sodom. However, not all agree with Collinss assessment. For those who are interested, I have read and written extensively on Tall el-Hammam versus what The Sacred Scriptures detail about Sodom and the other 4 Cities of the Kikkar. Think the 9/11 event of the times. In fact, Genesis 13:11 reads that Lot journeyed eastward. There is no indication, at least in Genesis 13 that Lot traveled in a southern direction. Was it this eventwhich destroyed Hammam and the other cities of the kikkarthat was remembered by the Biblical writers in their telling of the story of Sodom? The territories of Moab and Edom (and the Ammon, for that matter) followed their wadi/river borders right into the Rift Valley. Additionally, the sharing of Sodom and Gomorrahs fate was not to breed disdain towards the LGBT community, it speaks to all sorts of intrinsically planted sin. However, it is the location of Zeboim that we found the most incredible. Maybe youll decide to become an atheist in the end. I thought it might be helpful for readers ofBiblical Archaeology Reviewto know where to go for another []. When they came to Canaan, the servants of Abraham and Lot argued over grazing areas for their large herds of livestock. While driving @ 70km per hour from Zoar to Pretoria , you will get there in 16 Hours 57 minutes. State/Province level distance calculator: What can a lawyer do if the client wants him to be aquitted of everything despite serious evidence? 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. They found scorched foundations and floors buried under nearly 3 feet of dark grey ash, as well as dozens of pottery sherds covered with a frothy, melted surface; the glassy appearance indicates that they were briefly exposed to temperatures well in excess of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the approximate heat of volcanic magma. The ancient city once covered nearly 10 acres. Dr. Craig Olson has written an excellent article Which Site is Sodom addressing the location of Sodom, the long lifespans and the sojourn, I highly recommend it. Link here: Im also glad to engage in scholarly debate in the pages of BAR on any and all topics related to the subject. 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. 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. . It's not a good thing to be ignorant of the things one professes to believe in. Biblical explanations of Sodom and Gomorah is a pure reality and true. Applications of super-mathematics to non-super mathematics. Genesis 19:23 The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar. Alfonso Archi, Pettinato's successor as Ebla epigrapher, vigorously contested this. If you are Biblical, and it is in The Holy Bible, then you should know yourself it is historical. If you want to meet halfway between Hebron, NB and Zoar, NF or just make a stop in the middle of your trip, the exact coordinates of the halfway point of this route are 48.791752 and -69.053001, or 48 47' 30.3072" N, 69 3' 10.8036" W. This location is 673.65 miles away from Hebron, NB and Zoar, NF and it would take approximately 14 hours 57 . Genesis 10:19 The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as you go toward Gerar, to Gaza; as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, to Lasha.. Genesis 13:10 Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar. 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. civilization to stop epidemics by seeking out the pathogens that caused disease. Bible Reference & Map Description. But where exactly was this plain, and was a particular site associated with Sodom? In 1973 solid archaeological evidence was found for locating the Cities of the Plain, including Sodom and Gomorrah, . from the fire which fell down upon the five cities. 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