{
  "id": "dict_002234",
  "term": "Gomorrah",
  "slug": "gomorrah",
  "letter": "G",
  "entry_type": "biblical_place",
  "entry_family": "theological_term",
  "depth_profile": "standard",
  "short_definition": "A city of the Jordan plain destroyed by God alongside Sodom, remembered in Scripture as an example of divine judgment on grave wickedness.",
  "simple_one_line": "One of the wicked cities destroyed in Genesis 19.",
  "tooltip_text": "Biblical city destroyed with Sodom; used as a warning example of divine judgment.",
  "aliases": [],
  "scripture_references": [],
  "original_language_terms": [],
  "related_entries": [
    "Sodom",
    "Lot",
    "Admah",
    "Zeboiim",
    "cities of the plain"
  ],
  "see_also": [
    "Genesis 19",
    "Deuteronomy 29:23",
    "Isaiah 1:9-10",
    "Jude 7",
    "2 Peter 2:6"
  ],
  "lede_intro": "Gomorrah was one of the cities of the plain destroyed by God in the days of Abraham. In Scripture, it is remembered especially with Sodom as a warning example of judgment against persistent wickedness.",
  "at_a_glance_definition": "A sinful city of the Jordan plain that God destroyed in Genesis 19.",
  "at_a_glance_key_points": [
    "Closely associated with Sodom",
    "Destroyed as an act of divine judgment",
    "Became a lasting biblical warning",
    "Used by later prophets and apostles as a sober example"
  ],
  "description_academic_short": "Gomorrah was a city of the Jordan plain associated with Sodom and destroyed by God (Gen. 19). In Scripture it becomes a lasting example of judgment against serious sin and rebellion, while also warning later generations to repent.",
  "description_academic_full": "Gomorrah was one of the cities of the plain mentioned in the Old Testament and is most closely linked with Sodom in the account of divine judgment in Genesis 19. Scripture presents its destruction as a real act of God against extreme wickedness, and later biblical writers use Sodom and Gomorrah together as a solemn warning of judgment (for example, Deut. 29:23; Isa. 1:9-10; Jer. 23:14; Matt. 10:15; 2 Pet. 2:6; Jude 7). While interpreters may discuss the precise historical location of the city, the biblical significance is clear: Gomorrah stands as a sobering example of God's holiness, justice, and his call for people to turn from sin.",
  "background_biblical_context": "Gomorrah appears in the Genesis narrative of Abraham and Lot. Its destruction is tied to the broader account of the cities of the plain and functions in Scripture as an early and enduring example of divine judgment.",
  "background_historical_context": "The exact archaeological location of Gomorrah is uncertain. The Bible treats it as a real city of the ancient Jordan plain, but its significance in Scripture rests more on its destruction and moral lesson than on precise geography.",
  "background_jewish_ancient_context": "In Jewish and biblical tradition, Gomorrah became a stock example of judgment on deep corruption and covenant-breaking wickedness. Later Jewish and Christian writers commonly paired it with Sodom.",
  "key_texts_primary": [
    "Genesis 19:24-29",
    "Deuteronomy 29:23"
  ],
  "key_texts_secondary": [
    "Genesis 13:10-13",
    "Isaiah 1:9-10",
    "Jeremiah 23:14",
    "Matthew 10:15",
    "Luke 17:28-30",
    "2 Peter 2:6",
    "Jude 7"
  ],
  "original_language_note": "Hebrew: 'Amorāh (commonly transliterated Gomorrah). The name is preserved in English through the Greek and Latin biblical tradition.",
  "theological_significance": "Gomorrah illustrates God’s holiness, justice, and patience in judgment. It also shows that public, entrenched wickedness is not hidden from God and that judgment in Scripture is morally meaningful, not arbitrary.",
  "philosophical_explanation": "The biblical use of Gomorrah is historical and moral, not merely symbolic. A real city becomes a lasting sign that moral order matters and that evil has consequences before a holy God.",
  "interpretive_cautions": "Avoid treating Gomorrah as a mere legend or as a generic label detached from the Genesis narrative. Also avoid speculative claims about its exact archaeological site beyond what the evidence can support.",
  "major_views_note": "Most interpreters understand Gomorrah as a real ancient city destroyed in the Genesis account, though the precise location is debated. Theological readings consistently treat it as a warning example of divine judgment.",
  "doctrinal_boundaries": "This entry concerns a biblical place and its scriptural significance. It should not be used to support speculative moralism beyond what the text states, nor should it be detached from the historical-grammatical meaning of Genesis.",
  "practical_significance": "Gomorrah warns readers that God sees human wickedness, calls people to repentance, and will judge evil justly. It also reminds believers to take biblical warnings seriously rather than presuming upon mercy.",
  "meta_description": "Gomorrah was a city destroyed by God in Genesis 19 and is remembered in Scripture as a warning example of divine judgment.",
  "public_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/gomorrah/",
  "json_url": "/companion-bible-dictionary/data/dictionary/gomorrah.json",
  "final_disposition": "PUBLISH_CANONICAL"
}