Lot's wife

Last updated
Lot's wife
Sodom Monreal.jpg
For disobeying God by watching Sodom's destruction, Lot’s wife is turned into a "pillar of salt" while Lot and their daughters escape (Monreale Cathedral mosaic)
In-universe information
AliasAdo
Spouse Lot
Children 2 daughters
Relatives Haran (father-in-law)
Milcah (sister-in-law)
Iscah (sister-in-law)
Nahor (uncle-in-law)
Abraham (uncle-in-law)
Sarah (aunt-in-law)
Moab (grandson)
Ben-Ammi (grandson)
Birth place Ur Kaśdim
Death place Sodom

In the Bible, Lot's wife is a figure first mentioned in Genesis 19. The Book of Genesis describes how she became a pillar of salt after she looked back at Sodom (the "looking taboo" motif in mythology and folklore). She is not named in the Bible, but is called Ado or Edith in some Jewish traditions. She is also referred to in the deuterocanonical books at the Book of Wisdom (Wisdom 10:7) and the New Testament at Luke 17:32.

Contents

Genesis narrative

The story of Lot's wife begins in Genesis 19 after two angels arrived in Sodom at eventide and were invited to spend the night at Lot's home. The men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and prompted Lot to offer up these men/angels to have sex with; instead, Lot offered up his two daughters but they were refused. As dawn was breaking, Lot's visiting angels urged him to get his family and flee, so as to avoid being caught in the impending disaster for the iniquity of the city. The command was given, "Flee for your life! Do not look behind you, nor stop anywhere in the Plain; flee to the hills, lest you be swept away." [1] :465 While fleeing, Lot's wife looked behind her at Sodom and was turned into a pillar of salt. [1] :466

Composition

The Hebrew verb used for Lot's wife "looking" back is תבט (tāḇeṭ). Her looking back at Sodom differs in word usage from Abraham "looking" (שקףšāqap) toward Sodom in 18:16. [2] :49

Pillar of salt

Lot's wife (center) turned into a pillar of salt during Sodom's destruction (Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493). Nuremberg chronicles f 21r.png
Lot's wife (center) turned into a pillar of salt during Sodom's destruction (Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493).

The story appears to be based in part on a folk legend explaining a geographic feature. [3]

A pillar of salt named "Lot's wife" is located near the Dead Sea at Mount Sodom in Israel. [4] A second one is shown to tourists across the Dead Sea, in Jordan, not far from the ruins of the Byzantine Monastery of St Lot. [5]

The Talmud states that a blessing should be said at the place where the pillar of salt is. [1] :467 [6] The term "Lot's wife" for such geographical features subsequently entered common parlance, as one of the outcrops comprising Long Ya Men was also nicknamed thus. [7]

The Jewish historian Josephus claimed to have seen the pillar of salt which was Lot's wife. [8] Its existence is also attested to by the early church fathers Clement of Rome and Irenaeus. [9]

Jewish commentaries

In Judaism, one common view of Lot's wife turning to salt was as punishment for disobeying the angels' warning. By looking back at the "evil cities," she betrayed her secret longing for that way of life. She was deemed unworthy to be saved and thus was turned to a pillar of salt. [10]

Another view in the Jewish exegesis of Genesis 19:26, is that when Lot's wife looked back, she turned to a pillar of salt upon the "sight of God" descending to rain destruction upon Sodom and Gomorrah. [1] :467 One reason given in the tradition is that she looked behind her to see if her daughters, married to men of Sodom, were coming or not. [1] :467

Another Jewish legend says that because Lot's wife sinned with salt, she was punished with salt. On the night the two angels visited Lot, he requested that his wife prepare a feast for them. Not having any salt, Lot's wife asked her neighbors for some, which alerted them to the presence of their guests, resulting in the mob action that endangered Lot's family. [1] :467

In the Midrash, Lot's wife's name is given as Ado [11] or Edith. [12]

Islamic view

Lut fleeing the city with his daughters; his wife is killed by a rock. Lot BnF Persan 54 fol. 40.jpg
Lut fleeing the city with his daughters; his wife is killed by a rock.

Lut (Arabic : لوط, romanized: Lūṭ) in the Quran is considered to be the same as Lot in the Hebrew Bible. He is considered to be a messenger of God and a prophet of God. [13]

In the Quranic telling, Lut warned his people of their imminent destruction lest they change their wicked ways, but they refused to listen to him. Lut was ordered by Allah to flee the city with his followers at night, but to leave his wife behind. As soon as he left, Allah brought down upon them a shower of stones of clay. [14]

The difference between this telling and the Judeo-Christian telling from the Book of Genesis is that Lut's wife was destroyed alongside the wicked; in other words, she did not flee with Lut. This is because Lut's wife was as guilty as those who were punished. So much so, that she is mentioned in the Quran alongside Nuh's wife as two impious and disbelieving women who were punished for their wickedness, irrespective of their being married to prophets. [15]

In the Quran, surah (chapter) 26 Ash-Shu'ara (The Poets) 

So We saved him and his family, all, Except an old woman among those who remained behind.

Quran 26:170-171

Commentary: This was his wife, who was a bad old woman. She stayed behind and was destroyed with whoever else was left. This is similar to what Allah says about them in Surat Al-A`raf and Surah Hud, and in Surat Al-Hijr, where Allah commanded him to take his family at night, except for his wife, and not to turn around when they heard the Sayhah as it came upon his people. So they patiently obeyed the command of Allah and persevered, and Allah sent upon the people a punishment which struck them all, and rained upon them stones of baked clay, piled up.

Other biblical references

Lot's wife is mentioned by Jesus at Luke 17:32 [16] in the context of warning his disciples about difficult times in the future when the Son of Man would return; he told them to remember Lot's wife as a warning to not waver at that time. [17] Lot's wife is also referred to in the apocrypha in Wisdom 10:7 - "a pillar of salt standing as a monument to an unbelieving soul."

The transformation of Lot's wife is visible in the painting Sodom and Gomorrha by Henry Ossawa Tanner. Sodom and Gomorrah, by Henry Ossawa Tanner.jpg
The transformation of Lot's wife is visible in the painting Sodom and Gomorrha by Henry Ossawa Tanner.

The poem, "Lot's Wife" by Anna Akhmatova, offers a more compassionate approach to Lot's wife's decision to look behind her. Scott Cairns' poem, "The Turning of Lot's Wife", also reimagines the story from a feminist perspective. In the first chapter of Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, the author praises Lot's wife for looking back knowing it would destroy her. Vonnegut compares her looking at Sodom to his recalling the fire bombing of Dresden. [18]

The story of Lot's wife is paralleled in Shirley Jackson's short story "Pillar of Salt", in which a woman visiting New York with her husband becomes obsessed with the crumbling of the city.

A short story by Robert Edmond titled "She Fell Among Thieves" was published in Argosy (magazine) in 1964. It tells how a white statue of a fleeing woman was found on a dig near the Jordanian border by a group of archeological thieves who later discover that their purloined treasure disappears during their rainy truck ride to the border.

The musical Caroline, or Change features a climactic aria titled "Lot's Wife," which Tonya Pinkins performed at the 58th Tony Awards to represent the original Broadway production's Best Musical nomination. The song alludes to the story of Lot's wife as a release from the evil and heartache of life.

The book Pillars of Salt by Jordanian author Fadia Faqir uses the story as a metaphor for the experiences of the central characters, who spend the story recounting their lives as bedouin women in British Mandate Jordan.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abraham</span> Hebrew patriarch according to the Hebrew Bible

Abraham is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Jews and God; in Christianity, he is the spiritual progenitor of all believers, whether Jewish or non-Jewish; and in Islam, he is a link in the chain of Islamic prophets that begins with Adam and culminates in Muhammad. As the namesake of the Abrahamic religions, Abraham is also revered in other Abrahamic religions, such as Druze Faith and Baháʼí Faith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taboo</span> Societal or cultural prohibition

A taboo, also spelled tabu, is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, offensive, sacred, or allowed only for certain people. Such prohibitions are present in virtually all societies. Taboos may be prohibited explicitly, for example within a legal system or religion, or implicitly, for example by social norms or conventions followed by a particular culture or organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abraham in Islam</span> Islamic view of Abraham

Abraham was a prophet and messenger of God according to Islam, and an ancestor to the Ishmaelite Arabs and Israelites. Abraham plays a prominent role as an example of faith in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. According to the Islamic perspective, Abraham fulfilled all the commandments and trials wherein God nurtured him throughout his lifetime. As a result of his unwavering faith in God, Abraham was promised by God to be a leader to all the nations of the world. The Qur'an extols Abraham as a model and exemplar: obedient and not an idolater. In this sense, Abraham has been described as representing "primordial man in universal surrender to the Divine Reality before its fragmentation into religions separated from each other by differences in form". Muslims believe that the Ka'aba in Mecca was built by Abraham and his son Isma'il as the first house of worship on Earth. The Islamic holy day, Eid al-Adha, is celebrated partly in commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son on God's command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph (Genesis)</span> Biblical figure, son of Jacob and Rachel

Joseph is an important Hebrew figure in the Bible's Book of Genesis. He was the first of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel. He is the founder of the Tribe of Joseph among the Israelites. His story functions as an explanation for Israel's residence in Egypt. He is the favourite son of the patriarch Jacob, and his jealous brothers sell him into slavery in Biblical Egypt, where he eventually ends up incarcerated. After correctly interpreting the dreams of Pharaoh, however, he rises to second-in-command in Egypt and saves Egypt during a famine. Jacob's family travels to Egypt to escape the famine, and it is through him that they are given leave to settle in the Land of Goshen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah</span> Biblical character

Sarah is a biblical matriarch, prophet, and major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious woman, renowned for her hospitality and beauty, the wife and half-sister of Abraham, and the mother of Isaac. Sarah has her feast day on 1 September in the Catholic Church, 19 August in the Coptic Orthodox Church, 20 January in the LCMS, and 12 and 20 December in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ishmael</span> Figure in the Abrahamic religions

In the biblical Book of Genesis, Ishmael was the first son of Abraham. His mother was Hagar, the handmaiden of Abraham's wife Sarah. He died at the age of 137. Traditionally, he is seen as the ancestor of the Arabs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lot (biblical person)</span> Person mentioned in the Book of Genesis and the Quran

Lot was a man mentioned in the biblical Book of Genesis, chapters 11–14 and 19. Notable events in his life recorded in Genesis include his journey with his uncle Abraham; his flight from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, during which his wife became a pillar of salt, and being intoxicated by his daughters so they could have incestuous intercourse with him to continue their family line.

Lut, also known as Lot in the Old Testament, is a prophet and messenger of God in the Qur'an. According to Islamic tradition, Lut was born to Haran and spent his younger years in Ur, later migrating to Canaan with his uncle Abraham. He was sent to the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as a prophet, and was commanded to preach to their inhabitants on monotheism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire and brimstone</span> Expression referring to Gods wrath

Fire and brimstone is an idiomatic expression referring to God's wrath found in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Bible, it often appears in reference to the fate of the unfaithful. Brimstone, an archaic term synonymous with sulfur, evokes the acrid odor of sulfur dioxide given off by lightning strikes. The association of sulfur with divine retribution is common in the Bible.

Al-Araf is the 7th chapter (sūrah) of the Qur'an, with 206 verses (āyāt). Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation, it is a "Meccan surah", which means it was revealed before the Hijra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ishmaelites</span> Abrahamic tradition of tribal identity

The Ishmaelites were a collection of various Arab tribes, tribal confederations and small kingdoms described in Abrahamic tradition as being descended from and named after Ishmael, a prophet according to the Quran, the first son of Abraham and the Egyptian Hagar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vayeira</span> 4th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading

Vayeira, Vayera, or Va-yera is the fourth weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading. It constitutes Genesis 18:1–22:24. The parashah tells the stories of Abraham's three visitors, Abraham's bargaining with God over Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's two visitors, Lot's bargaining with the Sodomites, Lot's flight, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, how Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father, how Abraham once again passed off his wife Sarah as his sister, the birth of Isaac, the expulsion of Hagar, disputes over wells, and the binding of Isaac.

Women in the Quran are important characters and subjects of discussion included in the stories and morals taught in Islam. Most of the women in the Quran are represented as either mothers or wives of leaders or prophets. They retained a certain amount of autonomy from men in some respects; for example, the Quran describes women who converted to Islam before their husbands or women who took an independent oath of allegiance to Muhammad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Potiphar's wife</span> Figure from Jewish and Muslim tradition

Potiphar's wife is a figure in the Hebrew Bible and the Quran. She was the wife of Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard in the time of Jacob and his twelve sons. According to the Book of Genesis, she falsely accused Joseph of attempted rape after he rejected her sexual advances, resulting in his imprisonment.

The Quran contains references to more than fifty people and events also found in the Bible. While the stories told in each book are generally comparable, there are also some notable differences.

<i>Noahs Ark</i> (miniseries) 1999 American TV series or program

Noah's Ark is a 1999 American-Australian television miniseries directed by John Irvin and starring Jon Voight, Mary Steenburgen, F. Murray Abraham, Carol Kane, Jonathan Cake, Alexis Denisof, Emily Mortimer, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, and James Coburn. The film is a fictional adaptation of Noah's Ark from the Book of Genesis. It was initially televised in the United States, that same year, was also televised in Canada, Germany and Portugal, among other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sodom and Gomorrah</span> Cities destroyed by God in the Book of Genesis

In the Abrahamic religions, Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities destroyed by God for their wickedness. Their story parallels the Genesis flood narrative in its theme of God's anger provoked by man's sin. They are mentioned frequently in the prophets and the New Testament as symbols of human wickedness and divine retribution, and the Quran also contains a version of the story about the two cities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sodomy</span> Anal or oral sex with people, any sex with an animal, non-procreative sex

Sodomy, also called buggery in British English, generally refers to either anal sex between people, or any sexual activity between a human and another animal (bestiality). It may also mean any non-procreative sexual activity. Originally the term sodomy, which is derived from the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Book of Genesis, was commonly restricted to homosexual anal sex. Sodomy laws in many countries criminalized the behavior. In the Western world, many of these laws have been overturned or are routinely not enforced. A person who practices sodomy is sometimes referred to as a sodomite, a pejorative term.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lot's daughters</span> Biblical figures

The daughters of the biblical patriarch Lot appear in chapter 19 of the Book of Genesis, in two connected stories. In the first, Lot offers his daughters to a Sodomite mob; in the second, his daughters have sex with Lot without his knowledge to bear him children.

Looking taboo is a motif in mythology, folklore and works of fiction. A person is prohibited to look at something or somewhere for fear of dire consequences.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Schwartz, Howard (2004). Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism. Oxford University Press. ISBN   9780195358704.
  2. Hamilton, Victor P. (1995). "looking (back)". The Book of Genesis: Chapters 18-50 (Google eBook) (2nd. ed.). Grand Rapids Michigan: Eerdmans. p. 49. ISBN   9780802823090.
  3. Hirsch, Emil G.; Seligsohn, M.; Schechter, Solomon; Jacobs, Joseph (1906). "Lot". Jewish Encyclopedia.
  4. Lefond, Stanley J. (2012). Handbook of World Salt Resources. Springer. p. 337. ISBN   9781468407037.
  5. "Lot's Wife". See the Holy Land. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  6. (Talmud B. Ber. 54a)
  7. National Library Board (2014). Wang Dayuan - Singapore History.
  8. Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews. Book I. Chapter 11. Verse 4.
  9. Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews. Book I. Endnote Number 23
  10. Scharfstein, Sol (2008). Torah and commentary : the five books of Moses : translation, rabbinic and contemporary commentary. Jersey City, NJ: KTAV Publishing. p. 71, #26. ISBN   9781602800205.
  11. Book of Jasher 19:52. Internet Sacred Text Archive.
  12. Friedlander, Gerald, ed. (1916). Pirkê de Rabbi Eliezer. London: Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. p. 186.
  13. Quran 26:161
  14. Quran 51:33-34
  15. Quran 66:10
  16. "Lot". Catholic Encyclopedia.
  17. Carroll, John T. (2012). Luke a commentary (1st ed.). Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press. p. 351. ISBN   9781611642025.
  18. Minx, Bjorn (2008). "Literature and Ethics: Social Critique and Morality in the American War II Novel". Ethics in Culture. Walter de Gruyter. p. 350. ISBN   978-3-11-020072-0.
  19. "One Inch Maps". University of Portsmouth . Archived from the original on 2022-04-07. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  20. "Geography Department website". University of Portsmouth. Archived from the original on 26 October 2007.
  21. "Taylor's Hampshire 1759, Martin and Jean Norgate". University of Portsmouth. Archived from the original on 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  22. "Geography Department website". 2004. Archived from the original on 26 October 2007.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Lot's wife made into a pillar of salt at Wikimedia Commons