Dr. Dylan Johnson

Yeah, I hadn't actually thought of that or made that connection. That's a great connection. I'm sure somebody has somewhere in the literature. But I mean, it's important then too, because of course, the Pentapolis becomes kind of the fixation of the enemy in the early history of Israel, at least as it's depicted. So there may be a connection there.

Now, the question is just how fixed were these five cities of the plain, because eventually they start to get paired off and Sodom and Gomorrah kind of stand on their own. Adma and Zeboim are mentioned on their own as well. But at least, I guess, when we think about bringing all of these diverse traditions together, it becomes five and that could be significant.

Now, the question is just how fixed were these five cities of the plain, because eventually they start to get paired off and Sodom and Gomorrah kind of stand on their own. Adma and Zeboim are mentioned on their own as well. But at least, I guess, when we think about bringing all of these diverse traditions together, it becomes five and that could be significant.

Now, the question is just how fixed were these five cities of the plain, because eventually they start to get paired off and Sodom and Gomorrah kind of stand on their own. Adma and Zeboim are mentioned on their own as well. But at least, I guess, when we think about bringing all of these diverse traditions together, it becomes five and that could be significant.

Just as significant as well as the four eastern kings, because the places that they're associated with, Sumer, Elam, maybe something in the north and maybe something in the west, these might fall into a basic cognitive map of the ancient Near Eastern world, which usually makes its appearance in royal inscriptions as the four quarters of the world, which is

Just as significant as well as the four eastern kings, because the places that they're associated with, Sumer, Elam, maybe something in the north and maybe something in the west, these might fall into a basic cognitive map of the ancient Near Eastern world, which usually makes its appearance in royal inscriptions as the four quarters of the world, which is

Just as significant as well as the four eastern kings, because the places that they're associated with, Sumer, Elam, maybe something in the north and maybe something in the west, these might fall into a basic cognitive map of the ancient Near Eastern world, which usually makes its appearance in royal inscriptions as the four quarters of the world, which is

much like the cardinal directions, northeast, southwest. They describe these in terms of cultures, and certainly Sumer and Elam are two cardinal directions. The other two places, we have no clue where they are, so we can't really decide. But some scholars tend to think that that's what's being evoked here, that these are the kings of the whole world coming to bring war to the Dead Sea region.

much like the cardinal directions, northeast, southwest. They describe these in terms of cultures, and certainly Sumer and Elam are two cardinal directions. The other two places, we have no clue where they are, so we can't really decide. But some scholars tend to think that that's what's being evoked here, that these are the kings of the whole world coming to bring war to the Dead Sea region.

much like the cardinal directions, northeast, southwest. They describe these in terms of cultures, and certainly Sumer and Elam are two cardinal directions. The other two places, we have no clue where they are, so we can't really decide. But some scholars tend to think that that's what's being evoked here, that these are the kings of the whole world coming to bring war to the Dead Sea region.

It's certainly possible. It's hard to exactly tell because there is some kind of a judgmental tone in even some of these earlier ones. They talk a lot about the overthrow of these cities. And so whether or not that judgmental tone is there in the original narrative – We just have Genesis 14. In the prophetic texts, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, there is that judgmental tone.

It's certainly possible. It's hard to exactly tell because there is some kind of a judgmental tone in even some of these earlier ones. They talk a lot about the overthrow of these cities. And so whether or not that judgmental tone is there in the original narrative – We just have Genesis 14. In the prophetic texts, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, there is that judgmental tone.

It's certainly possible. It's hard to exactly tell because there is some kind of a judgmental tone in even some of these earlier ones. They talk a lot about the overthrow of these cities. And so whether or not that judgmental tone is there in the original narrative – We just have Genesis 14. In the prophetic texts, Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, there is that judgmental tone.

So they do somewhat associate it, which makes sense because then there's room for extrapolation in chapters 18 and 19 then to really build on this. So there is a sense even in this early stage that these places got what they deserved, But I should also add that after we leave verse 11 and go into verse 12, Abram shows back up. He musters an army.

So they do somewhat associate it, which makes sense because then there's room for extrapolation in chapters 18 and 19 then to really build on this. So there is a sense even in this early stage that these places got what they deserved, But I should also add that after we leave verse 11 and go into verse 12, Abram shows back up. He musters an army.

So they do somewhat associate it, which makes sense because then there's room for extrapolation in chapters 18 and 19 then to really build on this. So there is a sense even in this early stage that these places got what they deserved, But I should also add that after we leave verse 11 and go into verse 12, Abram shows back up. He musters an army.

He goes to war with Erdola Omar, and he is victorious. So there's also this kind of redemption through the figure of Abram, who's for the only time in the entire book of Genesis acting like a king here. So it's really hard to tell, I would say, if all of this sin and sanction emerges only in those chapters, but it's certainly much less prominent in chapter 14.

He goes to war with Erdola Omar, and he is victorious. So there's also this kind of redemption through the figure of Abram, who's for the only time in the entire book of Genesis acting like a king here. So it's really hard to tell, I would say, if all of this sin and sanction emerges only in those chapters, but it's certainly much less prominent in chapter 14.

He goes to war with Erdola Omar, and he is victorious. So there's also this kind of redemption through the figure of Abram, who's for the only time in the entire book of Genesis acting like a king here. So it's really hard to tell, I would say, if all of this sin and sanction emerges only in those chapters, but it's certainly much less prominent in chapter 14.

Yeah, so it seems almost definitive that the imagined landscape of both these stories is probably just south of the Dead Sea because of, well, for reasons I'm about to get to. So let's start with the oldest story, at least what we think looks like the oldest story, which is Genesis 14. Now, there's some references just to the geology of the region, the city of the plain.