“Wisdom rescued a righteous man
When the ungodly were perishing.
He escaped the fire
That descended on the Five Cities.
Evidence of their wickedness still remains.
It is a continually smoking wasteland.
Plants bear fruit that does not ripen.
A pillar of salt is standing
As a monument to an unbelieving soul.
Because they passed wisdom by,
They not only were hindered
From recognizing the good,
But also left for mankind
A reminder of their folly.
Thus their failures could never go unnoticed.”
Next we have the story of Lot and the town of Sodom, without mentioning his name, as found in Genesis, chapter 19. Once again, it is wisdom that rescues Lot, who is described as a righteous man (δίκαιον) among ungodly men (ἀσεβῶν), from the destruction of the 5 cities (Πενταπόλεως). Only 3 cities are mentioned in the Genesis story, Sodom, Gomorrah, and Zoar, but their names are not here. However, the Genesis story says that the cities of the valley were destroyed. This became a smoking wasteland so that plants did not ripen in this valley, probably someplace near the Dead Sea. Then there is famous story of the unbelieving wife of Lot who turned into a pillar of salt. So you can see that these stories in this abbreviated history had a big impact on the people. They were not only foolish people, but this smoking valley and salt monument remained as a reminder of their failures. They had passed on wisdom (σοφίαν) and did not recognize the good.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 