24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
24 Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah-from the Lord out of the heavens.
24 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven.
24 Then God rained brimstone and fire down on Sodom and Gomorrah - a river of lava from God out of the sky! -
24 Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens.
24 Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah.
15 It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his: brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
15 Fire resides
15 In his tent dwells that which is none of his; sulfur is scattered over his habitation.
15 Their lives go up in smoke; acid rain soaks their ruins.
15 They dwell in his tent who are none of his; Brimstone is scattered on his dwelling.
15 The homes of the wicked will burn down; burning sulfur rains on their houses.
(Read Job 18:11-21)
Bildad describes the destruction wicked people are kept for, in the other world, and which in some degree, often seizes them in this world. The way of sin is the way of fear, and leads to everlasting confusion, of which the present terrors of an impure conscience are earnests, as in Cain and Judas. Miserable indeed is a wicked man's death, how secure soever his life was. See him dying; all that he trusts to for his support shall be taken from him. How happy are the saints, and how indebted to the lord Jesus, by whom death is so far done away and changed, that this king of terrors is become a friend and a servant! See the wicked man's family sunk and cut off. His children shall perish, either with him or after him. Those who consult the true honour of their family, and its welfare, will be afraid of withering all by sin. The judgments of God follow the wicked man after death in this world, as a proof of the misery his soul is in after death, and as an earnest of that everlasting shame and contempt to which he shall rise in the great day. The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot, Proverbs 10:7. It would be well if this report of wicked men would cause any to flee from the wrath to come, from which their power, policy, and riches cannot deliver them. But Jesus ever liveth to deliver all who trust in him. Bear up then, suffering believers. Ye shall for a little time have sorrow, but your Beloved, your Saviour, will see you again; your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh away.
15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made.
15 He makes a pit, digging it out, and falls into the hole that he has made.
15 See that man shoveling day after day, digging, then concealing, his man-trap down that lonely stretch of road? Go back and look again - you'll see him in it headfirst, legs waving in the breeze.
15 He made a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch which he made.
15 They dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves.
(Read Psalm 7:10-17)
David is confident that he shall find God his powerful Saviour. The destruction of sinners may be prevented by their conversion; for it is threatened, If he turn not from his evil way, let him expect it will be his ruin. But amidst the threatenings of wrath, we have a gracious offer of mercy. God gives sinners warning of their danger, and space to repent, and prevent it. He is slow to punish, and long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish. The sinner is described, verses 14-16, as taking more pains to ruin his soul than, if directed aright, would save it. This is true, in a sense, of all sinners. Let us look to the Saviour under all our trials. Blessed Lord, give us grace to look to thee in the path of tribulation, going before thy church and people, and marking the way by thine own spotless example. Under all the persecutions which in our lesser trials mark our way, let the looking to Jesus animate our minds and comfort our hearts.
15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.
15 The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
15 The nations have sunk in the pit that they made; in the net that they hid, their own foot has been caught.
15 They're trapped, those godless countries, in the very snares they set, Their feet all tangled in the net they spread.
15 The nations have sunk down in the pit which they made; In the net which they hid, their own foot is caught.
15 The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others. Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.
(Read Psalm 9:11-20)
Those who believe that God is greatly to be praised, not only desire to praise him better themselves, but desire that others may join with them. There is a day coming, when it will appear that he has not forgotten the cry of the humble; neither the cry of their blood, or the cry of their prayers. We are never brought so low, so near to death, but God can raise us up. If he has saved us from spiritual and eternal death, we may thence hope, that in all our distresses he will be a very present help to us. The overruling providence of God frequently so orders it, that persecutors and oppressors are brought to ruin by the projects they formed to destroy the people of God. Drunkards kill themselves; prodigals beggar themselves; the contentious bring mischief upon themselves: thus men's sins may be read in their punishment, and it becomes plain to all, that the destruction of sinners is of themselves. All wickedness came originally with the wicked one from hell; and those who continue in sin, must go to that place of torment. The true state, both of nations and of individuals, may be correctly estimated by this one rule, whether in their doings they remember or forget God. David encourages the people of God to wait for his salvation, though it should be long deferred. God will make it appear that he never did forget them: it is not possible he should. Strange that man, dust in his and about him, should yet need some sharp affliction, some severe visitation from God, to bring him to the knowledge of himself, and make him feel who and what he is.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 19:24
Commentary on Genesis 19:1-29
(Read Genesis 19:1-29)
Lot was good, but there was not one more of the same character in the city. All the people of Sodom were very wicked and vile. Care was therefore taken for saving Lot and his family. Lot lingered; he trifled. Thus many who are under convictions about their spiritual state, and the necessity of a change, defer that needful work. The salvation of the most righteous men is of God's mercy, not by their own merit. We are saved by grace. God's power also must be acknowledged in bringing souls out of a sinful state If God had not been merciful to us, our lingering had been our ruin. Lot must flee for his life. He must not hanker after Sodom. Such commands as these are given to those who, through grace, are delivered out of a sinful state and condition. Return not to sin and Satan. Rest not in self and the world. Reach toward Christ and heaven, for that is escaping to the mountain, short of which we must not stop. Concerning this destruction, observe that it is a revelation of the wrath of God against sin and sinners of all ages. Let us learn from hence the evil of sin, and its hurtful nature; it leads to ruin.