Smoke Like a Furnace: Geological Context, Casthrophe Traditions, and Theological Rhetoric in the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19)

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19 remains one of the most memorable and theologically dense catastrophe narratives in the Hebrew Bible. This article argues that the geological and theological dimensions of the narrative are not mutually exclusive. Drawing on geological and archaeological data concerning the southern Dead Sea Valley — including bitumen deposits, salt formations, seismic activity, and historical descriptions of asphalt and sulfurous phenomena — the study demonstrates how the biblical authors likely drew upon observable features of the landscape to craft a rhetorically powerful theological narrative. Through close literary-rhetorical analysis and canonical intertextuality, particularly with Ezekiel 16, the paper shows that the vivid imagery of "fire and sulfur" and "smoke like a furnace" (Gen 19:28) serves primarily as theological rhetoric, communicating a profound warning against pride, social injustice, inhospitality, and moral "height." The Sodom tradition functions as a paradigmatic example of divine reversal: the proud and prosperous city is brought low. By integrating geological awareness with canonical-rhetorical interpretation, this article offers a model for interpreting biblical catastrophe narratives that respects the text's theological voice while acknowledging the ancient authors' embeddedness in a dramatic physical environment.