roll.Bona BBsignetl for this conclusion may be zon-tamar to the vale of Siddim, ancl from sto.ted. 1. J ose1;1hus and Jerome, the one Siddi.m to Dan, the natural conclusion being reprosenting Jewish, nnd the other Christian, that on reaching Hazezon-tamar he dicl not tradition, both epeo.k of a Zoar as existing tum southward, but continued marching in that locality. 2. The difference of level northwards. 4. Moses from l\Iount Nebo between the northern and southern ends of (Dent. xxxiv. 3) beheld "the south, and the the lake, the one according to Lynch being plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of 1300 feet, aud the other not more than 16 palm trees, unto Zoar," which was certainly feet, seems to favour the i•iea that the latter possible if Zoar was in the line of vision with is of recent formation, having been, in fact, the plain and the city of Jericho, but as eubmer~ed nt the time of the overthrow of certainly impossible if it was at the southern the cities. 3. A ritlge of rock-salt on the extremity of the lake. This view has been west of the Vale of Salt is called by the name advocated by Grove (Smith's 'Biblical Dic- Jebel Usdum, in which a trace of the word tionMJ,' art. Zoar) ancl by Tristram (' Land Sodom is by some detected ; and the pillars of Israel,' pp. 354--358, and 'Land of :Moab,' of salt that in that region have from time pp. 330-334), and has been adopted hy to time been detached from the salt cliffs Drew (' Imp. Bible Diet.,' art. Sodom), have been designated by the name of Lot's Dykes (' Abraham, the Friend of Gocl,' p. wife (Bint Sheikh Lot). 4. 'l'he statement 185), and Inglis (' Genesis,' p. 168). A.nil of eh. xiv. 3 appears to imply that the Salt beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country Sea now covers what was originally the vale went up as the smoke of a (literally, of the) of Siddim. 6. The expression ff like the furnace. Thus the appalling catastropho laud of Egypt as thou comcst to Zoar" (eh. proclaimed its reality to Abraham; to sub- xiii. 10) is suggestive rather of the southern sequent ages it stampecl a witness of its than of the northern extremity of the lake severity (1) upon the region itself, in the ns tl10 site of the Pentapolis. It may be bleak o.nd desolate aspect it has ever since 'idded that this opinion has receivecl the possessed ; (2) upon the page of inspiration, ,;unction of Robinson, Stan1ey, Porter, Thom- being by subsequent Scripture writers con- son (' The Land and the Book'), and other stantly referred to as a standing warning eminent geographers. On the other hand, against incurring the Almighty's wi-ath there are reasons for believing that the true (Dent. xxix. 22 ; Isa. xiii. 19 ; J er. xlix. site of the cities wns at the north, and not 18; 1. 40; Lnm. iv. 6; Amos iv. 11; 2 Pet. the south, of the Dead Sen. 1. The circle ii, 6 ; Jude 7) ; and (3) upon the course of the Jordan was visible from the Bethel of ancient tradition, which it powerfully plateau (eh. xiii 10); the southern extremity o.ffectecl. Cf. Tncitus, 'Hist.,' v. 7: "Haud of the Dead Sea is not. 2. From the heights procul inde ca.mpi, quos fernnt oliru uberes, nbove Hebron or Mamre, though the nctual ruagnisque urbibus hnbitatos, fulminum circle is not visible, ff yet the depression jactu e.r~isse; et manere vestigia; terramque between the nearer hills nud those of Gilead ipsnm specie torridam vim frngiferam per- can be perceived, nnd .Abraham could at didisse; nnm cuncta o.tra et innnil\ velut in onco identiry tho locality whence the smoke cinerem vanescunt. Ego, sicut inclitas quon- arose," after Sodom's burning. 3. Chedor- dam urbes igne celesti flagrasse concesse..-im." lnomer's route (eh. xiv. 7-14) was from For traditional notices of this event by Kadesh to Hnzezon-tnmar, midway up the Diodorns Sieulus, Strabo, Pliny, Ovid, &c. wcstcm shore of the Deacl Sea, from Haze vide Rosenmiiller (Scholia I. eh. xix. 25).
HOMILETICS. Ver. 24.-The judgment of fire. I. 'l'BE DELIVERANCE OF LOT. 1. lilercifully warned. The intimation conveyed by the angels was-(1) Explicit; the city was to be destroyed. The cry for vengeance could no longer be resisted. 'l'he cup of its iniquity was full. (2) Emphatic; there was no dubiety about the announcement. Already the doom had been decreed, and they had como to be the ministers of its exe- cution. (3) Merciful; it was designed to secure the escape of himself and friends from the impending overthrow. "Whatsover thou he.st, bring them out of this place," (4) Timely; there was still ample opportunity for not only getting clear c,ut of the perilous region himself, but for alarming bis daughter's intended husbands. So a.re sinners warned clearly, expressly, grnciously, and opportunely in the gospel to flee from the wrath to come, to escape from the city of destruction. 2. Urgently hastened. Notwithstanding the angel's warning, it is obvious that Lot trifled, pro- bably from a latent apprehension that there was ~lenty of time, i! not fro~ any becret dubiety as to the need for the celestil\l exhortation; and so do smners daily yet on=L s 258 THE BOOK OF GENESIS. [CH. XIX. 12-28.