Genesis 19:17-29

17When they had brought them outside, 1one said, “2Escape for your life! 3Do not look behind you, and do not stay 4anywhere in the 5surrounding area; escape to 6the 7mountains, or you will be swept away.” 18But Lot said to them, “Oh no, my lords! 19Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your compassion, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the 8mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die; 20now behold, this town is near enough to flee to, and it is small. Please, let me escape there (is it not small?) 9so that my life may be saved.” 21And he said to him, “Behold, I grant you this 10request also, not to overthrow the town of which you have spoken. 22Hurry, escape there, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there.” Therefore the town was named 1112Zoar.

23The sun had risen over the earth when Lot came to Zoar. 24Then the Lord 13rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of heaven, 25and 14He overthrew those cities, and all the surrounding area, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. 26But 15Lot’s wife, from behind him, 16looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

27Now Abraham got up early in the morning and went to 17the place where he had stood before the Lord; 28and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the surrounding area; and 18behold, he saw 19the smoke of the land ascended like the smoke of a 20furnace.

29So it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the surrounding area, that 21God remembered Abraham, and 22sent Lot out of the midst of the destruction, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.