⁵ Now Lot,^(A) who was moving about with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents. ⁶ But the land could not support them while they stayed together, for their possessions were so great that they were not able to stay together.^{(B) 7} And quarreling^(C) arose between Abram’s herders and Lot’s. The Canaanites^(D) and Perizzites^(E) were also living in the land^(F) at that time.

⁸ So Abram said to Lot,^(G) “Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me,^(H) or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives.^{(I) 9} Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.”^(J)

¹⁰ Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain^(K) of the Jordan toward Zoar^(L) was well watered, like the garden of the Lord,^(M) like the land of Egypt.^(N) (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom^(O) and Gomorrah.)^{(P) 11} So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: ¹² Abram lived in the land of Canaan,^(Q) while Lot^(R) lived among the cities of the plain^(S) and pitched his tents near Sodom.^{(T) 13} Now the people of Sodom^(U) were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.^(V)

¹² The two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you?^(A) Get them out of here, ¹³ because we^(B) are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the Lord against its people is so great^(C) that he has sent us to destroy it.”^(D)

¹⁴ So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry^[a] his daughters. He said, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city!^(E)” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.^(F)

¹⁵ With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away^(G) when the city is punished.^(H)”

¹⁶ When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters^(I) and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them.^{(J) 17} As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives!^(K) Don’t look back,^(L) and don’t stop anywhere in the plain!^(M) Flee to the mountains^(N) or you will be swept away!”

¹⁸ But Lot said to them, “No, my lords,^[b] please! ¹⁹ Your^[c] servant has found favor in your^[d] eyes,^(O) and you^[e] have shown great kindness^(P) to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains;^(Q) this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. ²⁰ Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it—it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared.”

²¹ He said to him, “Very well, I will grant this request^(R) too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of. ²² But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it.” (That is why the town was called Zoar.^[f](S))

²³ By the time Lot reached Zoar,^(T) the sun had risen over the land. ²⁴ Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur^(U) on Sodom and Gomorrah^(V)—from the Lord out of the heavens.^{(W) 25} Thus he overthrew those cities^(X) and the entire plain,^(Y) destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.^{(Z) 26} But Lot’s wife looked back,^(AA) and she became a pillar of salt.^(AB)

Moab Seduces Israel

25 While Israel was staying in Shittim,^(A) the men began to indulge in sexual immorality^(B) with Moabite^(C) women,^{(D) 2} who invited them to the sacrifices^(E) to their gods.^(F) The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. ³ So Israel yoked themselves to^(G) the Baal of Peor.^(H) And the Lord’s anger burned against them.

¹⁶ For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,^(A) the lust of the eyes,^(B) and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.