Zoar
Zoar is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Judea in modern-day Israel. Known today as Al Safi. It appears across 9 verses in Scripture.
Biblical History
Zoar occupies a striking place in the patriarchal narratives as the small city that Lot fled to when Sodom was destroyed. Originally called Bela (Genesis 14:2), it was one of the five cities of the plain that engaged in battle with the four kings of the north. When God's angels urged Lot to flee before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot pleaded to be allowed to escape to this "little city" rather than the mountains, and God mercifully granted his request (Genesis 19:20-23). Because of this intercession, Zoar was spared the fiery judgment that consumed the other cities. Later, after Lot's wife became a pillar of salt, Lot abandoned even Zoar and took refuge in a cave in the mountains (Genesis 19:30). Zoar reappears in Moses' final panoramic view from Mount Nebo, where he surveyed the Promised Land as far as Zoar before his death (Deuteronomy 34:3). It is also mentioned in Isaiah 15:5 and Jeremiah 48:34 as a reference point in oracles against Moab, indicating its continued geographic prominence in the region east of the Dead Sea.
Archaeological & Historical Notes
Zoar is commonly identified with the area near the southern end of the Dead Sea, in the vicinity of modern Al Safi in Jordan. Byzantine and medieval sources consistently place Zoar at this location, and the site preserves remains from the Byzantine period including churches and a sugar-processing industry attested in Crusader times. Archaeological surveys have identified ancient settlement layers in the Ghor es-Safi area. The region's agricultural richness, fed by the Wadi Hasa, explains its persistent occupation. While Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age sites have been documented in the broader southern Dead Sea plain, definitive excavation confirming the Bronze Age city of biblical Zoar at this specific location remains ongoing.
Verse Appearances (9)
Sources: ISBE Encyclopedia · OpenBible Geocoding (CC BY) · Pleiades Gazetteer View all →