עֲמֹרָה

עֲמֹרָה

Amorah, a place in Palestine

Definition

עֲמֹרָה (Amorah), known in English as Gomorrah, was one of the five 'cities of the plain' (Genesis 13:12) located in the fertile Jordan Valley. It is most famously paired with Sodom as a city destroyed by God with fire and brimstone due to its extreme wickedness and moral depravity (Genesis 19:24-25). The name itself, meaning 'a heap' or 'ruined heap,' prophetically reflects its ultimate fate. In the prophetic books, Gomorrah becomes a proverbial symbol of divine judgment and utter destruction (e.g., Isaiah 1:9-10, Jeremiah 23:14).

Biblical Usage

The name appears 19 times, almost exclusively in the context of its destruction alongside Sodom. It is first mentioned geographically among Canaan's borders (Genesis 10:19) and as a city defeated by eastern kings (Genesis 14:2, 14:8). Its primary narrative and theological use is in Genesis 18-19, detailing its judgment. Later prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos) and a New Testament epistle (Romans 9:29) invoke 'Sodom and Gomorrah' as a byword for catastrophic judgment and moral corruption.

Etymology

Derived from the root עָמַר (ʿāmar, H6014), meaning 'to bind sheaves' or 'heap up.' The noun form עֲמֹרָה thus carries the sense of 'a heap,' particularly a heap of ruins. This etymology directly connects to the city's destiny, as its name came to signify its post-destruction state—a perpetual memorial of divine judgment.

Semantic Range

Gomorrah is a foundational biblical symbol of God's holy wrath against persistent, corporate sin and rebellion. Its destruction alongside Sodom serves as a stark warning throughout Scripture (Deuteronomy 29:23, 2 Peter 2:6). Understanding the Hebrew name ('ruined heap') deepens the prophetic irony and the definitive nature of its judgment. It underscores themes of justice, the seriousness of sin, and the reality of God's intervention in human affairs. In the ancient Near East, city-states like Gomorrah were centers of power, commerce, and supposed security. Their location in the well-watered Jordan Valley (Genesis 13:10) represented prosperity. The biblical account subverts this, showing that material prosperity and strategic strength are meaningless before God's judgment on moral failure. The story challenged ancient (and modern) assumptions that success equates to divine favor. סְדֹם (Sĕdōm, H5467) — Always paired with Gomorrah as the other primary city of judgment; the pair are used interchangeably as a compound symbol. צְבֹאיִם (Tsebôîm, H6639) — One of the other, lesser-known 'cities of the plain' also destroyed (Hosea 11:8).

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