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Sodom’s Smoke

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Sodom’s smoke is the rising sign of judgment over the destroyed cities.

Detailed Definition
After the destruction, Abraham looks toward the plain and sees smoke rising like the smoke of a furnace. This aftermath is less an image of active fire than of a world already altered, where absence becomes visible from far away. In poetry, Sodom’s smoke may signify historical warning, the residue of violence, or the distant evidence that a glittering civilization has collapsed into ash.
Example
Example in poetry:
Sodom’s Smoke can symbolize destruction remembered after judgment; “Sodom’s smoke darkened the morning of the valley” turns the biblical image into an atmosphere of warning; A poet may use the smoke to suggest the consequences of cruelty and corruption; The phrase can also mark a landscape permanently haunted by its past.
Additional Notes
Sodom’s smoke recalls Genesis 19, where smoke rises from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It functions as a visible sign of judgment, irreversible loss, and the consequences of corruption. Biblical poetry may use the image as a warning, while also inviting reflection on justice and divine judgment.
Also Known As
Smoke of Sodom Smoke of Sodom and Gomorrah
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